'The Last Lecture' - dying 47 y/o professor gives his final lecture to students

Dave! · 26-04-2008 12:14pm #1

Hey folks,

My dad just told me about this... A professor Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon University is dying of pancreatic cancer and only has a few months left.

Apparantly at the university, lecturers give a final lecture to students about what they've learned in life, etc. The series is called 'Journeys', and a couple more of them are here.

But Randy Pausch's lecture is available in full, here (I embedded it at the end of the post too).

It's called Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. I've just been watching the first 5 minutes, pretty funny and pleasant so far

I presume it will get a bit more profound as it goes on. Could potentially be pretty good...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Sully · 26-04-2008 12:50pm

Looks good, watching it now

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 26-04-2008 12:58pm

seen it before, pretty cool alright. BUT *points to links forum*

shame on you davemcg

Basq · 26-04-2008 1:38pm

Saw this before.. truly inspiring stuff!

nyarlothothep · 26-04-2008 1:48pm

it was quite poignant with the birthday cake example. I think the second headfake nicely linked up with his point on not focusing on yourself. Great points mentioned and the information on virtual reality and the courses he ran was interesting.

ekevosu · 28-04-2008 3:04pm

thats great, fantastic lecture

Dave! · 28-04-2008 7:20pm

My favourite bit is at 59:30

"Andy said, 'you're such a good salesman, that any company that gets you will use you as as salesman. And you might as well be selling something worthwhile, like education'. *pause* *emotional* Thanks."

DonalN · 29-04-2008 12:24am

that was excellent...

Zippitydoo · 03-05-2008 3:23pm

Very moving, really enjoyed it, thanks Dave.

DEmeant0r · 04-05-2008 4:04pm

Only managed to watch half of it, very good so far!!

Oh! And 3,000th post!!!!

kaizersoze1980 · 04-05-2008 5:11pm

You just wasted 5 minutes of my life, and I want them back

Zippitydoo · 04-05-2008 7:04pm

You just wasted 5 minutes of my life, and I want them back

I don't think we'd be able to givethem back to you, as you obviously have such a fantastically interesting life we just couldn't compete.

Jesus Wept · 10-05-2008 1:27am

Brilliant.

Overheal · 10-05-2008 2:43am

It's funny because Virtual Reality is one of my childhood dreams.
And they came back to him with 2 weeks with that! :eek:

I have hope for the future

orestes · 10-05-2008 4:56am

Absolutely amazing, truly inspiring. When he brought his wife up for the entire crowd to sing happy birthday was just the sweetest thing ever

HAPPYGIRL · 10-05-2008 7:01am

It is a brilliant lecture he actually gave it in September 2007. He obviously wasn't finished having fun because he's still alive despite the cancer now having spread to his lungs and stomach.