每天讀一點(diǎn)英文 那些激勵(lì)我前行的身影 11 邁向成功之路-哈佛第一任女校長(zhǎng)在畢業(yè)典禮上的講話

哈佛第一任女校長(zhǎng)在畢業(yè)典禮上的講話

In the curious custom of this venerable institution, I find myself standing before you expected to impart words of lasting wisdom. Here I am in a pulpit, dressed like a Puritan minister — an apparition that would have horrified many of my distinguished forebears and perhaps rededicated some of them to the extirpation of witches. This momentwould have propelled Increase and Cotton into a true “Mather lather.”But here I am and there you are and it is the moment of and for Veritas.

在這所久負(fù)盛名的大學(xué)的別具一格的儀式上，我站在了你們的面前，被期待著給予一些蘊(yùn)含著恒久智慧的言論。站在這個(gè)講壇上，我穿得像個(gè)清教徒教長(zhǎng)——一個(gè)可能會(huì)嚇到我的杰出前輩們的怪物，或許使他們中的一些人重新致力于鏟除巫婆的事業(yè)上。這個(gè)時(shí)刻也許曾激勵(lì)了很多清教徒成為教長(zhǎng)。但現(xiàn)在，我在上面，你們?cè)谙旅?，此時(shí)此刻，屬于真理，為了真理。

You have been undergraduatesfor four years. I have been president for not quite one. You have knownthree presidents; I one senior class. Where then lies the voice ofexperience? Maybe you should be offering the wisdom. Perhaps our rolescould be reversed and I could, in Harvard Law School style, do coldcalls for the next hour or so.

你們已經(jīng)在哈佛做了四年的大學(xué)生，而我當(dāng)哈佛校長(zhǎng)還不到一年。你們認(rèn)識(shí)了三個(gè)校長(zhǎng)，而我只認(rèn)識(shí)了你們這一屆大四的。算起來(lái)我哪有資格說(shuō)什么經(jīng)驗(yàn)之談?或許應(yīng)該由你們上來(lái)展示一下智慧。要不我們換換位置?然后我就可以像哈佛法學(xué)院的學(xué)生那樣，在接下來(lái)的一個(gè)小時(shí)內(nèi)不時(shí)地冷不防地提出問(wèn)題。

We all do seem to have made itto this point — more or less in one piece. Though I recently learnedthat we have not provided you with dinner since May 22. I know we needto wean you from Harvard in a figurative sense. I never knew we took itquite so literally.

學(xué)校和學(xué)生們似乎都在努力讓時(shí)間來(lái)到這一時(shí)刻，而且還差不多是步調(diào)一致的。我這兩天才得知哈佛從5月22日開(kāi)始就不向你們提供伙食了。雖然有比喻說(shuō)“我們?cè)缤淼媒o你們斷奶”，但沒(méi)想到我們的后勤還真的早早就把“奶”給斷了。

But let’s return to that notion of cold calls for a moment. Let’s imaginethis were a baccalaureate service in the form of Q & A, and youwere asking the questions. “What is the meaning of life, PresidentFaust? What were these four years at Harvard for? President Faust, youmust have learned something since you graduated from college exactly 40years ago?” (Forty years. I’ll say it out loud since every detail of mylife — and certainly the year of my Bryn Mawr degree — now seems to bepublicly available. But please remember I was young for my class.)

現(xiàn)在還是讓我們回到我剛才提到的提問(wèn)題的事上吧。讓我們?cè)O(shè)想下這是個(gè)哈佛大學(xué)給本科生的畢業(yè)服務(wù)，是以問(wèn)答的形式。你們將問(wèn)些問(wèn)題，比如：“福校長(zhǎng)啊，人生的價(jià)值是什么呢?我們上這大學(xué)四年是為了什么呢?福校長(zhǎng)，你大學(xué)畢業(yè)到現(xiàn)在的40年里一定學(xué)到些什么東西可以教給我們吧?”(40年啊，我就直說(shuō)了，因?yàn)槲胰松械拿慷渭?xì)節(jié)——當(dāng)然包括我在布林茅爾女子學(xué)院的一年——現(xiàn)在似乎都成了公共資源。但請(qǐng)記住在哈佛我可是“新生”)

In away, you have been engaging me in this Q & A for the past year. Onjust these questions, although you have phrased them a bit morenarrowly. And I have been trying to figure out how I might answer and,perhaps more intriguingly, why you were asking.

在某種程度上，在過(guò)去的一年里你們一直都在讓我從事這種問(wèn)答。從僅僅這些問(wèn)題上，即使你們措辭問(wèn)題都傾向于狹義，而我除了思考怎么做出回答外，更激發(fā)我去思考的，是你們?yōu)槭裁磫?wèn)這些問(wèn)題。

Let me explain. It actually began when I met with the UC just after myappointment was announced in the winter of 2007. Then the questionscontinued when I had lunch at Kirkland House, dinner at Leverett, whenI met with students in my office hours, even with some recent graduatesI encountered abroad.

聽(tīng)我解釋。提問(wèn)從2007年冬天我的任職被公布時(shí)與校方的會(huì)面就開(kāi)始了。然后提問(wèn)一直持續(xù)，不論是我在KirklandHouse(哈佛的12個(gè)本科生宿舍之一)吃午飯還是在LeverettHouse(哈佛的12個(gè)本科生宿舍之一，本科高年級(jí)學(xué)生使用)吃晚飯，或是當(dāng)我在辦公時(shí)間與學(xué)生會(huì)見(jiàn)，甚至是我在與國(guó)外認(rèn)識(shí)的剛考來(lái)的研究生的談話中。

The first thing you asked me about wasn’t thecurriculum or advising or faculty contact or even student space. Infact, it wasn’t even alcohol policy. Instead, you repeatedly asked me:Why are so many of us going to Wall Street? Why are we going in suchnumbers from Harvard to finance, consulting, i-banking?

你們問(wèn)的第一個(gè)問(wèn)題不是關(guān)于課業(yè)，不是讓我提建議，也不是為了和教員接觸，甚至是想向我提建議。事實(shí)上，更不是為了和我討論酒精政策。相反，你們不厭其煩問(wèn)的卻是：為什么我們之中這么多人將去華爾街?為什么我們大量的學(xué)生都從哈佛走向了金融，理財(cái)咨詢，投行?

There are anumber of ways to think about this question and how to answer it. Thereis the Willie Sutton approach. You may know that when he was asked whyhe robbed banks, he replied, “Because that’s where the money is.”Professors Claudia Goldin and Larry Katz, whom many of you haveencountered in your economics concentration, offer a not dissimilaranswer based on their study of student career choices since theseventies.

對(duì)于這個(gè)問(wèn)題有多種思考和回答方式。有一種解釋就是如Willie Sutton所說(shuō)的，一切向“錢”看。(WillieSutton是個(gè)搶銀行犯，被逮住后當(dāng)被問(wèn)到為什么去搶銀行時(shí)，他說(shuō)：“Because that is where the moneyis!”)你們中很多人見(jiàn)過(guò)的普通經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)教授Claudia Goldin 和LarryKatz，基于對(duì)上世紀(jì)70年代以來(lái)的學(xué)生的職業(yè)選擇的研究，作出了差不多的回答。

They find it notable that, given the very high pecuniaryrewards in finance, many students nonetheless still choose to dosomething else. Indeed, 37 of you have signed on with Teach forAmerica; one of you will dance tango and work in dance therapy inArgentina; another will be engaged in agricultural development inKenya; another, with an honors degree in math, will study poetry;another will train as a pilot with the USAF; another will work tocombat breast cancer.

他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了值得注意的一點(diǎn)：即使從事金融業(yè)可以得到很高的金錢回報(bào)，很多學(xué)生仍然選擇做其它的事情。實(shí)事上，你們中間有37人簽到了“教育美國(guó)人”(Teach forAmerica，美國(guó)的一個(gè)組織，其作用類似于中國(guó)的“希望工程”);1人將去跳探戈舞蹈并在阿根廷從事舞蹈療法;1人將致力于肯尼亞的農(nóng)業(yè)發(fā)展;另有1人獲得了數(shù)學(xué)的榮譽(yù)學(xué)位，卻轉(zhuǎn)而去研究詩(shī)歌;1人將去美國(guó)空軍接受飛行員訓(xùn)練;還有1人將加入到與乳癌抗戰(zhàn)當(dāng)中。

Numbers of you will go to law school, medicalschool, and graduate school. But, consistent with the pattern Goldinand Katz have documented, a considerable number of you are selectingfinance and consulting. The Crimson’s survey of last year’s classreported that 58 percent of men and 43 percent of women entering theworkforce made this choice. This year, even in challenging economictimes, the figure is 39 percent.

你們中的很多人將去法學(xué)院，醫(yī)學(xué)院或研究生院。但是，和Goldin和Katz教授有據(jù)證明的一樣，你們中相當(dāng)一部分人將選擇金融和理財(cái)咨詢。Crimson對(duì)于上屆學(xué)生的調(diào)查顯示，在就業(yè)的學(xué)生中，58%的男生和43%的女生做出了這個(gè)選擇。今年，即使在經(jīng)濟(jì)受挑戰(zhàn)的一年，這個(gè)數(shù)據(jù)是39%。

High salaries, the all butirresistible recruiting juggernaut, the reassurance for many of youthat you will be in New York working and living and enjoying lifealongside your friends, the promise of interesting work — there arelots of ways to explain these choices. For some of you, it is acommitment for only a year or two in any case. Others believe they willbest be able to do good by first doing well. Yet, you ask me why youare following this path.

也許是為了高薪——難以抵抗的招聘誘惑，也許是為了留在紐約然后和朋友們一起工作生活和享受人生，也許是為了做自己感興趣的工作——對(duì)于這些選擇可以有各種各樣的理由。對(duì)你們中的一些人，無(wú)論如何那也只是個(gè)一兩年的契約。其他的一部分人相信他們只有在過(guò)得“富有”了以后才有可能過(guò)得“富有”價(jià)值。不過(guò)，你們依然會(huì)問(wèn)我，為什么要走這條路?

I find myselfin some ways less interested in answering your question than infiguring out why you are posing it. If Professors Goldin and Katz haveit right; if finance is indeed the “rational choice,” why do you keepraising this issue with me? Why does this seemingly rational choicestrike a number of you as not understandable, as not entirely rational,as in some sense less a free choice than a compulsion or necessity? Whydoes this seem to be troubling so many of you?

我發(fā)現(xiàn)我自己有時(shí)候?qū)τ诨卮鹉銈兊膯?wèn)題并沒(méi)有多大興趣，比較而言更感興趣的卻是捉摸你們?yōu)槭裁刺崮切﹩?wèn)題。如果果真如Goldin和Katz教授所說(shuō);如果去搞金融確實(shí)是一個(gè)“理性”的選擇，為什么你們會(huì)不停地向我提出這類問(wèn)題?為什么看似理性的選擇卻讓你們當(dāng)中相當(dāng)一部分人認(rèn)為是令人費(fèi)解的，偽理性的，或出于某種需求和強(qiáng)迫所作出的并不自由的選擇?為什么這個(gè)問(wèn)題似乎困擾著你們當(dāng)中的很多一部分人?

You are asking me, I think, about the meaning of life,though you have posed your question in code — in terms of theobservable and measurable phenomenon of senior career choice ratherthan the abstract, unfathomable and almost embarrassing realm ofmetaphysics. The Meaning of Life — capital M, capital L — is a cliché —easier to deal with as the ironic title of a Monty Python movie or thesubject of a Simpsons episode than as a matter about which one woulddare admit to harboring serious concern.

我想，你們問(wèn)我的是：關(guān)于人生價(jià)值的問(wèn)題。雖然你們問(wèn)得比較隱晦——即是些可以觀察和衡量的大四學(xué)生職業(yè)選擇的問(wèn)題，而不是那抽象的，晦澀的，甚至?xí)钊穗y堪的形而上學(xué)范疇的問(wèn)題。人生價(jià)值，要人生?還是要價(jià)值?作為MontyPython那部片子(指的是六人行里《人生的價(jià)值》那一集)的諷刺意味的片名是不難理解的，作為《辛普森一家》(美國(guó)特別受歡迎的動(dòng)畫連續(xù)劇)的其中一集的主題也是不難理解的，可是當(dāng)關(guān)系到“生存問(wèn)題”的時(shí)候，就是不那么好辦了。

But let’s for a momentabandon our Harvard savoir faire, our imperturbability, our pretense ofinvulnerability, and try to find the beginnings of some answers to yourquestion.

那讓我們還是暫時(shí)摘下那戴著的哈佛面具，收起那缺乏熱情的冷漠，卸下我們看似刀槍不入的偽裝，讓我們嘗試去探尋你們問(wèn)的一些問(wèn)題的答案。(我覺(jué)得校長(zhǎng)能說(shuō)出這句話真太棒了!我想她當(dāng)時(shí)面對(duì)的聽(tīng)眾的表情和我們?cè)诼?tīng)課時(shí)的表情差不多。)

I think you are worried because you want your lives not just to beconventionally successful, but to be meaningful, and you are not surehow those two goals fit together. You are not sure if agenerous starting salary at a prestigious brand name organizationtogether with the promise of future wealth will feed your soul.

我覺(jué)得，你們之所以擔(dān)憂，是因?yàn)槟銈儾幌雰H僅是獲得傳統(tǒng)意義上的成功，而且要活得有價(jià)值?？墒悄銈儾磺宄?ldquo;魚”與“熊掌”怎樣才能“兼得”。你們不清楚是否，一家擁有著名品牌的企業(yè)提供的數(shù)目可觀的并且預(yù)期著你未來(lái)財(cái)富的起薪，可以讓你們的靈魂得到滿足。

Why are you worried? Partly it is our fault. We have told you from themoment you arrived here that you will be the leaders responsible forthe future, that you are the best and the brightest on whom we will alldepend, that you will change the world. We have burdened you with nosmall expectations. And you have already done remarkable thingsto fulfill them: your dedication to service demonstrated in yourextracurricular engagements, your concern about the future of theplanet expressed in your vigorous championing of sustainability, yourreinvigoration of American politics through engagement in this year’spresidential contests.

然而，你們?yōu)槭裁磽?dān)憂呢?這部分地是我們的責(zé)任。當(dāng)你們一踏進(jìn)這個(gè)學(xué)校，我們就告訴你們：你們將成為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)未來(lái)的中堅(jiān)人物，你們將成為美國(guó)人民依賴的最頂尖、最杰出的精英，你們將改變整個(gè)世界。我們“望子成龍”的期望使你們背上了負(fù)擔(dān)。而你們?yōu)榱藢?shí)現(xiàn)這些期望也已經(jīng)做得很好：在對(duì)課外活動(dòng)的從事中，你們展示出對(duì)于服務(wù)性工作的奉獻(xiàn)精神;從對(duì)可持續(xù)發(fā)展的熱情擁護(hù)，你們表達(dá)出對(duì)這個(gè)星球的關(guān)懷;通過(guò)對(duì)今年總統(tǒng)競(jìng)選的參與，你們做出了希望使美國(guó)政治重新恢復(fù)活力的實(shí)際行動(dòng)。

But many of you are now wondering how these commitments fit with a career choice. Isit necessary to decide between remunerative work and meaningful work?If it were to be either/or, which would you choose? Is there a way tohave both?

但你們中的很多人現(xiàn)在會(huì)問(wèn)，“怎樣才能把做這些有價(jià)值的事情和一個(gè)職業(yè)選擇結(jié)合起來(lái)呢?”“是否必須在一份有報(bào)酬卻沒(méi)價(jià)值的工作和一份有價(jià)值卻沒(méi)報(bào)酬的工作間做出抉擇呢?”“如果是一個(gè)單選題，您會(huì)選哪一個(gè)?”“有沒(méi)有折中的辦法?”

You are asking me and yourselves fundamental questions about values, about trying to reconcile potentially competing goods, about recognizing that it may not be possible to have it all. You are at a moment of transition that requires making choices. And selecting one option — a job, a career, a graduate program — means not selecting others. Every decision means loss as well as gain —possibilities foregone as well as possibilities embraced. Your questionto me is partly about that — about loss of roads not taken.

你們?cè)趩?wèn)我，也是問(wèn)你們自己?jiǎn)栴}，即關(guān)于價(jià)值觀的根本性的問(wèn)題。你們?cè)谠噲D調(diào)解兩個(gè)商品潛在的相互競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，承認(rèn)也許不可能兼得兩者。你們?cè)诮?jīng)歷一次人生的轉(zhuǎn)折，而這個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折需要你們自己做出一些決定。選擇一條道路——一份工作、一項(xiàng)事業(yè)或一個(gè)研究生課題——不單單是在選擇東西。每個(gè)決定都意味著“得”與“失”——過(guò)去與未來(lái)的種種可能。你們問(wèn)我的問(wèn)題其實(shí)有幾分是關(guān)于“失”，即你放棄的那條道路讓你失去了什么。

Finance,Wall Street, “recruiting” have become the symbol of this dilemma,representing a set of issues that is much broader and deeper than justone career path. These are issues that in one way or another will atsome point face you all — as you graduate from medical school andchoose a specialty — family practice or dermatology, as you decidewhether to use your law degree to work for a corporate firm or as apublic defender, as you decide whether to stay in teaching after yourtwo years with TFA.

金融、華爾街，“招聘”一詞已經(jīng)成了這種博弈的符號(hào)，代表著比僅僅選擇一條職業(yè)道路更廣更深的一系列問(wèn)題。這些問(wèn)題早晚將面臨著你們每個(gè)人——如果你是從醫(yī)學(xué)院畢業(yè)，你將選擇一個(gè)具體從醫(yī)方向——做私人醫(yī)生還是專攻皮膚病，如果你學(xué)的是法律，你將決定是用你的法律知識(shí)為一個(gè)公司法人賣命還是成為公眾的正義化身，或是在 “教育美國(guó)人”兩年后你決定是否繼續(xù)從教。

You are worried because you want to have both a meaningful life and a successful one;you know you were educated to make a difference not just for yourself,for your own comfort and satisfaction, but for the world around you. And now you have to figure out the way to make that possible.

你們之所以擔(dān)憂，是因?yàn)槟銈兿霌碛谐錆M價(jià)值的同時(shí)又是成功的人生;你們知道，你們被教育要有大的作為，不僅僅是為了個(gè)人，為了自己生活地舒適，而是要讓周圍的世界因此而改變。因此你們才不得不思考怎樣才能讓其成為可能。

I think there is a second reason you are worried — related to but not entirely distinct from the first. You want to be happy.You have flocked to courses like “Positive Psychology” — Psych 1504 —and “The Science of Happiness” in search of tips. But how do we findhappiness? I can offer one encouraging answer: get older. Turns outthat survey data show older people — that is, my age — reportthemselves happier than do younger ones. But perhaps you don’t want towait.

我認(rèn)為你們之所以擔(dān)憂有第二個(gè)原因——和第一個(gè)有關(guān)系但不是完全一樣。你們希望過(guò)得幸福。你們蜂擁著去修“積極心理學(xué)”這門課——課程代號(hào)“心1504”——和“幸福的科學(xué)”這門課，不就是為了聽(tīng)點(diǎn)人生“小貼士”?可是，我們?cè)鯓硬拍塬@得幸福?在這兒，我可以提供一個(gè)啟發(fā)性的答案：變老。調(diào)查數(shù)據(jù)顯示年長(zhǎng)的人——也就是我這把年紀(jì)的人——覺(jué)得自己比年輕人更幸福。不過(guò)，很可能你們沒(méi)有人愿意去等著去看這個(gè)答案。

As I have listened to you talk about the choices aheadof you, I have heard you articulate your worries about the relationshipof success and happiness — perhaps, more accurately, how to definesuccess so that it yields and encompasses real happiness, not justmoney and prestige.

在聊天時(shí)我聽(tīng)過(guò)你們談到你們目前所面臨的選擇，我聽(tīng)到你們一字一句地說(shuō)出你們對(duì)于成功與幸福的關(guān)系的憂慮——也許，更精確地講，怎樣去定義成功才能使它具有或包含真正的幸福，而不僅僅是金錢和榮譽(yù)。

The most remunerative choice, you fear, may not bethe most meaningful and the most satisfying. But you wonder how youwould ever survive as an artist or an actor or a public servant or ahigh school teacher? Howwould you ever figure out a path by which to make your way injournalism? Would you ever find a job as an English professor after youfinished who knows how many years of graduate school and dissertationwriting?

你們害怕，報(bào)酬最豐厚的選擇，也許不是最有價(jià)值的和最令人滿意的選擇。但是你們也擔(dān)心，如果作為一個(gè)藝術(shù)家或是一個(gè)演員，一個(gè)人民公仆或是一個(gè)中學(xué)老師，該如何才能生存下去?然而，你們可曾想過(guò)，如果你的夢(mèng)想是新聞業(yè)，怎樣才能想出一條通往夢(mèng)想的道路呢?難道你會(huì)在讀了不知多少年研，寫了不知多少畢業(yè)論文終于畢業(yè)后，找一個(gè)英語(yǔ)教授的工作?

Theanswer is: you won’t know till you try. But if you don’t try to do whatyou love — whether it is painting or biology or finance; if you don’tpursue what you think will be most meaningful, you will regret it. Lifeis long. There is always time for Plan B. But don’t begin with it.

答案是：你不試試就永遠(yuǎn)都不會(huì)知道。但如果你不試著去做自己熱愛(ài)的事情，不管是玩泥巴還是生物還是金融，如果連你自己都不去追求你認(rèn)為最有價(jià)值的事，你終將后悔。人生路漫漫，你總有時(shí)間去給自己留“后路”，但可別一開(kāi)始就走“后路”。

I think of this as my parking space theory of career choice, and I have been sharing it with students for decades. Don’tpark 20 blocks from your destination because you think you’ll neverfind a space. Go where you want to be and then circle back to where youhave to be.

我把這叫做我的關(guān)于職業(yè)選擇的“泊車”理論，幾十年來(lái)我一直都在向?qū)W生們“兜售”我的這個(gè)理論。不要因?yàn)榕碌搅四康牡卣也坏酵＼囄欢衍囃Ｔ诰嚯x目的地20個(gè)路口的地方。直接到達(dá)你想去的地方，哪怕再繞回來(lái)停，你暫時(shí)停的地方只是你被迫停的地方。

Youmay love investment banking or finance or consulting. It might be justright for you. Or, you might be like the senior I met at lunch atKirkland who had just returned from an interview on the West Coast witha prestigious consulting firm. “Why am I doing this?” she asked. “Ihate flying, I hate hotels, I won’t like this job.” Find work you love.It is hard to be happy if you spend more than half your waking hoursdoing something you don’t.

你也許喜歡做投行，或是做金融抑或做理財(cái)咨詢。都可能是適合你的。那也許真的就是適合你的?；蛟S你也會(huì)像我在KirklandHouse見(jiàn)到的那個(gè)大四學(xué)生一樣，她剛從美國(guó)西海岸一家著名理財(cái)咨詢公司的面試回來(lái)。“我為什么要做這個(gè)?”她說(shuō)，“我討厭坐飛機(jī)，我討厭住賓館，我是不會(huì)喜歡這份工作的。”找到你熱愛(ài)的工作。如果你把你一天中醒著的一大半時(shí)間用來(lái)做你不喜歡的事情，你是很難感到幸福的。

But what is ultimately most important here is that you are asking the question — not just of me but of yourselves. You are choosing roads and at the same time challenging your own choices.

但是我在這兒說(shuō)的最重要的是：你們?cè)趩?wèn)那些問(wèn)題——不僅是問(wèn)我，而是在問(wèn)你們自己。你們正在選擇人生的道路，同時(shí)也在對(duì)自己的選擇提出質(zhì)疑。

You have a notion of what you want your life to be and you are not sure the road you are taking is going to get you there.This is the best news.

你們知道自己想過(guò)什么樣的生活，也知道你們將行的道路不一定會(huì)把你們帶到想去的地方。這樣其實(shí)很好。

And it is also, I hope, to some degree, ourfault. Noticing your life, reflecting upon it, considering how you canlive it well, wondering how you can do good:

某種程度上，我倒希望這是我們的錯(cuò)。我們一直在標(biāo)榜人生，像鏡子一樣照出未來(lái)你們的模樣，思考你們?cè)趺纯梢赃^(guò)得幸福，探索你們?cè)鯓硬拍苋プ鲂?duì)社會(huì)有價(jià)值的事：

These are perhaps the mostvaluable things that a liberal arts education has equipped you to do. Aliberal education demands that you live self-consciously.

這些也許是文科教育可以給你們“裝備”的最有價(jià)值的東西。文科教育要求你們要活得“明白”。它使你探索和定義你做的每件事情背后的價(jià)值。

It preparesyou to seek and define the meaning inherent in all you do. It has madeyou an analyst and critic of yourself, a person in this way supremelyequipped to take charge of your life and how it unfolds. It isin this sense that the liberal arts are liberal — as in liberare — tofree.

它讓你成為一個(gè)經(jīng)常分析和反省自己的人。而這樣的人完全能夠掌控自己的人生或未來(lái)。從這個(gè)道理上講，文科——照它的字面意思——才使你們自由。(英語(yǔ)里文科是Liberal Art，照字面解釋是自由的藝術(shù))學(xué)文科可以讓你有機(jī)會(huì)去進(jìn)行理論的實(shí)踐，去發(fā)現(xiàn)你所做的選擇的價(jià)值。

They empower you with the possibility of exercising agency, ofdiscovering meaning, of making choices. The surest way to have ameaningful, happy life is to commit yourself to striving for it.Don’t settle.

想過(guò)上有價(jià)值的，幸福的生活，最可靠的途徑就是為了你的目標(biāo)去奮斗。不要安于現(xiàn)狀得過(guò)且過(guò)。隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備著改變?nèi)松牡缆贰?/p>

Be prepared to change routes. Remember the impossibleexpectations we have of you, and even as you recognize they areimpossible, remember how important they are as a lodestar guiding youtoward something that matters to you and to the world. The meaning ofyour life is for you to make.

記住我們對(duì)你們的我覺(jué)得是“過(guò)于崇高”的期待，可能你們自己也承認(rèn)那些期待是有點(diǎn)“太高了”。不過(guò)如果想做些對(duì)于你們自己或是這個(gè)世界有點(diǎn)價(jià)值的事情，記住它們，它們將會(huì)像北斗一樣指引著你們。你們?nèi)松膬r(jià)值將由你們?nèi)?shí)現(xiàn)!

I can’t wait to see how you all turn out. Do come back, from time to time, and let us know.

我都等不及想看看你們都最終會(huì)如何。畢業(yè)以后和學(xué)校常聯(lián)系，常回“家”看看，讓我們了解你們的情況。

【人物簡(jiǎn)介】

DrewG.Faust是哈佛歷史上第一位女性校長(zhǎng)，第一位非哈佛畢業(yè)生校長(zhǎng)，杰出的歷史學(xué)家，2001年從賓西法尼業(yè)大學(xué)到哈佛的Radcliffe學(xué)院任教，之前的哈佛上一任校長(zhǎng)曾因?yàn)楣_(kāi)發(fā)表“歧視女性”的言論被迫辭職