Home / Princeton University / 2013
№ 2013.011 — Princeton University — Commencement address
Ben Bernanke
Field: politics
Ben Bernanke delivers a lighthearted commencement address framed as 'Ten Suggestions' rather than commandments, drawing on his experience leaving Princeton for Washington. He reflects on life's unpredictability, the ethical responsibilities that come with luck and meritocracy, the value of public service, and the importance of personal relationships and self-development. He closes with humorous but earnest advice about failure, money as a means rather than an end, and staying connected to family.
Key moments
- 01 Life is unpredictable; graduates' futures will differ from their plans
- 02 Meritocracy is only fair if the fortunate take greater responsibility to help others
- 03 Defense of public service and the idea that most policymakers act in good faith despite flawed results
- 04 Reflections on money, failure, choosing a life partner, and calling one's parents
Transcript
The full transcript is hosted by the original publisher. Commencement Archive links to the source rather than republishing copyrighted text.
Read the full transcript at source →Provenance
Imported from NPR commencement archive; cross-referenced with Open Commencement DB
NPR archive last updated in 2015; destination availability has not been exhaustively rechecked | Open Commencement DB transcript; not independently verified against the original recording