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Notes on Audrey Tang's 2020 Taiwan Tech Commencement Speech

This article was auto-translated from Chinese. Some nuances may be lost in translation.

Audrey Tang delivered a commencement speech (remotely) at Taiwan Tech. Here are some notes I took:

  • Design: Design has many facets, but in the end, it always comes down to people. Choosing to head in the direction of people keeps you from being confined to a single domain, and also allows you to break through the salary ceiling.
  • Listening: Take everyone’s side. Truly listen to the other party’s problems, try seeing things from their perspective, and see if you can articulate the issue yourself. If you can’t yet, it means you don’t understand them well enough. Try hanging out with them for a while (what to do when values clash).
  • Academia: Acquiring knowledge doesn’t necessarily have to happen through school. Hold onto your own questions; universities can provide academic support if needed. You can also go out to work in society for a while first and return to university when necessary—that way, you stand on equal footing with professors.
  • How to deal with media chaos
    • Become the media yourself. For instance, YouTubers like the “Can’t Stop This Party” made waves to get people to pay more attention to politics, while creators like Shasha77 (sharing current affairs), Brian Tseng, and Retina all counter traditional media in their own ways.
    • The public: If the media crosses the line, step up and boycott them yourself, pressuring them to apologize and change their practices.

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