“But easily, fear could have blocked me at every turn. So I want all of the young people around the world to operate with the freedom that we have all fought for — the freedom to explore the world, to learn about new cultures, to try hard things, to make mistakes. And I know parents want you to be perfect because we want you to be safe — (laughter) — but life is about making mistakes,and maybe saying the wrong thing at the wrong time,and learning that you recover from even some of your worst mistakes, so that that fear doesn’t keep you from being as excellent as you can be.”
What kind of person would give such advice to college students?
She rambles on about new cultures and encourages young people to make mistakes. What parent in their right mind would tell their kids to go make mistakes and to not let fear impact their decisions?
That’s the twisted progressive mind at work.
It's pretty standard commencement address material. "Making mistakes" in this context doesn't mean developing addictions or becoming a criminal. It just means taking chances and not being too afraid to act.
Maybe Michelle Obama's "your parents told you one thing, and the big government lady who knows better will tell you something different" tone is off-putting, but telling young adults not to be afraid to make mistakes -- say, to interview for a job they may not get or take on a heavier workload -- isn't the worst advice.