Every year during the graduation famous people will talk to thousands of students and their parents. But this time something strange has happened. Each of the big-name speakers seems to speak of the same topic; they are all telling graduates to make the world a better place. So there was Arianna Huffington at Smith College saying "what I advise you to do is not just take your place at the top of the world, but to change the world." The actress Kerry Washington told students at George Washington University:"The world needs your voice, every one of you." And then this , from Jeff Immelt, head of General Electric, at the University of Connecticut: " Graduates should be optimistic; believe in better. The world waits for your power." Anyone can know what the famous speakers said is meaningless. The world has 7 billion voices to listen to already---it won't matter about one more or less. Neither is it clear why graduates should be especially optimistic, especially at the moment. The world doesn't wait for their power; only a small number of people will get the chance to lead anything. Only Barack Obama in his address  at Morehouse College avoided encouraging anyone to change the world. That is because he alone knows how hard it is to change it ---- even if you happen to be President of the United States. Not only has he failed to change the world, he can't even get people to give up guns in his own country. Instead of aiming so impossibly high, the graduates of 2014 would do better to start a bit lower. When they leave their universities it will not "Hello world!" but "Hello again, Mum and Dad!" So what Ms Huffington, Mr. Obama and Mr. Immelt ought to have said was: change the world if you must, but it would be nice if you could help out by changing the bag in the rubbish basket first. They should then have followed up with the importance of hard work. Graduates need to change their employment attitude. They need jobs. Sadly on commencement addresses  no one tells them that even a bad job is better tan none at all. What is the author's attitude towards what big-name speakers said?
Supportive. Surprised. Negative Respectful.