G-LOC
6th Jun 2001, 20:39
Subject: Larry Ellison at Yale
Too late for us...
This is the speech that Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO)
gave at Yale University to the graduating class of
2000 last month and he was ushered off the stage
because of it:
"Graduates of Yale University, I apologize if you have
endured this type of prologue before, but I want you
to do something for me. Please, take a good look
around you. Look at the classmate on you left. Look at
the classmate on your right. Now, consider this: five
years from now, 10 years from now, even 30, thirty
years from now, odds are the person on your left is
going to be a loser. The person on your right,
meanwhile, will also be a loser. And you, in the
middle? What can you expect? Loser. Loserhood. Loser
Cum Laude. In fact, as I look out before me today, I
don't see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow.
don't see a thousand future leaders in a thousand
industries. I see a thousand losers. You're upset.
That's understandable. After all, how can I, Lawrence
"Larry" Ellison, college dropout, have the audacity to
spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of
the nation's most prestigious institutions? I'll tell
you why. Because I, Lawrence "Larry" Ellison, second
richest man on the planet, am college dropout, and you
are not. Because Bill Gates, richest man on the
planet-for now anyway-is a college dropout, and you
are not. Because Paul Allen, the third richest man on
the planet, dropped out of college, and you did not.
And for good measure, because Michael Dell, No.9 on
the list and moving up fast, is a college dropout, and
you, yet again, are not. Hmm ... you're very upset.
That's understandable. So let me stroke your egos for
a moment by pointing out, quite sincerely, that your
diplomas were not attained in vain. Most of you, I
imagine, have spent four to five years here, and in
many ways what you've learned and endured will serve
you well in the years ahead. You've established good
work habits. You've established a network of people
that will help you down the road. And you've
established what will be lifelong relationships with
the word "therapy." All that of is good. For in truth,
you will need that network. You will need those strong
work habits. You will need that therapy. You will need
them because you didn't drop out, and so you will
never be among the richest people in the world. Oh
sure, you may, perhaps, work your way up to#10 or #11,
like Steve Ballmer. But then, I don't have to tell you
who he really works for, do I? And for the record, he
dropped out of grad school. Bit of a late bloomer.
Finally, I realize that many of you, and hopefully by
now most of you, are wondering, "Is there anything I
can do? Is there any hope for me at all?" Actually,
no. It's too late. You've absorbed too much, think you
know too much. You're not 9 anymore. You have a
built-in cap, and I'm not referring to the
mortarboards on your heads. Hmm ... you're really very
upset. That's understandable. So perhaps this could be
a good time to bring up the silver lining. Not for
you, Class of'00. You are a write-off, so I'll let you
slink off to your pathetic$200,000-a-year jobs, where
your checks will be signed by former classmates who
dropped out two years ago. Instead, I want to give
hope to any underclassmen here today. I say to you,
and I can't stress this enough: leave. Pack your
things and your ideas and don't come back. Drop out.
Startup. For I can tell you that a cap and gown will
keep you down just as surely as these security guards
dragging me off this stage are keeping me down..."(At
this point The Oracle CEO was ushered off-stage.)
What I wonder is; Can I fly one of his personal jets for a mear $200k a year? Larry if you're out there, I'm a great pilot!
Too late for us...
This is the speech that Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO)
gave at Yale University to the graduating class of
2000 last month and he was ushered off the stage
because of it:
"Graduates of Yale University, I apologize if you have
endured this type of prologue before, but I want you
to do something for me. Please, take a good look
around you. Look at the classmate on you left. Look at
the classmate on your right. Now, consider this: five
years from now, 10 years from now, even 30, thirty
years from now, odds are the person on your left is
going to be a loser. The person on your right,
meanwhile, will also be a loser. And you, in the
middle? What can you expect? Loser. Loserhood. Loser
Cum Laude. In fact, as I look out before me today, I
don't see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow.
don't see a thousand future leaders in a thousand
industries. I see a thousand losers. You're upset.
That's understandable. After all, how can I, Lawrence
"Larry" Ellison, college dropout, have the audacity to
spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of
the nation's most prestigious institutions? I'll tell
you why. Because I, Lawrence "Larry" Ellison, second
richest man on the planet, am college dropout, and you
are not. Because Bill Gates, richest man on the
planet-for now anyway-is a college dropout, and you
are not. Because Paul Allen, the third richest man on
the planet, dropped out of college, and you did not.
And for good measure, because Michael Dell, No.9 on
the list and moving up fast, is a college dropout, and
you, yet again, are not. Hmm ... you're very upset.
That's understandable. So let me stroke your egos for
a moment by pointing out, quite sincerely, that your
diplomas were not attained in vain. Most of you, I
imagine, have spent four to five years here, and in
many ways what you've learned and endured will serve
you well in the years ahead. You've established good
work habits. You've established a network of people
that will help you down the road. And you've
established what will be lifelong relationships with
the word "therapy." All that of is good. For in truth,
you will need that network. You will need those strong
work habits. You will need that therapy. You will need
them because you didn't drop out, and so you will
never be among the richest people in the world. Oh
sure, you may, perhaps, work your way up to#10 or #11,
like Steve Ballmer. But then, I don't have to tell you
who he really works for, do I? And for the record, he
dropped out of grad school. Bit of a late bloomer.
Finally, I realize that many of you, and hopefully by
now most of you, are wondering, "Is there anything I
can do? Is there any hope for me at all?" Actually,
no. It's too late. You've absorbed too much, think you
know too much. You're not 9 anymore. You have a
built-in cap, and I'm not referring to the
mortarboards on your heads. Hmm ... you're really very
upset. That's understandable. So perhaps this could be
a good time to bring up the silver lining. Not for
you, Class of'00. You are a write-off, so I'll let you
slink off to your pathetic$200,000-a-year jobs, where
your checks will be signed by former classmates who
dropped out two years ago. Instead, I want to give
hope to any underclassmen here today. I say to you,
and I can't stress this enough: leave. Pack your
things and your ideas and don't come back. Drop out.
Startup. For I can tell you that a cap and gown will
keep you down just as surely as these security guards
dragging me off this stage are keeping me down..."(At
this point The Oracle CEO was ushered off-stage.)
What I wonder is; Can I fly one of his personal jets for a mear $200k a year? Larry if you're out there, I'm a great pilot!