"Be yourself. Unless 'yourself' is an asshole": David Sedaris delivers Oberlin's commencement speech

[Rusty_Blazenhoff]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/06/05/be-yourself-unless-yourse.html

…

[Papasan]

Once I was someones else, I didn’t like it, he was a real asshole.

[Grey_Devil]

So I started keeping a list of my wisdom. Part of it is, you have to be really careful about scented candles. There’s really only two kinds worth having… Diptyque or Trudon."

checks Amazon links

Oh… $100 scented candles. Well then.

[RickMycroft]

@Rusty_Blazenhoff

There’s really only two kinds worth having… Diptyque or Trudon."

Do they keep away mosquitoes? I think not.

[da_Bird]

@Grey_Devil

Diptyque

Sedaris is so out of touch. And I think he would admit it - but he’s just completely living in a whole different world. He used to come across as being sarcastic but ultimately a good person, but all the interviews I’ve seen him give lately - he’s just an asshole who’s used up all of his good material.

[Boundegar]

And I was just thinking he’s charming as usual, except what the hell was he wearing?

[gracchus]

So much talent in the Sedaris family. I could listen to this again and again, funny and beautiful and touching:

[aidtopia]

That joke reminds me of Cosby’s joke about drugs intensifying your personality. Ya know, before we all knew Cosby should have avoided being himself.

[sosumi]

Don’t forget the Picasso.

I Amy and David Sedaris.

[Faffenreffer]

@Papasan

Once I was someones else, I didn’t like it, he was a real asshole.

Once you stopped being that guy, he came around looking for someone else to be. Now, I turn into him at least once a week, but I’m trying to cut down.

[Melz2]

“Be yourself. Unless ‘yourself’ is an asshole.”

I don’t particularly care about Sedaris one way or another, but that is quite good advice.

[AnthonyC]

What’s he basing his $120k debt number on? Tuition at Oberlin, including room, board, and books, is close to $70k/year these days.

[Papasan]

@Faffenreffer

but I’m trying to cut down.

Roger That!

[d_r]

It is surprisingly difficult to get credible figures for student debt by institution (as it is not one of the figures reported to IPEDS), but Oberlin usually shows up on informal tables as under $30k for average student debt.

That’s still not chicken feed. I went to a similar private college where tuition+room and board totaled around $18k for all 4 years. (After scholarships I think I paid around $2k.)