Dead Poets Society (John Keating)
Thank you, gentlemen. If you noticed, everyone started off with their own stride, their own pace. Mr. Pitts taking his time. He knew he’ll get there one day. Mr. Cameron you could see him thinking, “Is this right? It might be right. It might be right. I know that. Maybe not. I don’t know.” Mr. Overstreet driven by deeper force. Yes. We know that. Alright. Now, I didn’t bring them up here to ridicule them. I brought them up here to illustrate the point of conformity. The difficulty in maintaining your own beliefs in the face of others. Now, those of you, I see the look in your eyes like, “I would’ve walked differently.” Well, ask yourselves why you were clapping. Now, we all have a great need for acceptance. But you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go, “That’s bad.” Robert Frost said, “Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Now, I want you to find your own walk right now. Your own way of striding, pacing. Any direction. Anything you want. Whether it’s proud, whether it’s silly, anything. Gentlemen, the courtyard is yours.