Comedian and Playwright
Thurgood Marshall College of UCSD, June 2013
In 2013, the Thurgood Marshall College at UCSD had the distinct pleasure of hosting the irrepressible comedian and actor, Lewis Black. Known for his sharp wit and unapologetic humor, Black's visit was a riotous and thought-provoking experience for students and faculty alike. With his trademark rants and incisive social commentary, he left a lasting impression, showcasing the power of comedy to both entertain and challenge our perspectives on the world.
10 top life lessons by Lewis Black
- Lesson: Cultivate a Sense of Humor. – “Relish and cultivate humor; it’ll keep you sane in life’s madness.”
- Lesson: Humor is a Life Preserver in Times of Difficulty. – “Humor is vital for your existence; it helps you navigate life’s challenges.”
- Lesson: Pursue Your Dreams for True Satisfaction. – “Following your dreams may not lead to the exact destination, but it ensures immense satisfaction.”
- Lesson: Idealism is Valuable; Maintain Your Beliefs. – “Hold onto your ideals; idealism is a valuable trait that shouldn’t fade with age.”
- Lesson: Youthful Inquisitiveness Has No Age Limit. – “Stay curious throughout life; age shouldn’t dampen your inquisitiveness.”
- Lesson: Use Information to Build a Better World. – “Utilize the information at your fingertips to create a better world.”
- Lesson: You Matter, Take Care of Each Other. – “Recognize your importance; get the job done and remember to care for one another.”
- Lesson: Navigate a World Filled with Idiots. – “In a world full of idiots, stay true to yourself; idiocy doesn’t define your sanity.”
- Lesson: Rules That Are Stupid Are Made to Be Broken. – “Challenge and break rules that are senseless or restrictive.”
- Lesson: Making the World Better Benefits Everyone, Including Yourself. – “Improving the world for others ultimately improves it for yourself; those who disagree may be misguided
Best quotes of Lewis Black‘s speech
"A sense of humor will be your life preserver in what could definitely be a veil of tears."Video of Lewis Black‘s Commencement speech at Thurgood Marshall College of UCSD
Commencement Speech Transcript
Comedian Lewis Black reminded students that a sense of humor will be their “life preserver in what could definitely be a veil of tears.”
“Relish it. Cultivate it. It will keep you sane in the midst of the madness you will encounter nearly every day of your life. It is vital to your existence.”
Pursue whatever it is that you want to do with your life. It is the only secret to happiness that I know except for maybe true love, that and maybe having the amazing health insurance plan that our congressmen have.
“Before I forget, I just want to say, I am really sorry you might not get the social security checks you might have spent when you get old. Our parents passed it on to our generation, but no one ever said to us that we were supposed to pass it on to the next generation. So we spent it.”
“Pursuing your dream, I believe that is the path you should follow; that is why you have the dream to be on the road that you should be on. If you follow that road, you might not end up at your dream, but you will end up doing something that gives you immense satisfaction.”
“Just because you get old, it doesn’t mean you have to let go of your youthful inquisitiveness. Just because you get old, it doesn’t mean you have to let go of the beliefs you have now. You have them for a reason. It’s generally called idealism, and there is nothing wrong with being idealistic.”
“You are already years ahead of us socially. You have all the information that mankind has gathered right in your pocket in your phone. Now use that information to find the facts to make a better world than the one we have today … You matter. You are important. Get the job done and remember to take care of each other.”
“You are now entering a world filled to the brim with idiots,” “Since there are so many idiots out there, you may actually start to think you’re crazy. You are not. They are idiots.”
“Whatever you do, don’t tell the idiot that they are an idiot. There may come a day when you may need that idiot.
“Idiots may be idiots, but they do have a memory.”
“rules that are stupid are made to be broken.”
He said everyone has a funny story to tell from their collegiate years—“except [Facebook founder] Mark Zuckerberg He apparently spent his college career designing a program to locate friends who didn’t want to be found.”
“Remember, when you make the world a better place for everyone, you’ve [made it] a better place for yourself.
“A lot of people don’t agree with that. They,” he said with a pause, “are idiots.”