Maybe I Didn't Need College?
By: JSkills	Published: 09/01/2000
Ok, so most of my professional knowledge came from experiences outside of college. Yes, this is true. Even grad school sometimes seemed more like an exercise in seeing just how much aggravation I could deal with in addition to working full time during the day. And I've worked with many extremely gifted individuals who never even attended or finished college. You may have read this already, but it's something that shocked the shit out of me... New Haven, CT What follows is a transcript of the speech delivered by Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, to the graduating class of 2000 at Yale University this summer. "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 mortar boards 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..." The Oracle CEO was ushered off stage at that moment. Completely incredible! I wonder if he really believes what he says. Can you imagine if they actually listened to him? The actual number of failures for people starting their own business after dropping out of college is high enough already. A little irresponsible of you, huh Larry? Or is it simply that having that much money gives you the power to do and say whatever you want? I know you can probably have a fleet of different porn stars over your house each night for dinner and nude twister and you can tell just about anyone you want in the world to "go fuck themselves" without fear of repercussion, but I’d love to know the true point of this speech. Do you really believe what you said or were you just giving a massive Rathole to the world of academia? For what it’s worth, I found college to be one of the best times of my life. I learned a lot of interesting things about myself, besides just how to make money. The real point of college is to get a well-rounded education and to prepare you for the "real world". I know a lot of colleges and universities don’t accomplish this for all their attendees and hey, college isn’t for everyone. But one thing I can say is I sure as hell wasn’t mature enough to even consider running my own business at that point in time. Maybe it was all those bong hits for breakfast? Anyway, I can think of a lot of words about having a job that earns me $200,000 a year, but the word "pathetic" would never make the list. Why not join the rest of us on the inside and get all of Goofball.com?
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college is pointless (0 replies) started by jelis4 (11.09.2000 1:20:02 AM EST) all college really teaches us is how to become a slave to make someone else rich. That is the whole point behind this. Benjamin Franklin said that most men die by the time they are 20 sad thing is most arent buried till they are 50. This is because we are taught to kill our dreams and accept slaving for someone else. Slaves will never become rich. Only the dreamers have what it takes to go out and do something.

Suck (0 replies) started by retsimgaww (09.03.2000 7:41:51 PM EST) I feel bad for this dude Larry Ellison, for he has it all wrong. Having succeeded in life is not about how much money year, it's how much a difference you've made to yourself and the people around. And for that, I hereby name Larry Ellison an ass-munching dumbshit. ddd

This didn't happen (0 replies) started by CLSmooth (09.03.2000 5:18:36 PM EST) http://www.snopes.com/quotes/e

WOW (0 replies) started by Roger (09.03.2000 7:35:54 AM EST) So, if I go to college, I can earn 200k a year? I'll gladly take that. Naw, on second thought I think I will stay here at this McDonalds. They got these great benefits and all. Besides it won't be long for me and I can get a job greeting folks at the front door of Wal-Mart. I don't know about all that but I know one thing... money don't mean shit if you're miserable. Me, I'm a happy mother-f***er. I don't make a ton of money but my family loves me and I got a lot of friends. I can also go just about anywhere I want to without getting a pie thrown in my face. hahaha If you can't speak softly, just use the stick.

That's a lot of composition.... (0 replies) started by burlingtony (09.02.2000 9:01:45 AM EST) for something that's fake. Educated is better that uneducated---you can always go back to doing manual labor---if you don't want to use your head. Avoid socialism at all costs. The government which rules least---rules best. Keep the Pros out of the Olympics. Real men don't wear earrings. Times are good--be thankful !!!

I dropped out, but that doesnt mean a thing... (0 replies) started by Leary (09.02.2000 5:51:14 AM EST) Not everyone has the equal chance to succeed, we just have the equal chance to fail. Even though this is a hoax, it was funny, and it was something to think about. I believe, a loser is a loser, and money and education have little to do with that. I would rather be poor and happy with my life than rich and miserable, and if that makes me a loser, so be it..... Good discussion rant Jskills, Now on to the Rants of Dennis Miller, Dennis Leary, and Duckman! woooohoooo! Leary's First Rule of Pessimism: If at first you dont succeed, give up, you obviously were not good at it in the first place.

Hey (0 replies) started by almeida (09.01.2000 10:56:41 PM EST) Did anybody find that hilarious? I thought it was hysterical. I wish it were true. I'm in college but I still think it's great.

Success (0 replies) started by oliveoyl0902 (09.01.2000 10:29:50 PM EST) Too much emphasis is placed on monetary assets when speaking of successful people. The true measure of success is whether or not you accomplish what you set out to do. If your goal is to be the richest person on the planet, you hardly need a college degree. All you need is realistic knowledge of what people need and how much they'll pay for it. I love Popeye's Sweet Pea

he's right (1 reply) started by tedbundyjunior (09.01.2000 5:20:49 PM EST) know what - he's absolutely correct. the 5 most successfull/wealthy people i know all didn't finish college. (but of course the 5 poorest are also drop-outs). i am ted kopple and ted bundy's two-headed love child

Slick willy (0 replies) started by hardball (09.01.2000 5:08:50 PM EST) Slick willy algore both grads from big and prestiges collages and look at them, fucking SCUM Gun's Gun's we need more Gun's, what for, to preserve freedom.

Wow (0 replies) started by JSkills (09.01.2000 3:52:39 PM EST) I'm actually relieved to hear this was a hoax. I was just about to dump all my Oracle stock in protest ... JSkills Goofball Staff

whatever (1 reply) started by spoiler (09.01.2000 3:16:26 PM EST) Too bad it never happened, that would've made it even funnier. BTW, you guys need to stop gettin all worked up over hoaxes, it seems some of you have spent WAY too much time coming up with clever responses to prove that you're smarter than a college dropout...You must be high-school dropouts, that's the only explanation.

Bogus! Here's proof (1 reply) started by DoubleBubble (09.01.2000 3:16:16 PM EST) I don't know anything about this guy, but I always go to snopes.com to clear up e-mail stories and Urban Legends. Here it is: www.snopes.com/quotes/ellison.

Well that's the problem (0 replies) started by Hannes (09.01.2000 1:51:37 PM EST) From what I've heard about Larry before, he's not like that at all. He's also rather a Bill Gates-hater, which made all this sound a bit weird. Fair enough - he didn't give the speech. :^)

All the envy in the world... (0 replies) started by Sensuelle (09.01.2000 1:35:47 PM EST) Think of this scenario: Poor little Larry wasn't very good at school. He didn't fit in, and probably didn't make many friends. He dropped out of school as soon as he could, with a lot of anger and frustration build up. Fortunately little Larry had a strong mind, and all the years that he hated all the people around him for being able to do what he couldn't gave him a strong force. He was driven by the thought that he should show all those people that he envied, that he could make something on his own, and come back and look down on them. Not a very original thought, since many others have been in the same situation. Lucky for him, he made it. And what did he do? Well, those people he wanted to get even with wasn't around anymore, so he took it out on a bunch of young, innocent people. If he had been a happy man, do you think he had felt the urge to do this? People are different, some people need a lot of organized learning, some don't. Some can make it on their own, some can't. I, for one, have no desire of being among the richest people on earth. For me this Larry guy still sound like the little angry drop-out he was many years ago. That was a lot for 2 cents *S* ;-)

Unique situations (0 replies) started by Hannes (09.01.2000 12:46:47 PM EST) I think there's a certaing unique aspect about the emergence of the computer industry. If you were in college at the time Ellison or Dell were, then starting your business right then and there was the essential thing. Take Dell - it's not like he had an especially interesting idea, or any unique skills (someone else did the designs for him). But he realized he had to get into business *now* and he did. Today if you know how to plug a PC together you can get a summer job at CompUSA - that window is well and truly over. So dropping out was the only sensible choice for him, but it won't apply in general - you'd have to find a similar situation for this to work: A new technology emerging and you recognizing your niche. I'll take one of these pathetic 200k a year jobs. :^)

Well ... (3 replies)   started by Hannes (09.01.2000 12:37:03 PM EST) Hmmm - is this really genuine? I received this as a joke in email before. Not that it doesn't make discussion material either way...

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