ENGLISH SPEECH | GLENN CLOSE: Be Kind (English Subtitles)

TL;DR

The speaker reflects on her personal journey of pursuing education and emphasizes the significance of skepticism, individuality, kindness, and empathy in life.

Transcript

When I graduated, 45 years ago, I was the first woman in my family to earn a college degree. My mother never finished high school. She got married at 18 and had her first child two years later. Neither of my grandmothers, or great-grandmothers, went to collage. In their society, at the time, it just wasn’t done. My paternal grandmother, however, di... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎓 Education can provide opportunities and expand perspectives, especially for those who haven't had the chance to pursue it in previous generations.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the speaker to pursue a college education?

The speaker was inspired to pursue a college education after witnessing the students' curiosity and skeptical attitude towards her singing group, making her realize she wanted to be a part of a community that valued education and fostered learning.

Q: How does the speaker encourage individuality?

The speaker encourages embracing one's uniqueness and avoiding comparisons with others. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining individuality without feeling the need to conform to societal pressures or seek validation through social media.

Q: What does the speaker suggest about empathy?

The speaker states that empathy is essential for the survival and success of human communities. She believes that empathy evolved through face-to-face interaction and warns against relying too much on screens, advocating for more meaningful connections and eye contact.

Q: How did the speaker's personal experiences shape her viewpoint on mental health?

The speaker's nephew lives with schizophrenia, and her sister has bipolar disorder. These personal experiences led the speaker to start an organization to fight against the stigma around mental illness. She emphasizes the importance of kindness and starting conversations about mental health.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker shares her unique experience of being the first woman in her family to earn a college degree and how it shaped her life.

• She explains how her visit to the campus of the College of William & Mary led her to realize the importance of education and motivated her to pursue it.

• The speaker highlights the need for skepticism, individuality, and the ability to question beliefs in order to grow and develop as individuals.