Ocean Vuong

I'm taught by this country that I'm out, I need more.

I need to go out and grab more.

But this-ness, myself, was already this invaluable gift.

And then to then gift myself to others through service and kindness.

Yeah.

Empathy as an end game is a trap.

It's about how it can be put into action.

Empathy is a procedure into the solution that we all really hope for.

I hope people realize that if they don't already, that a meaningful life is not a life that you use to prove to yourself or others that you are valuable.

A meaningful life is finding the power and the value where you are.

And I say this, and I know for some it might sound like a bunch of hullabaloo.

But I say this as someone who, if nothing else, I'm someone who has trespassed these class layers by no plan of my own.

I went from the projects as a refugee and now...

I'm in billionaires' mansions begging for funding for my students.

So now I see a whole different world.

And I say this because I think it's easy to fall into the trap of, oh, my achievements are me.

They're just what I do, right?

And to me, it's like, you're told that you got to go up, go up the mountain, and there'll be a light that will heal everything.

And that's what you're told as a little kid.

And it's interesting because being from the working poor, we were so naive.