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Book Freak #34: Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice For Better Living

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Kurt Vonnegut's Advice For Better Living

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Even though he never graduated from college, Kurt Vonnegut is as well known for his commencement addresses as he is for his novels. Here are four pieces of advice from a collection of Vonnegut’s graduation speeches called If This Isn’t Nice, What Is?
Get off the internet and experience life
“Don’t try to make yourself an extended family out of ghosts on the Internet. Get yourself a Harley and join the Hells Angels instead.”
Accept the wounds of ugly ideas
“So it is not too much to ask of Americans that they not be censors, that they run the risk of being deeply wounded by ideas so that we may all be free. If we are wounded by an ugly idea, we must count it as part of the cost of freedom and, like American heroes in the days gone by, bravely carry on.”
Appreciate very simple occasions
“He said that when things are going really well we should be sure to notice it. He was talking about very simple occasions, not great victories. Maybe drinking lemonade under a shade tree, or smelling the aroma of a bakery, or fishing, or listening to music coming from a concert hall while standing in the dark outside, or, dare I say, after a kiss. He told me that it was important at such times to say out loud, ‘If this isn’t nice, what is?”
Be aware
“Notice when you’re happy, and know when you’ve got enough.”

01/27/20

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