John Legend Warns Duke Graduates About the Dangers of 'Zero-Sum Thinking' [View all]

I started paying attention to John Legend in 2004, when I was part of a new and already failing marriage, while driving down a dark North Raleigh road with Legend’s “Ordinary People” playing on the radio.

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Well, his latest open mic came last weekend, when he delivered Duke University’s commencement address.

Speaking at a university known for its enterprising academic environment, Legend spoke of competitiveness as “an incredible gift” but noted that it “can be a slippery slope,” especially when it becomes a zero-sum game.

“The American story has always been marred by efforts to exclude, to dominate, to subjugate certain groups of people with no voice, no power and no opportunity,” he said. “Workers, women, indigenous people, Black people, immigrants, the LGBTQ community—all because of a fear that if those people did better someone else would have to lose.”

Read more: https://indyweek.com/news/durham/john-legend-duke-graduation-commencement-speech/