Learning to Listen

In his speech on listening, John Green discusses the horrors of adulthood. The author gave the commencement address at his alma mater, Kenyon College, giving the class of 2016 some valuable life advice for the next stage in the so-called real world.

The speech on listening states a liberal arts education teaches graduates not just how to think, but how to listen. This skill helps you to ponder the big questions of humanity, to hear the voices of the loud as well as the systemically silenced and to guard against the "seductive lies of our time." The speaker explains how love and listening make you vulnerable, but also allow you to see weakness in others and see them not as enemies, but as collaborators and co-creators.

Green's speech on listening explores the concept that all adulthood horrors emerge from living in a world where you are connected to others to whom you have to listen. Instead of seeing yourself as the center of the universe, you should be aware of the role you play in a larger sense.