John Green's Commencement Speech 2013 | Butler University

[@NP-zl7dz]

As we say in our home town; 'Don't forget to be awesome!'

[@bijankordi2064]

Kurdish tv

[@collinskaranja8990]

This is the slowest I've ever heard him talk

[@seungjunrhee]

so true lol

[@SoLifeGoes]

I think his speech is powerful because his message is not "use your college education to earn money and power" but rather "use your college education to be a nicer, more understanding, person" and I respect that a lot.

[@radicalbacon]

I laughed at "Happy birthday sir, despite the circumstances."

[@YouTubeKnight]

So did I, but I think the corner of my eyes kinda welled up.

[@ChinmayaNagpal]

hand and john green changed my life and i publicly celebrate them.

[@MartinHatchuel]

The Man's a world treasure

[@ipuntturtlezz4632]

Man I didn't realize these john greens were the same.

[@SunnySideup2012]

How many did you think were there

[@MelAsYouSaidIssa]

Happy 40th Birthday Hank despite the circumstances!

[@sariyanta]

The moment of silent.. Thank you John for making me remember that I am nothing without my mother. And I hate you for being so freaking awesome.

[@hestheman929]

My commencement speaker rambled on for 34 minutes about his own life and achievements. He never once mentioned the graduates or the people who supported us, and never actually addressed us. It was awful. This on the other hand is absolutely fantastic.

[@GeahkBurchill]

The most important thing I ever learned is: Everything in the Universe is Temporary.

[@Jessgoodwin13]

John green always makes me emotional for some reason!!

[@wdsa8d]

a very honest speech

[@shanisokay]

i just love the eloquence he speaks with; i could listen to him talk for ages.

[@hestheman929]

I've been on a random commencement speech KZbin binge and John Green and Peter Dinklage are far and away the best I've seen.

[@Ryan-jl9ii]

"everybody's free to wear sunscreen" by Baz Luhrman

[@americawashington2700]

Hey not to brag or anything, but I live in the same state as John Green

[@samramdebest]

OMG

[@americawashington2700]

***** Well, most Hoosiers do

[@CraftnMomma]

i have lived all over indiana and somehow it's always been at least a 2 hr drive... often more. fricken huge state.

[@guillermosulvale8620]

Charlotte Burnside All a matter of perspective. I would think a two hour drive is very short, whereas you seem to think otherwise.

[@CraftnMomma]

with 4 kids in the van... 2 hours can be an eternity, lol

[@mynar_lenahan]

I am just astounded that John Green has such power of speech to make such a group be silent for a full minute. Gosh darn.

[@samanthagoldstein7497]

I love the green brothers!!! There's no way I could pass my classes without them

[@MaestroBabs]

"Keep reading; specifically my books, preferably in hardcover." As awesome as John is, he needs to eat too, people!

[@annamouse179]

This made me want to live and do things with my life again

[@elishagayc]

My respect for John Green just went a notch higher! Well said Sir!

[@Anticrystal88]

I love John Green. He is as fully a human being as anyone I know.

[@IglooDweller]

They should have commencement speeches when students BEGIN college as well, so they make the most of their time.

[@raghada9123]

Kuwait 🇰🇼 Represent!!! Despite the circumstances

[@josuelservin2409]

I keep coming back to this video from time to time, because this words help me to keep going despite the circumstances, thank you John.

[@krisha_praba8002]

Me too

[@realfubz]

This guy is the man!

[@zimmawoman]

i wish you a very happy graduation, despite the circumstances

[@Ridder242]

John Green is one of the most inspirational and wise persons I have ever seen and he has given the the ONLY graduation speech I have bee enjoyed.

[@JanKravarik]

John Green is really an inspirational man. The older he is, the more.

[@Goods213]

Best commencement speech I've heard...

[@TheSunshineKidakaBen]

What Green does in this speech is give these graduates (and us) a chance to understand this. They have worked to reach this point in their lives and should be proud of themselves but also thankful of everyone who helped them along the way.

[@TheSunshineKidakaBen]

These people who truly impacted their lives are unlikely to be famous and worshipped extensively in magazines, paraded as an inspirational and aspirational figures, yet at some point they would have offered a shoulder to cry on, a word of support and made sacrifices in order to give their child/friend/other the best opportunities and experiences at the expense of their own.

[@KR3993]

A rare human being. His words are so inspiring.

[@bethmunnery7832]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this.

[@taliavreugdenhil3150]

Best man on earth

[@markjjenkins]

Still holding very true to this day! Bravo and being able to articulate this so clearly and humorously. Absolutely love the ending.

[@Srishtib7]

ALWAYS. FADE. AWAY.

[@gamarad]

Our usernames are oddly similar.

[@seanhastings4432]

MrThatawsomguy This is starting to remind me of Enemy.

[@ShainaJosephComedy]

I keep this quote with me and use it daily

[@steponme208]

I'm graduating from college in a couple days and because of unfortunate timing and personal family matters, I'm not able to attend my commencement. However I think being able to read/watch John Green, someone I greatly admire, give this commencement speech is probably better then anything I would have heard or seen at my own commencement. So thank you John for giving this great send off to the graduating class of 2013. It means a lot to little ol' me.

[@nomorepottermore1296]

Every word of this man gives me chills and hope. Good job, sir, may the circumstances be with you every day of your life! ;)

[@TheSunshineKidakaBen]

Our existence is fleeting and we will all be forgotten but in that brief moment when we can make a difference to someone's life, that tiny spec of time in the history of the world when we can choose to either be positive or negative, it seems to me infinitesimally better to make a humble but good mark on the planet then a minor bad one.

[@gracelilly]

This is the best thing ever. I love John. He says everything perfectly. I can't sum up my feelings. I've printed this of and carry it around with me. So funny, so true, so John..

[@jeremiahfernandez9161]

John Green has a honorary degree? damn.

[@laurelskelton7035]

I don't care WHAT it was filmed on. I am so...SO Happy someone filmed it. This was an incredible speech.

[@CanopysGlow]

His speech was very motivational. This was a needed start to my day.

[@itoe07]

Thank you for this, John. Thank you.

[@ThatNerdyFreak]

He's incredible!!

[@janflora]

What? He didn't say "Don't Forget To Be Awesome!" which should be in every graduation speech. Still one of the best I have ever heard :)

[@milowent]

BEST COMMENCEMENT SPEECH EVER.

[@joleonthestreet]

so Hussan was real after all xD so proud of you John

[@Javjean]

Wooooh BUTLER! I don't know where that is...but still, they have great taste in speakers.

[@Fralmunk]

Just amazing :)

[@dibeal2111]

Yay for the MC who knew who John was and pronounced everything correctly!

[@TheSunshineKidakaBen]

We all get so caught up in what we want and what we need and often do this at the expense of other people's feelings. Being empathetic, kind and helpful isn't easy as there will be numerous times in life when people will test you but equally there will be times when you will test people. A bit of empathy, love and positivity can go a long way.

[@mfryett]

Beautiful speech, John.

[@sajaradi6313]

full of advice I know I need to hear thank u so much you make the world a better place to live in and I mean it Amazing speech

[@gremlincurls]

The last three minutes have a word: sonder. It describes the idea that every person has a life as full and complex as our own and that it is completely separate from our own.

[@APRIL-ii4dk]

O no! I cried. 😭

[@KireiDreamerGirl]

Congratulations on your graduation! :)

[@LyricalAndWell]

That moment when I realize that people I know from my high school got to witness this in person... I may or may not be extremely jealous.

[@soumyadeepmandal3977]

Thanks......John

[@ianprohofsky7681]

The looks on the faces of the people behind John when he said don't worry about your lawn was priceless

[@JosephBulsa]

Loved the Fred Rogers tribute/imitation.

[@tacojohn9]

He has read "This is Water". He mentioned it in a video quite some time ago (not that I expect you to know that).

[@rexlovestoboogie]

woohoo kuwait was mentioned! :D we're a pretty small out of no where spot in the world so im quite happy bout this :p also absolutely brilliant john! :')

[@rawanthebookworm1536]

OMG HE HAS A KUWAITI FRIEND AHHHHHH I'M KUWAITI

[@rawanthebookworm1536]

TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M FREAKING OUT IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE RARELY EVER NOTICED BY THE MEDIA

[@MCAndyT]

+

[@shebrew7]

haha so much better than all the speeches i've heard this year!

[@sugeeban5121]

people who dont show off are actually attractive. it is strange

[@JaydeMakenzie]

That was a very real and awesome speech :)

[@soemmasays]

such an important message.

[@pranamd1]

10:40 The part of William Faulkner's letter of resignation that strikes me the most is that there was a time when postage stamps were 2¢.

[@bbmonkey14]

It's weird hearing him say 'good morning' with them being followed by 'hank'

[@MaestroBabs]

We need him at the University of Washington in 2016!

[@Yige48]

why isn't there a standing ovation for John??? Do these kids know who he is??

[@DarthRioBarbossa]

You're probably about to get a lot of this, but have a happy graduation, despite the circumstances. Best wishes, DFTBA.

[@morbels]

Brilliant.

[@fartyuio]

I love his cape thingy

[@tnb0022]

I totally agree with the lawn thing.

[@steponme208]

Thank you! :)

[@MarciaCM2]

Awesome speech is awesome.

[@TheAlGal8]

I love John green.

[@steponme208]

Thank ya! :)

[@Tman11115]

wtf, i went to Butler and i didn't get John Green speaking at my graduation.

[@EverythingOtherwise]

Happy graduation despite the circumstances.

[@Charlotte.Clymer]

The best use of this meme I've seen. So good.

[@zimmermanphotos]

Good thought, but I have a feeling I wouldn't have been ready to listen to speeches like this before college.

[@AstraIVagabond]

I only wish it had been longer...

[@samhart8800]

john green is my dad and thats the true tea

[@rosey4exclaim]

First of all, there's a University named after me?! :D Also, note that the Twilight reference gets nothing while the Harry Potter reference gets cheers. xD I "liked" the video after he mentioned lawn obsession. What is UP with that??

[@SalemDrumline2011]

I should hope so, Prez. Danko's daughter is the script supervisor for Crash Course and Mental Floss.

[@ChayMae]

I started crying on 5:12 ..I'm not even in college!!

[@ofalvo]

Both John Greene and Josh Whedon start their commencement speeches the same way. We all are going to die. Now that we know we are going to die... we can start living.

[@dperin2011]

Have you never seen David Foster Wallace's 2005 Kenyon College commencement speech? If not, check it out!

[@cookieWedding]

WOOO john!

[@Hollyjollybean]

Aww congrats John'

[@danielLetsDoThis]

I enjoyed watching the reactions of the old man to the left.

[@mspenelusuk]

i like this man a lot although sometimes i dont really catch what he is saying

[@lovepreetsmagh5430]

whoah.

[@brianhire1706]

I feel like this is a line by line rewrite of David Foster Wallace's commencement speech for Kenyon.

[@sterlingnelson4663]

This speech reads/sounds like an updated version of David Foster Wallace's 2005 commencement address at Kenyon College. Give it a listen. Job well done, though.

[@nitsuanew]

Can someone help me understand “burn out vs fade away” reference?

[@jarilinton4653]

Austin I think it’s a reference to the phrase “live fast die young” not sure of the origin of that though. Basically he is saying, live long and die old

[@nitsuanew]

@@jarilinton4653 I just saw this after 3 years...A belated thank to you!!!