Steve Wozniak - Fall Convocation 10/3/13
On Thursday afternoon I attended Fall Convocation in Alumni Gym, headlined by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer. Wozniak spent an hour and a half describing his growth from a curious adolescent to a highly esteemed computer engineer, but other than learning about his life story, I did not get much out of his talk. While Wozniak used the rhetorical appeal of pathos in an attempt to make the audience sympathize with his introverted personality, I thought he came off as arrogant and self-indulgent. Wozniak described himself as a young "prodigy" who gained many of opportunities because of his extraordinary intelligence. The fact that he thought so highly of his intellectual abilities especially bothered me because he did not provide constructive advice for the rest of us who are not as exceptionally smart. I found myself growing more and more frustrated as his talk progressed because there was no real message or theme, but rather a description of how successful and prosperous his life has been. I also did not like the way he ended his talk, saying something along the lines of, "Okay, I think we're out of time. Back to you, Leo!" He did not sum up his ideas, and he did not offer any advice for college students. I found myself questioning why I had wasted an hour and a half of my time listening to his talk.
On Thursday afternoon I attended Fall Convocation in Alumni Gym, headlined by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer. Wozniak spent an hour and a half describing his growth from a curious adolescent to a highly esteemed computer engineer, but other than learning about his life story, I did not get much out of his talk. While Wozniak used the rhetorical appeal of pathos in an attempt to make the audience sympathize with his introverted personality, I thought he came off as arrogant and self-indulgent. Wozniak described himself as a young "prodigy" who gained many of opportunities because of his extraordinary intelligence. The fact that he thought so highly of his intellectual abilities especially bothered me because he did not provide constructive advice for the rest of us who are not as exceptionally smart. I found myself growing more and more frustrated as his talk progressed because there was no real message or theme, but rather a description of how successful and prosperous his life has been. I also did not like the way he ended his talk, saying something along the lines of, "Okay, I think we're out of time. Back to you, Leo!" He did not sum up his ideas, and he did not offer any advice for college students. I found myself questioning why I had wasted an hour and a half of my time listening to his talk.
The only thing I took away from Wozniak's speech was something that he very briefly touched on, the importance of having an element of fun in whatever you do professionally. If you are not doing something you genuinely enjoy, it is a waste of time and energy that could be better spent doing something else. Wozniak explained that because he had fun with his job, he was more motivated to be productive, ultimately helping him reach success. I think this is important for college students to consider. Often people choose majors that promise wealth, instead of opting for majors that they are genuinely interested in. I think it is important to find something you are passionate about and pursue it wholeheartedly with no regrets.
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