Like many of you, I expected a watered-down and pretentious address to the "importance of education"... Things we've heard for ages that don't resonate in the slightest through the distracted teenage American mind.
What Obama presented, however, transcended the aforementioned expectation. Though there was plenty of the typical corniness (appeals to broaddd concepts few relate to practically) there was also an over-riding pragmaticism that Obama coupled with his characteristic arsenal of flowery rhetorical. He told students that "chances are won't become a rapper", something contrary to the status quo "You can do anything you set your mind to" Disney channel bs.
He instead asserted the importance of individual responsibility, and even extended the importance of education to one's nation. He told us that we would be "letting our nation down" if we are lax in academic diligence. Thus giving students a feeling that we are something bigger than just ourselves. We have a nation to contribute our skills to.
By adopting such a pragmatic view, Obama appeared both realistic, but with a still maintained flair of inspiration.
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