In acest weekend mi-a ajuns la urechi un 'discurs' foarte... interesant. Nu l-as putea numi plin de... invataminte, intelepciune si profunziume... Ce-i drept poate le are si pe acestea, insa clar este un 'discurs' amuzant si, poate, adevarat. A fost tinut, se pare, de Larry Ellison, cofondator si CEO (chief executive officer) al Oracle, absolventilor de la Yale si cred ca le-a cam schimbat viziunea asupra celor ce se vor intampla mai departe in viata lor.

Am sa adaug atat versiunea in engleza, cat si pe cea in romana, in speranta ca nu vor exista discrepante care sa-mi fi scapat. Incercati sa nu fiti prea... speriati odata ce ati terminat de citit  Initial vroiam sa spun ca cele de mai jos ar fi valabile doar in America, dar imaginea lui Jiji mi-a venit in minte, deci incercati sa nu lasati un asemnea link sa pice in mainile celor care abia au intrat la facultate

Graduates of Yale University, I apologize if you have endured this type of prologue before, but I want you to do something for me. Please, take a good look around you. Look at the classmate on your left. Look at the classmate on your right. Now, consider this: five years from now, 10 years from now, even 30 thirty years from now, odds are the person on your left is going to be a loser. The person on your right, meanwhile, will also be a loser. And you, in the middle? What can you expect? Loser. Loserhood. Loser Cum Laude.

In fact, as I look out before me today, I don't see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow. I don't see a thousand future leaders in a thousand industries. I see a thousand losers. You're upset. That's understandable.

After all, how can I, Lawrence "Larry" Ellison, college dropout, have the audacity to spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of the nation's most prestigious institutions? I'll tell you why. Because I, Lawrence "Larry" Ellison, second richest man on the planet, am a college dropout, and you are not. Because Bill Gates, richest man on the planet-for now anyway-is a college dropout, and you are not. Because Paul Allen, the third richest man on the planet, dropped out of college, and you did not. And for good measure, because Michael Dell, No. 9 on the list and moving up fast, is a college dropout, and you, yet again, are not.

Hmm ... you're very upset. That's understandable. So let me stroke your egos for a moment by pointing out, quite sincerely, that your diplomas were not attained in vain. Most of you, I imagine, have spent four to five years here, and in many ways what you've learned and endured will serve you well in the years ahead. You've established good work habits. You've established a network of people that will help you down the road. And you've established what will be lifelong relationships with the word "therapy." All that of is good. For in truth, you will need that network. You will need those strong work habits.

You will need that therapy. You will need them because you didn't drop out, and so you will never be among the richest people in the world. Oh sure, you may, perhaps, work your way up to #10 or #11, like Steve Ballmer. But then,I don't have to tell you who he really works for, do I?

And for the record, he dropped out of grad school. Bit of a late bloomer.

Finally, I realize that many of you, and hopefully by now most of you,are wondering, "Is there anything I can do? Is there any hope for me at all?" Actually, no. It's too late. You've absorbed too much, think you know too much. You're not 19 anymore. You have a built-in cap, and I'm not referring to the mortarboards on your heads.

Hmm ... you're really very upset. That's understandable.

So perhaps this would be a good time to bring up the silver lining. Not for you, Class of '00. You are a write-off, so I'll let you slink off to your pathetic $200,000-a-year jobs, where your checks will be signed by former classmates who dropped out two years ago.

Instead, I want to give hope to any underclassmen here today. I say to you, and I can't stress this enough:

LEAVE. Pack your things and your ideas and don't come back. Drop out. Start up. For I can tell you that a cap and gown will keep you down just as surely as these security guards dragging me off this stage are keeping me dow..."

(At this point The Oracle CEO was ushered off stage.)

Si varianta / traducerea in romana:

Daca ma uit la voi nu vad nici un viitor fericit, nu vad nici un director proeminent. Acum, sigur sunteti bulversati. Asta e normal. Totusi, va puteti intreba, cum vin eu, Larry Ellison, care n-am terminat facultatea, ca sa va judec pe voi, studentii celei mai renumite facultati? Stati sa va explic.

Deoarece eu, Lawrence Ellison, al 2-lea cel mai bogat om a planetei, am picat la facultate si voi nu. Deoarece Bill Gates, cel mai bogat om al planetei, a picat la facultate si voi nu. Deoarece Paul Allen, al 3-lea cel mai bogat om al planetei a picat la facultate si voi nu.

Si deoarece Michael Dell, care momentan este doar pe locul 9, a cazut si el de la facultate si voi nu. Si domnul respectiv este in ascensiune.

Acum, sunteti clar foarte bulversati! Si asta este foarte, foarte normal. Dati-mi voie sa va incurajez, n-ati terminat degeaba facultatea si n-ati facut degeaba rost de o diploma. N-ati pierdut 5 ani degeaba. Din contra, ati invatat sa munciti pentru bani putini, sa va faceti cunostinte si sa faceti cunostinta (mai deaproape) cu cuvantul TERAPIE. Toate acestea sunt foarte utile. O sa aiba lumea nevoie si de salahori ca voi. O sa aveti nevoie de cunostinte, de programare la terapie la un psiholog.

Fiindca voi n-ati cazut la facultate, n-o sa fiti niciodata printre primii 10 cei mai bogati oameni de pe Pamant! Si va trebui sa va impacati cu un salariu patetic de 200.000 de dolari pe an, salariul urmand sa il primiti de la un fost coleg de facultate, care a cazut la examene si a fost dat afara!

Acum, probabil va ganditi daca mai e vreo speranta pentru voi. Nici o sansa! Voi sunteti deja pierduti. Deja aveti creierul distrus in proportie foarte mare… irecuperabila.

Acum, ma adresez celor care inca nu au terminat facultatea: lasati balta facultatea, faceti-va bagajele si plecati! Nu reveniti! Indepliniti-va visurile! Fiindca sigur va spun ca, daca vi se distruge creierul, veti disparea mai repede de pe scena afacerilor decat dispar eu acuma de pe aceasta scena gratie agentilor de paza!"

Trist? Dar... adevarat? Decideti voi