Saturday, September 25, 2010
Ethics and Communication
Please post to this blog by Wednesday, October 6, 2010 after referring this clip on youtube. What advise does he give these graduates at Arizona State Commencement regarding communication and ethics? Post a minimum of 150 words and apply our what we have discussed to date on communication and ethics.
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Words like "awe inspiring", "rare thing", "drive change" came to mind when listening to this commencement speech. It is an amazing thing when you can feel a speech in such a way that you are motivated. You are driven. You are inspired. That is the point of communication as a whole. This is effective communication to the highest degree. Ethics plays a major role in this. It is your core. It is what makes you, you. What a college degree means to me is priceless. I will be the first in my immediate family to receive one. To have this opportunity is what this speech was essential all about. I found is profound. Education and ethics can never be taken away from you no matter what. Communications plays a significant role in this. President Obama is such an exceptional speaker.He engages you, makes you listen whether you like him or not. I thank you, Professor for these blogs. This is a unique experience for me.
ReplyDeleteThe commencement speech that President Obama made was very well executed and motivating. A main point throughout his presentation was how to be truly successful. Obama expressed the importance of not being selfish in your chosen profession. Selfishness is greatly to blame for the current economic condition. Obama used the example of Wall Street tycoons, who became more concerned with their own personal success, rather than the greater good for society. The president advised the graduates to not let external means translate personal ethics. Just because you are going to benefit does not mean that it is good for society. Similar to the golden rule, “Do onto others as you would want done to you”. Having a strong sense of compassion for others is essential for the change which is greatly in need. President Obama stressed the importance of creating a new fundamental foundation and attitude for the nation. The entire commencement speech had an underlying principal; the importance moral ethics. To me, the President did a good job communicating the importance of these values. It was made clear that without such changes, America will never change. I am honestly glad that this blog was assigned, because if it wasn’t I would have never seen such a great presentation. The entire commencement was done with full clarity and a high level of enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteIn Obama’s ASU speech his wise advice was that there is always more out there to do, always more to learn and always more to achieve in this world. He said just because you graduated and got a degree, or many degrees, doesn’t mean you have to stop achieving and learning to make yourself successful and to reach your goals. Don’t rest on your achievements you’ve made already, keep growing. Obama also said that our economy has turned into a “me first” world which causes people to be distracted to what’s really important such as values, principals and puts commitment on hold. Material possessions aren’t are important in this world than your goals, your values and your commitments. Obama expressed that the glitter of achievements in the present have become so great in this economy that people are starting to forget about their achievements of getting you where you are today. He says that you need to adapt to the changing of economy, gain new skills and deal with the risks of new opportunities and achieve more goals for yourself. I believe that Obama’s advice was fantastic and was extremely motivational for those who graduated ASU that day.
ReplyDelete“Your body of work is never done” that was the credo of Obama’s ASU speech. The President prudent advice was that there are always more to do, to learn ; to achieve in this world not only in the U.S. in whole world right now because we have to think global. The world is small and getting even smaller. He said, graduated and got a degree, or many degrees, did not mean we have to stop accomplish and we reached our goals it just the beginning. He inspired us to keep growing and dig deeper inside our mind. Get more from us and give to others. The President Obama also mentioned our economy. The material possessions as not important in this world more important and valuable are your aspiration and ambition, your ethic and your commitments. He suggested that we need to adapt to the changing of economy, gain new skills and deal with the risks of new opportunities and complete more goals for our self as part of the rapidly changing environment because we all face the globalization of business. In my opinion Obama’s advice was incredible and he gave a lot great examples from past that was huge motivation for those who graduated ASU that day and for whole nation. The world belongs to moral and intelligent people and we are capable to do everything if we wish.
ReplyDeleteAfter an introduction more longwinded then a Melville story, Dr. Crow, wearing the mask of a dramatic persona, introduced the president. President Obama, in his usual fashion of making sure to take ample time to preface his primary point of typical one sided political nonsense, with about ten minutes of “nice” talk, makes a good ethical point on his way towards arriving at a poor ethical point. Along the way to the poor ethical point, the president talks about how the current graduating generation needs to place altruism before materialism. The president begins to make some solid points that were inspiring, until he shifted gears and began to use the occasion to spread his own message. The text indicates that the following practices are unethical lying, especially when the lies will lead to personal benefit, using information solely for personal benefit, withholding knowledge that may benefit others. The president does all this as all politicians must when expressing their platform, yet the president reprises his positive ethical message at the end of the commencement speech giving some solid advice to the graduates. The president just like any other politician cannot help but use any public platform to express political views; such practices are at the very least unethical.
ReplyDeleteDr. Crow is administered the commencement speech for the class of 2009 at Arizona State University. President Obama was a guest speaker who had talked about ethics. He talks about how ethics and what you believe is very important. He talks about how to chase your dreams and do not fall short of what your personal goals are for life. The president talks about material possessions being the way that you can measure your success. These words gave the graduating class assurance that they can have material things when they become successful. He also talks about poverty of ambition which is defined as absence over substance and celebrity over character and how this generation has to help end it. He also talks about tenured professors not being the educational leaders that they used to be. I feel that this statement by the president is true because some professors don’t care about educating their students and just care about their paychecks. I think this is very unethical because professors should want to be there to teach students not just for their paychecks.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama gives the advice to 2009 Arizona State University graduates not to worry about the material things - he phrases them as "whether you have a fancy enough title or a nice enough car" - and instead urges graduates to focus on making a more lasting impact on their country. He reccommends an altruistic route after graduation. Have a degree in business? Go help a non-profit improve their business and help others more efficiently instead of worrying about how much you earn every year. He stresses about building a "body of work" - one that doesn't finish after a promotion, but is instead built up over years and years of making a difference in others' lives. The President says we need to start to do things differently, or else we risk running into the same problems that we are in right now. He urges a fundamental change in perspective among college graduates. He recognizes that the economic climate is very difficult at the time of the speech, and he urges graduates that this is their opportunity to make a true difference in somebody's life. I thought his point about troubled child or homebound senior does not care about what is in your bank – that was very poignant. It's a very inspiring message that the President speaks, and I am not usually a fan of these types of speeches.
ReplyDeleteObama's ASU speech is one that any college student could relate to. What's so amazing, is to see how times have changed; in my family i will be the first to receive a college education. In todays society its not a question, after high school, you attend college. 20 years ago, that was not the case. our society developed into one of pure knowledge. we are not forced to get a higher education, but we are making the mature decision for ourselves, to want more for our future. to me, that says a lot.
ReplyDeleteYou will have a hard time looking for a job in 2010 that does not require schooling. In my opinion i do feel choosing a higher education for one self is the best decision. But just a degree will not get you to the top. You need more. It also involves a clear sense of self, morals play a huge part too. And thats something college cant teach. Thats what makes an individual have more potential than another.
President Obama spoke about ethics and communication and touched upon many important things during his commencement speech at ASU. I believe the biggest was to never be satisfied with your current achievements and to always strive for more. He referenced Wall Street and Washington and how personal gain and the pursuit of short term profits and bonuses overwhelmed the strive to want to be successful for the greater good. President Obama said, “A commitment to your customers, your workers, your shareholders, and you community is the true hallmark of success.” You should not want to be successful for the glory or the fame, but to be a useful, contributing member of society. The recognition and profit should be the icing on the cake, not the focus of your success. He also mentioned, find a person to be successful for, and raise there expectations. No matter what your program of study there is great good you can do for your community, your state, and even your country. President Obama did not start with the title of President; he worked hard to get there. The last thing that really resonated with me from the speech was the quote, “A relentless focus on the outward markers of success can lead to complacency, it can make you lazy.” Don’t be complacent, strive and hunger to learn anything and everything.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama’s commencement speech to the graduates of ASU was very well executed and awe-inspiring. In my opinion, I have always found the President to be a calm, collected, engaging and motivating speaker; an exquisite example of a great public speaker. He begins by congratulating the students with persuading encouragement, “there is always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.” He goes on to say, “Your body of work is yet to come.” By these statements, it is apparent to me that he is reinforcing the idea that one must be diligent, and determined. It was a speech that any college student could easily be inspired by and relate to.
ReplyDeleteObama also brings up the recession along with the irresponsibility and unethical behavior of Wall Street tycoons, and Washington. Without getting too deep into politics and personal opinions, I agree with Mark’s comment about the President using this occasion to spread his own agenda. I feel this is unethical lying for which will lead to personal benefit, using information solely for personal benefit, and withholding of knowledge that may benefit others. All in all, the speech was intended to inspire, encourage, and congratulate achievement and triumph with a clear message that communication is the key to success!
--The ^^above^^ comment is me. My sister blogs for her class and I didn't realize it was logged in under her name! sorry! re-posting as myself!
ReplyDeletePresident Obama’s commencement speech to the graduates of ASU was very well executed and awe-inspiring. In my opinion, I have always found the President to be a calm, collected, engaging and motivating speaker; an exquisite example of a great public speaker. He begins by congratulating the students with persuading encouragement, “there is always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.” He goes on to say, “Your body of work is yet to come.” By these statements, it is apparent to me that he is reinforcing the idea that one must be diligent, and determined. It was a speech that any college student could easily be inspired by and relate to.
Obama also brings up the recession along with the irresponsibility and unethical behavior of Wall Street tycoons, and Washington. Without getting too deep into politics and personal opinions, I agree with Mark’s comment about the President using this occasion to spread his own agenda. I feel this is unethical lying for which will lead to personal benefit, using information solely for personal benefit, and withholding of knowledge that may benefit others. All in all, the speech was intended to inspire, encourage, and congratulate achievement and triumph with a clear message that communication is the key to success!
It cannot be disputed that President Barack Obama is perhaps America's best orator at this time. Nothing is done in his speeches that doesn't carry his trademark smoothness, eloquence, and casual calculation. He seems to have a spontaneous, confident stream of consciousness that makes it sound like he is reading out of a well-written book. He smiles at all the right times and emphasizes all the right syllables, as well as establish common grounds, like with his sun devils reference. One thing that has struck me while watching was his calculated listening strategy that I am sure he has worked on and perfected. When he was listening to his introduction by Michael Crow, he has his eyes focused, fingers over his mouth and everything else about his countenance telling anyone watching that he was listening to only Dr. Crow, respectfully. His message is good and I truly do feel he wants these graduates to do great things and change things.
ReplyDeleteTo start I really enjoyed his particular speech. It speaks about one of my personal philosophys and is eloquently stated. What I took from the president's speech is two fold first that we need to continuously look to improve ourselves and by doing so improve our nation. Secondly to have the courage and the decency to stand up for what we believe in rather than strive for superficial things and hollow recognition.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that a person needs to constantly improve themself is one I very much agree with. My feeling is that there is very little a person can be certain of other than their own existance and that of their percievable environment. Given that criteria everyone should look to make the most out of their life and to do that they need to constantly be working to improve on who and what they are. It brings to mind an old proverb "May all your dreams come true but one." The idea behind this is that an individual's life would be hollow if they had everything they ever wanted and no goals to strive for. In this way by continously looking to improve ourselves we create value in our lives.
The second part of the speech is about having the courage to do what is right regardless of what we want or what is easy. The president asks us not to live morally and ethically bankrupt lives but to find something we are justifyably passionate about and rise to the challenge it presents. He suggests that the problems we face now are symptoms of complacency and moral turpitude and that we owe it to ourselves and our country to have the courage to make the sacrafices to get greatness back.
I personally found the speech very moving and motivational and whole heartedly agree with the sentiment.
President Obama’s speech at ASU, gives excellent advice about ethics and communication. In my opinion, President Obama is one of the most engaging and inspiring public speakers. That is exactly what he accomplished with this speech at ASU. He starts off by mentioning the negative impact on the economy that Wall Street business people have created. He says that one of the reasons that they created this ripple effect was because they were only thinking about making the money, becoming more successful. They never stopped to think about what was best for the nation and the people. As discussed in class, this is the perfect example of why ethics is important. You cant just make a decision because it will make you better-known, or because it will get you the long-waited promotion. You have to look at society, and make decisions that are also fair to others. He also mentions that me-first attitudes distracts you from important values in life. Now, we make mistakes because we get lazy and try to take shortcuts. Instead, smart ideas and hard work will be meaningful to this world. He also advices us to follow our passion regardless if it leads to fortune or not, not for money or fancy titles, but instead to change the course of history. “…To find the greatness that lies within each of us, so don’t ever shy away from that endeavor, don’t stop adding to your body of work.” This quote, to me, is the most inspiring. You have to keep trying; never stop working hard, and having passion for what you do.
ReplyDeleteIn Obama’s commencement speech that he gave to the ASU graduating class of 2009 he gave heavy emphasis on the turning point America is currently in. Our country is in a moment of transition, and it is up to this new generation to take charge and lead us into prosperity. Obama urges good ethics, because poor ethics are what initially brought us into these trying times, with the economy, with the wars over seas. Selfishness and irresponsibility cannot be acceptable. Obama speaks of the measurements of success, that it is not based solely on ones monetary income. Success comes from knowing in oneself that you committed everything you had to offer, that even if you reach a comfortable level of adequacy, you will not settle their because compliancy will no longer be tolerated. He tells us to have confidence in ourselves and to take risk, that it’s through integrity and innovation which only we can bring forward that will ultimately better our country. Lastly Obama goes into sacrifice and decency, because these traits in these trying times are the things that will guide our generation not only in improving America, but also improving the world. Not surprisingly Obama’s speech was filled with hope and inspiration for the graduating class, reemphasizing not only what opportunity America has to offer us, but what we can offer to America.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I love how president Obama starts off with a funny remark. I think it immediately grabs the audiences attention. I also love how he relates this speech to his home life by saying that "Michele has a "to-do" list for him when he gets home." I think by this, Obama is saying that although we have accomplished something, there is always more to learn and always more to accomplish. Basically, we can never stop learning and we can never stop bettering outselves.
ReplyDeleteI Also love that Obama tells us not to be so self-centered. He tells us to look around us and see what others need as well. He thinks that in order to be successful and remembered, we should give back to someone in society. That is where the true fame lies. Obama makes some points that most of us would never think about. He is a very strong and skilled speaker. I think that ASU was very fortunate to have President Obama Speak at their graduation and they should feel honored. Hopefully they will use some of his advice for the future.
The Obama commencement speech was extremely motivating and reassuring. It’s no secret that he is a phenomenal public speaker and all around communicator. In his speech he used an intelligent vocabulary because he is speaking to college graduates and professors, he kept it easy-going by cracking some jokes and get the people laughing, and he also barely ever stops using eye contact. He warms them up by talking about various topics that has to do with the state of Arizona. For instance, mentions the NCAA final four pool and their former governor whom he picked for his administration. This creates a connection with the crowd and makes the speech feel more personal like he’s actually talking to them as individuals. He talks about how proud their families are which gets them thinking about people close to them. The tones in his voice make the speech motivating. He’s not low in pitch or mumbling. He speaks clear, loud, and confident, even when he’s talking about the recession. The way he talks and the words he uses to come out of talking about the recession and the war make the speech reassuring. He uses various, modern day examples to relate and connect as best he can with the audience, which is why people listen when he talks and why he is such a great speaker and communicator.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the underlying message in President Obama’s commencement speech at Arizona University’s 2009 graduation was laced with a strong definition of ethics and an urge for change. President Obama reminded us of the past mistakes made on both Wall Street and in Washington and how they have affected us all, and that it is now our time to make a change. He highlights the negative effects of greed on our society and how a slew of unethical decisions led to the economic downfall that where are all experiencing. President Obama pushes for us to change the way things are, and not to become complacent and let others make decisions for us. Essentially, I feel that the President is “putting the ball in our court” so to say in regards to learning from the past, fighting off the demons of greed and envy, and working towards a solution.
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