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Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving presentation, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.
Randy Pausch passed away today. His 2007 lecture is one hour 17 minutes long and well worth listening to. I hope even LAFan takes the time to watch this. This lecture inspired him to write a book called The Last Lecture. RIP Randy Pausch.
I skimmed through it, and honestly was not impressed.
Any bit of wisdom contained in that book has been stated before in much more eloquent and moving ways (try John Stuart Mill) with better and more persuasive reasoning.
I thought the book was a bit dry and too simplistic in thought for something aimed at imparting wisdom.
I'm very very sad for his family's loss. However, I think that Randy had a very happy and extraordinarily full life for his 47. I've always been one for quality over quantity. I do wish that he could have lived longer and directly touched more people. I'm going to have to buy a copy of his book.
As this is the relationship forum, I would like to point out that he met his wife when he was 39 years old. So there's hope for all of us, but he also didn't waste time during the years before meeting her being upset about being single. Instead, he focused his wonderful energies on fulfilling his life dreams, being creative, inspiring and teaching others. He was truly a highly evolved human being and not a thoughtless hormone driven animal.
For those of you that can't watch the video of his lecture right away, here is a webpage that has some written excerpts from his lecture and book. But I do hope that everyone that frequents this forum will take the time to watch his whole lecture and share it with their family and friends. BTW, I consider myself a Tigger and not an Eeyore.
OMG i didnt know he died today. how sad. but he has left a wonderful legacy to the world. God bless you Randy Pausch and may you rest in peace. My prayers go out to his dear family.
I skimmed through it, and honestly was not impressed.
Any bit of wisdom contained in that book has been stated before in much more eloquent and moving ways (try John Stuart Mill) with better and more persuasive reasoning.
I thought the book was a bit dry and too simplistic in thought for something aimed at imparting wisdom.
Just my 2 cents.
I googled up John Stuart Mill... born in 1806 and died in 1873? I suppose my mother would have the same response as you. lol! She's more a classicist. And it's true that what he says isn't groundbreaking or unique. But I think that a lot of regular people don't think about these things. Also Randy Pausch is more a product of my generation. He must have been about two years behind me at Brown.
Knowing that he had less than a year to live, his lecture was written more with his children in mind. And I think that it gives him more integrity our current crop of fulltime self help gurus that have their own tv shows and peddling their lectures through dvds. Randy Pausch's lecture was a youtube phenomenon and it's free to listen to. The book deal was an afterthought and he was happy to find a way to provide for his wife and children with its proceeds.
I don't think that Randy is up there with the past great philosophers of the world, but he was an extraordinary teacher and he leaves a wonderful legacy. I think that the way he delivers his words of wisdom is more easily digested by the public than counting on them to go to a library and read the works of John Stuart Mill and the like. I could also summarize all of Randy Pausch's life thoughts on an index card also. But I love the way his mind works and I find his presentation very enjoyable.
I googled up John Stuart Mill... born in 1806 and died in 1873? I suppose my mother would have the same response as you. lol! She's more a classicist. And it's true that what he says isn't groundbreaking or unique. But I think that a lot of regular people don't think about these things. Also Randy Pausch is more a product of my generation. He must have been about two years behind me at Brown.
Knowing that he had less than a year to live, his lecture was written more with his children in mind. And I think that it gives him more integrity our current crop of fulltime self help gurus that have their own tv shows and peddling their lectures through dvds. Randy Pausch's lecture was a youtube phenomenon and it's free to listen to. The book deal was an afterthought and he was happy to find a way to provide for his wife and children with its proceeds.
I don't think that Randy is up there with the past great philosophers of the world, but he was an extraordinary teacher and he leaves a wonderful legacy. I think that the way he delivers his words of wisdom is more easily digested by the public than counting on them to go to a library and read the works of John Stuart Mill and the like. I could also summarize all of Randy Pausch's life thoughts on an index card also. But I love the way his mind works and I find his presentation very enjoyable.
Different stroke for different folks, I guess.
Apparently a lot of people feel the same as you, or else it wouldn't be so popular!
You are right that his writing is more accessible to the masses.
But even from that perspective, I felt it fell short.
Sure, he had some short sayings and stuff that are easier to remember.
But to understand those valuable lessons, one can't just devour a bunch of catchy phrases.
Those lessons need to be explored, their logic challenged, and come out triumphant to be ingrained in the reader's heart and mind.
All of this is just my opinion, of course.
I could be wrong, and maybe his book will actually be ingrained in people so that they start living by the wisdom contained in it.
I did not know he had died. I read "The Last Lecture" after seeing it on Dateline and loved the book. How sad for them but they were preparing as best they could...
I heard the original lecture a few months ago (on YT, of course) and then read the story on CNN on Fri. RIP, Prof. Pausch.
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