People bemoan a generation who grew up living life in front of screens, always connected to something or someone. Those people are wrong. The fact that we are all connected now is a blessing, not a curse, and we can solve many problems in the world as a result. Not only is it an advantage you have；it"s a responsibility you carry.
Today, there are 54 wars and confl icts going on. It"s terrible.1.5 billion people live on less than $1 a day, and hundreds of millions of children will go to bed hungry tonight. It"s terrible. Nearly half the world"s people don"t live under democratic governments-the rights we all enjoy are a rarity, they"re not a norm
And when it comes to the Internet, we think"everyone"is online-and all of us are online now. But only 1 billion people have smart phones, and only 2 billion have access to the web today. For most of the world, Internet cafes are far-off digital oases in technological deserts. They don"t have access. But in this century, there is a chance for change on the horizon. The spread of mobile phones and new forms of connectivity offers us the prospect of connecting everybody.
When that happens, connectivity can revolutionize every aspect of society-politically, socially, economically. To connect the world is to free the world, I say. If we get this right, then we can fi x all the world"s most pressing problems……to beam bright rays of hope to millions who can see only a fl icker. You have that power, right there, in your pockets right now.
Now, here"s the deal：Yes, it"s true, we have all this knowledge literally at our fi ngertips. But, just because we know much more than we used to doesn"t mean our problems just go away. The future doesn"t just happen. It"s not etched or written or coded anywhere. There"s no algorithm or formula that says something will do X or Y to occur. Technology doesn"t work on its own. It"s just a tool. You are the ones who harness its power. And that requires innovation and entrepreneurship.
Innovation is disruptive；one thing I"ll tell you：you know you are innovating when people are worried about you!Graduates, please make people worry-not your parents.
Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of a new economy, and a more prosperous society-the engine that keeps communities growing. Two-thirds of the new jobs created are in small businesses, and you all should try now to create a small business……or be part of one……and, of course, I would recommend you use all the products Google has to offer to set it up. You all have a chance to make an original contribution. Don"t just be a shepherd following somebody else"s vision and ideas-new models, new forms, new thinking-that"s what we need from you.
You don"t need to become an aid worker or a teacher（though, I obviously applaud those who do）. You don"t need to be an engineer（though, I"m pretty sure I"d support that, too）.Everyone-all of you-can make their mark by creating new standards of brilliance and innovation. And, those standards can spread-can scale-they can scale in ways once unimaginable. The collective intelligence of our society, our version of the Borg, is really quite different. Think of this as a new society, with shared norms and values, that crosses continents and unites all of us. The empowerment of each of us empowers all of us；and the distinctive feature of your new world is that you can be unique while being completely connected-never been possible before-a true fulfi llment of the American Dream.
You see, computers can do amazing things. Those things in your pockets-they contain power inside them that your proud parents, your grandparents in the audience never could have possibly imagined. These computers, they have speed. They have memory. They have intricately complicated wiring and unfathomably complex circuitry. But here"s one thing they don"t have. What they don"t have-is heart. All of these connections you forge-the digital ties that bind our humanity together-that"s not possible without technology. But it"s also not possible without you, without a heart. You have the heart. And the future will not beat without you.
Now, don"t get me wrong：I believe fully in the power of technology to change the world for the better. And I believe even more fully in the ability of your generation to use that power to great effect-to rule technology. But you can"t let technology rule you. Remember to take at least one hour a day and turn that thing off. Do the math, 1/24th. Go dark. Shut it down. Learn where the OFF button is. Take your eyes off the screen and look into the eyes of the that person you love. Have a conversation-a real conversation-with the friends who make you think, with the family who makes you laugh. Don"t just push a button saying I"Like"something. Actually tell them. What a concept!Engage with the world around you……feel……and taste……and smell……and hug what"s there, right in front of you-not what"s a click away.
Life is not lived in the glow of a monitor. Life is not a series of status updates. Life is not about your friend count-it"s about the friends you can count on. Life is about who you love, how you live, it"s about who you travel through the world with. Your family, your collaborators, your friends. Life is a social experience fi rst, and the best aspects of that experience are not lonely ones-they are spent in the company of others.
Our modern landscape has changed, yes-but our humanity will always remain, and that, above all else, is what makes us who we are. And who you are is a proud, talented group of BU Terriers.
Here you have all come to know extraordinary people. Look around-a few years ago you started off on the road with these people, knowing them as boys and girls, wandering around campus, dazed and overwhelmed. Now you are all extraordinary men and women, in total control of your destinies, ready to make your mark not on history-but on the future.
