Don’t be afraid to be a fool.
Remember, you cannot be both young and wise.
Young people who pretend to be wise
to the ways of the world
are mostly just cynics.
Cynicism masquerades as wisdom,
but it is the farthest thing from it.
Because cynics don’t learn anything.
Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness,
a rejection of the world because
we are afraid
it will hurt us or disappoint us.
Cynics always say no.
But saying yes begins things.
Saying yes is how things grow.
Saying yes leads to knowledge.
“Yes” is for young people.
So for as long as you have the strength to,
say “Yes”.
*
Stephen Colbert, Knox College commencement, 6/2006
Leave a Reply