Aaron Sorkin's Commencement Speech - 13 May 2012

Aaron Sorkin '83, screenwriter of the Social Network, used his particular blend of wit and principles to deliver a stirring commencement address for our 158th graduation ceremony on Sunday, 13 May 2012.

[@astrologerdawn1200]

Thanks, James Corden for recommending this. Brilliant Aaron Sorkin!

[@lakesnlawns222]

Same here. I just came to look for it while still watching the interview with Jay Shetty!!

[@warrenbailie]

Same here. Just finished the Jay Shetty Podcast. Too bad James is doing his talk show on Sirius and not Apple, or Spotify.

[@chowceo]

SAME I live in Syracuse and hears James Cordon recommend ❤

[@pgbarletta4547]

I came for it too!!

[@kdiff77]

This was my sister's commencment, and I was incredibly fortunate to be there in person for this speech. Truly inspiring and thought-provoking. As my mom said on the way out, "this is why you always get a writer to do a big speech."

[@bennyvee88]

13:06 "Decisions are made by those who show up!" One of my favorite quotes of all time!

[@bedfordnhdonkey]

Benji Timin Vargas Shorts huh? What does that even mean?

[@paulstrecher6194]

@@bedfordnhdonkey - It's a line from a West Wing episode, and it means you only get to be part of something, able to have input or an influence on what happens, if you show up and engage in the process. You don't show up, you have no say in what happens, nor any right to complain.

[@twoshedsful]

"Decisions are made by those who show up" - also said by Bartlett in the last episode of the first series

[@NilzFranco]

Sorry, full of himself? He's one of the best scriptwriters out there. He's sharing the way his education and experience at Syracuse prepared him for life. That's what they do.

[@jca23]

this speech is like music to my ears, like how he handles his dialogues.

[@jtse09]

Amazing, well-written, well-spoken speech. I come to this video a lot since my own commencement speech was so pathetic in comparison. This is the one I want to remember.

[@autum8560]

Jessica Tse he's the screenwriter of the social network. period.

[@KatrinaTulloch]

He's such a master of words. I'm so proud to go to the university he attended.

[@100theDork]

wow that was amazing "dont ever forget you're a citizen of this world" great line! Not too long either some of these just drag on and on...

[@hEyBaNaGiRl]

I was there :)

[@gasaholic47]

You're very fortunate!

[@gasaholic47]

Have you had your moment?

[@screenwritingacademy]

and how r u doing now

[@TheDramaCoach]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Loved this (recommended by James Corden after listening to him on Jey Shetty’s podcast) 👍🏻

[@redlightmax]

06:11 "Welcome to the NFL" is a line that Vice President Hoynes says to Josh in S1E4 of The West Wing.

[@aniruddhom]

Sorkinism

[@liajoseph7479]

Aniruddho Majumder had the same exact thought

[@4ldarond0]

Inspiring words from one of the great writers of our time. Thank you.

[@HenryBrewerCalvert]

Best screenwriter I've ever had the pleasure to listen to :)

[@abbybaker7222]

Wow, this is one of the best commencement speeches I have ever heard.

[@bobbykilla95]

That's respect and dedication to his daughter.

[@doyourpeace12]

So inspiring. I love how he ties all of his thoughts together into this min

[@ibrews]

Great speech Aaron! Thrilled to hear him talk about taking class with Geri Clark-- she's such a character. And hey! Brewster-Boland got a shout out-- nice.

[@howardkoor2796]

Sensational mind

[@blessedspear2642]

You're too good for schadenfreude This has stuck with me for 7 years and I'm not sure why

[@Jamal_Ginsberg]

Thank you kevin

[@ladykathym]

great speech!! really enjoyed it yesterday and had to listen again

[@SuperHiddenaccount]

great speech

[@TheBushman7]

He is my hero.

[@Viewingpublic08]

'Decisions are made by those who are show up' (said by CJ at Rock the Vote). And the bit about probable impossibilities is said by Sam when he realises he's going to be running for office in California.

[@NilzFranco]

A speech from a speech scriptwriter. Gorgeous.

[@221BSam]

@rawkus1167 Agree totally, have never understood why people relish bashing him, talk about a humbling speech, bravo Sir!

[@frozeneternity93]

powerful stuff

[@uinisefaustinafoochong7743]

Hilarious!!! My senior year was a joke this man's speech confirms it.

[@KaoticPA1N]

You should watch it.

[@drprofcapt]

This really motivated me, to do something, but I don't know what. I've got an urge for change, and I have for a long time, but I feel I'm too young to accomplish anything...

[@anjuliambani5835]

Well, that *was* 5 years ago. You've had plenty of time to fix that and accomplish something And you're no longer too young.

[@westlake3737]

Action changes things It’s not enough to know,You must also do.-Bruce Lee

[@cortaltasgirl]

Did anybody else catch the West Wing quotes?

[@SenorObesity]

oh my God

[@SethCrockett]

Sean Parker in Social Network also says, "that's life in the NFL," after Eduardo Saverin finds out how much his share was diluted

[@jamesellis02]

this was amazing

[@skinny326614]

18 people changed their minds

[@Mistermatt1984]

I would have went to my commencement had someone like this spoke at it.

[@timd5301]

But maybe you should have GONE to English class? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@rammsteinforlife]

Wow

[@Wazup52]

This Guy

[@jonsdaniel]

I'm here because I have to study a series of commencement speeches for my final tomorrow.. whatta night.

[@gnalkhere]

12:48 I understood that aaron sorkin reference

[@THENYCBALLER]

Can't wait to see his Steve Jobs biopic.

[@RyanTaggart]

Syracuse Love

[@TheOneTheyCallTurner]

HOYAS!!!!!!!!

[@bedfordnhdonkey]

Turner Welborn lol nobody knows anyone who ever went to Georgetown lol. Syracuse all day baby boy

[@riversjackjack]

He has an eleven year old daughter, he has been cocaine free for eleven years.

[@IAmTDurden]

A prevalent tendency to disregard the limited mission of this power and duty should, I think, be steadfastly resisted, to the end that the lesson should be constantly enforced that, though the people support the government, the government should not support the people. The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow-citizens in misfortune.

[@slbain9000]

I love Sorkin, but I kinda wish he'd give attribution when he quotes someone. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has" is from the brilliant anthropologist Margaret Mead. Sorkin swiped it for The West Wing too. Hey, it's okay to steal but how about giving a little credit where it's due? Easy to do in a commencement speech. Maybe some of these kids will look up Mead and learn more from her.

[@todd7878]

"Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright." - Aaron Sorkin

[@IBleeDodgerBlue]

can someone explain the georgetown joke at 13:55

[@gasaholic47]

Since no one answered you, SU and Georgetown were big rivals when SU was still in the Big East conference, especially in basketball. Their games were legendary. Sorkin was poking fun at that.

[@chrisk79]

How did people get inspired before KZbin?

[@valeriereified]

It's a nice piece of motivation for quitting a drug that is twice as dangerous and three orders of magnitude more expensive than aspirin.

[@lordchaos3819]

They went outside

[@ilenooo]

ROFL LMAO XD I was thinking about the same thing!!

[@XxDXARMYXx]

wow id hate to be the guy that follows that

[@Xtracik807]

rivalry

[@Chiverton08]

Check out Seth McFarlane's it was insane

[@howardkoor2796]

So, what did you think?

[@jayashreechakravarthy4949]

Aaron, whatever may be the truth…no matter how many things I got wrong, if you’re gonna deny a good deal of dumbness pervading this whole operation, you’re dumb too. But you’re not and they’re and I love you

[@Pitsku]

Wonderful speech. I'm more Boston Legal than West Wing one but he's done some great stuff. The Newsroom struggles a bit but (another but) it's got some gems. Presumably, Georgetown is the college's sporting opponents (?), a bit like Charlton and Millwall in SE London.

[@hestheman929]

4:36

[@valeriereified]

Um... a groundbreaking career in television and cinema?

[@ioshirai777]

He essentially recycled his "That's life in the NFL" line in The Social Network here for this speech.

[@paulstrecher6194]

Actually used a version of it in the West Wing first. Also an NBA version.

[@mickys333]

I won't ever be a lazy harp seal again!

[@Adriano250577]

IAmTDurden: "the people support the government, the government should not support the people" - seriously? we are all, the world over, abused by government, but we're supposed to support it and not expect to be supported? Nobody in their right mind says the government should take care of me anytime I scrap my knee. But evening the scales a bit in a very unfairly competitive society? That's just plain FAIR.

[@IAmTDurden]

Well, at least they got their colors right. GO GATORS!! :-D

[@bedfordnhdonkey]

IAmTDurden you’re a fucking loser

[@DuckDuckGrayDuk]

Baz Luhrmann of "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" fame wants his speech back.

[@jupiterkansas]

By going to expensive colleges to hear commencement speeches?

[@IAmTDurden]

I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the general government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit.

[@IAmTDurden]

This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood.

[@thedeparted2006]

Cuz you have no ambition. Don't beat yourself up about it.

[@Joekillian]

I love Aaron Sorkin. And this is, mostly, a very good speech. But he literally lifted at least three phrases from his own fictional characters and just grafted them into this address. He's often lifted lines from one of his works -- say, "Sports Night" or "The West Wing" and dropped them in another -- say, "The Social Network" or "Studio 60." It makes you want to say to him: "Aaron. Those were great lines. But leave them where they were. You can write new great lines. You're Aaron Sorkin."

[@rebeccaoliver7977]

He writes from his heart. The emotions he’s moved by. Using lines again just tells me how deeply they resonate with him.

[@spyfoxguy]

at 10:22, he unconsciously touches his nose

[@anjuliambani5835]

And? Have you never watched yourself on video after you've given a 15 minute speech? You don't even realise that you 'rearrange' yourself. That secretly says more about you, than him as an ex coke addict.

[@JosephGalbo]

It be easier to listen to this if it didn't sound like it was recorded on Mars.

[@jeffwildermuth4919]

Even a cokehead can be an inspiration !

[@te22a]

So Sorkin is really just another rich Jew.

[@roborossi24]

I've tried coke and i'm not addicted

[@olk17]

Why so many cliches Sorkin ;(

[@anjuliambani5835]

You obviously were not paying attention. He told you several times that he was addressing a group of dumb people. Obviously that's all they were able to handle or understand at that point.

[@Kayvon12321]

hey Wilson, you've got 5 months left. quit wasting your time doing speeches and go hang out with House!

[@MrSandpaperCondom]

David Foster Wallace's commencement speech is still way better.

[@walterreally]

The guy was full of himself but atleast he was honest unlike the majority of commencement speakers out there.

[@anjuliambani5835]

I'm not sure what you meant by full of himself or why you think his faults are way worse than your own shortcomings. Perhaps it's you who is full of yourself and you're just deflecting. I hope that over the past five years you've grown up, and you've come to realise that the world does not revolve around your opinions.

[@joed7534]

I was there :)