Indra Nooyi – Fortune’s most powerful Desi woman in corporate America – gave an address to the Columbia B-School class of ’05 which veered pretty far from the standard “the best is yet to come” script –
After beginning her speech with words of praise and recognition for the graduates and their families, Ms. Indra Nooyi began to make the political statement du jour. After talking of her childhood back in India, Ms. Nooyi began to compare the world and its five major continents (excl. Antarctica and Australia) to the human hand. First was Africa – the pinky finger – small and somewhat insignificant but when hurt, the entire hand hurt with it. Next was Asia – the thumb – strong and powerful, yearning to become a bigger player on the world stage. Third was Europe – the index finger – pointing the way. Fourth was South America – the ring finger – the finger which symbolizes love and sensualness. Finally, the US (not Canada mind you) – yes, you guessed it – the middle finger…
I liked Instapundit’s reaction –
EVERY YEAR, somebody makes a fool of him/herself while giving a commencement speech. How about going to Riyadh and telling them how they’re seen? That would be real courage . .
I think it’s safe to say – regardless of whether you agree w/ Ms Nooyi or not – that folks assembled at a commencement don’t expect to be sent off into the wild blue yonder with a lecture on why the World sees them as jackasses…
UPDATE – Followup post from Powerline with more info including other folks who heard the speech, and Pepsi PR flack’s refusal to release the text of speech.
Question for Ms. Nooyi – how many brown female corporate president/CFO’s are there in Europe?
Anybody else here Berkeley ’00? Anyone, anyone? Yeah, that was fun.
And I think, that if I achieve nothing else, if this makes you think a little bit about Iraq, think a little bit about US foreign policy, I’ve succeeded
Because Lord knows that the Berkeley graduates who actually bothered to show up to see Madeleine Albright in the middle of finals would never think about foreign policy otherwise, especially when she’d been protested all damn week.
I don’t know about the content’s of Ms. Nooyi’s speech, but I’m always shocked about how dense people are on the subject of graduation speeches. They are all about tone. Light, inspirational, and jokey, people. If you’re going to be political, it has to be positive political. That’s the only way to do it. Nobody wants to hear anything else and they will resent you forever if you make them cranky. One of the better speeches I heard in such a context was from someone I normally detest, Bush I, and one of the worst was on the same day, Governor Pete Wilson. The worst was my own real graduation–Why National Missile Defense sucks, to a bunch of grads who already know this and know they can’t do anything about it and a bunch of parents who, unlike the grads, did not just earn a degree in physics.
She never said anything against the United States – she was just telling the truth, when is that supposed to be a ticket to deportation!?
The fact is that young people are drastically misinformed about the way America is perceived around the world. Any of us who’ve been to India realize we’re lucky.
The fact that you can criticize this country is the same reason you love it. Only zealots like those at Instapundit don’t get that SIMPLE fact.
Analyzing American Foreign Policy is not the same as “hating America.”
An intelligent critique of America is actually far more patriotic than sticking a “W” sticker on your SUV.
For my college graduation in 2003, the University of Maryland chose Frank Raines (CEO of Fannie Mae) as the speaker, for reasons I still don’t understand. Anyway, his speech dealt mostly with slavery and reparations…the gist of which was that white people are the devil. A very small part of me thought it was hilarious in its inappropriateness.
Just to clarify, I think Instapundit and KXB are totally off the mark. She’s free to say whatever she wants.
I just think commencement is not the time to go on about how drastically misinformed young people are. That’s what finals are for.
Vinod,
The post on instapundit, mentions that what was posted was a recollection of one of the attendees. Who knows perhaps the real speech was more nuanced.
And what makes you so sure that she would not have spoken her mind in Riyadh?
KXB,
How many brown CFO/Presidents are there in America? I am not sure who trumps who in “brown” representation? I suspect it is America. But I don’t know much about Europe. Anyway what does this have to do with her speech on how America is perceived across the world? Just because someone gives you a job and citizenship (I am assuming she is) does that mean she should remain silent and appreciative always?
If Nooyi, peddler of salty snacks and supersize bags of cookies for our ever-fattening youth, wants to rail about how awful America is, that is her right. But when hundreds of families gather for a day that is to honor the hard work and achievement of students, and also to thank the parents for putting up with the increasingly exorbitant cost of college, it may not be the right time.
For all the grief I got at the U of Chicago, at least we did not have celebrity speakers at our graduation. Our’s was a member of the med school faculty, who gave a very thoughtful talk on the ethical challenges that our new knowledge of genetics would bring up.
Apart from the content of this, speech, when do people get together to listen to anything of substance? We watch the Super Bowl together, but, my gosh, get a few thousand people together to actually listen to someone talking about ideas….and, well, lets not upset people by actually talking. just read us poems by Robert Frost
“my gosh, get a few thousand people together to actually listen to someone talking about ideas”
That’s not why they are there. They are there to pick up a piece of paper that cost nearly $100,000, and then go to the snack table afterwards.
Really? thats a bereft vision of cultural life
“Really? thats a bereft vision of cultural life”
Look, if Nooyi wants to post flyers on the Columbia campus to invite people to a talk she will give on foreign policy, she can do so. People who are interested will come – those who agree and those who disagree.
A graduation audience is captive. Hence, the obligations a graduation speaker are different.
KXB,
I believe it is the policy of University of Chicago, that only faculty can give the graduation speeches. I am speaking of the Business School. It does not hurt to have so many Nobel Prize winners in it’s faculty either. But it wouldn’t hurt them if for once they had to hear a non “Chicago” perspective on things.
Ever look at the graduating class at top business schools, there are many international students, nearly 30% at Chicago; and they tend to return to their home countries. And many of the American ones will end up working for global corporations. A business school graduation, is as appropriate a place as any, I think.
Anyway, does anyone know if Churchill’s cold war speech was a commencement address?
T,
That policy holds true in the College as well. There was a bending of the rules to allow Clinton to speak at the college graduation in 2000 (rumor has it he invited himself), but he kept the focus of his speech on the challenges of a globalizing economy, not boosting his administration or taking on his opponents.
I would have thought that being the CFO of one of the top customer sensitive companies in this country, one would have excerised a little bit of “common sense” before embarking on such a ‘controversial’ (be it right or wrong) subject. Afterall, her personal views can be construed to be that of her employer – which is an ablsolute ‘NO NO’ !
She better play her cards right !
You imply captive as if listening to ideas, even ones a person does not agree with, is torture
“You imply captive as if listening to ideas, even ones a person does not agree with, is torture”
Whoa – aren’t you taking a bit of leap in logic? The word “captive” simply means that the attendees cannot go anywhere for the duration of the speech. Sure, people who object could walk up and leave, but that would be an even greater distraction from the students.
Nooyi’s speech may have been thought-provoking, but it may have been inappropriate to give it when she was not the reason everyone woke up early, tried to find decent parking on campus, and made sure they battery in teh handycam was fully charged.
the context of people who object to speeches like these are usually a lot to do with not wanting to hear an opposing viewpoint
People who receive degrees are presumably smart enough and old enough to appreciate things of importance. If a speaker wants to discuss important issues that…gasp stray close to the “negative” political line, not only is that the speaker’s right, but his/her DUTY as someone who has been chosen to speak on something of importance to a bunch of highly intelligent people who are about to embark into real life. I wish my valedictorian and/or speaker had the gall to make the speech that Fadia made. That speech made the rounds throughout campuses all across the country and it raised esteem and admiration for Berkeley’s activism (reminiscent of the late 60s, mid 80s) throughout academia.
If I wanted braindead, light drivel for my graduation speech, I would rather watch South Park or something.
Its sad that is all you got out of your graduation.
“the context of people who object to speeches like these are usually a lot to do with not wanting to hear an opposing viewpoint”
Right, like Nooyi having the podium to herself, with no one able to challenge her , and no Q&A afterwards, is demonstrative of a free exchange of ideas.
Yes, it’s probably disrespectful to say something like this at graduation, but someone needs to say these things to most B-school students (most of them anyway–I know some folks who are going to go to B-school to do some decent things with it). I’m pretty sure they’re not going to get a sense of reality staying in 5 star hotels in Bangkok and Bombay, discussing how best to secure the support of the local elite and contemplating natural gas pipelines through countries run by dictatorial regimes.
And to be fair,
common sense,
Coke gets only 38% of its revenue from America. I suspect Pepsi is heading that way too.
Come to think of it this is a brilliant move, from a business perspective. She is the CFO — she knows the numbers. I think we are all missing the point by arguing about the political angle. Damn those MBAs and their conniving ways : ))
I might just forgo my Diet Dr. Pepper for a Pepsi today.
“Right, like Nooyi having the podium to herself, with no one able to challenge her , and no Q&A afterwards, is demonstrative of a free exchange of ideas.”
Thats a good point too
Let me put this in perspective for some of you: At my college graduation, Robert Novak was the speaker, nasal sales pitch of his book, show an all. I’ll take Indra Nooyi any day any day.
and big-time donor to Indian and American philanthropic organizations.
oops…pressed post to quick.
to be fair, i was saying, her company did recently have one its plants torched by crazies because of a unilateral (and fairly hypocritical) step taken by the U.S. government.
Wow I didn’t know people actually drank that…stuff.
t,
do you know how large 38% is ?
and please don’t say, not larger than 62% 🙂
vurdlife,
You got a problem with my politics — fine. But don’t be hatin on my soda. Seems to me you’ve never tried DDP. (Yes that is what we call it.)
I believe Dr. Pepper is the drink of choice for Texas Death Row inmates to accompany their last meal.
By the way, I apologize for going off-topic, I know it’s inappropriate especially in front of captive audience and all.
common sense,
I know 38% is big but the rest of the world is booming. Eventually the purchasing power of China and India alone might represent a bigger portion of Coke and Pepsi’s revenues.
And if you combine Europe, who knows you might just end up seeing 90% of the revenue coming from foreign operations, eventually. And if offending say, 10% of the consumers to increase my sales with the other 90%, is going to be profitable, why wouldn’t I do that. That would be the cold-blooded pratical thing to do.
But alas I usually prefer to insult the 90% : ))
too damn funny. missed my college graduation.. who spoke? dunno..
Any good university worth its salt has just run its students through the ideas-talking wringer. Moreover, cranky speakers trying to piss people off hijack the snack-table conversation. This, in my experience, can be and usually is full of bubbly ideas and unique pet peeves, with students eager to introduce their parents to their professors and topics individually interesting to them. You should have a a diversity of individual, personal conversations wherein students finally get to tell their loved ones about their contributions to the future.Instead everyone is busy arguing and being cranky over some controversial and not much more substantial speech. I think a bereft vision of cultural life is one in which you assume a bunch of graduates don’t have anything to substantial to talk about unless someone purposefully tries to piss them and their parents off. I hazard that if you have to depend on a tongue-lashing from a speaker to get a good conversation going, your problems began on the first day of school, not the last.
The function of a graduation speech is to break the ice and give people a burst of congratulations and inspirations. Kind-hearted interesting stories are always welcome. You can take or leave anything delivered in a good mood.I’m going to a bunch of graduations this week, and I hope the speakers are funny and exhortatory. But for the real content, I’d much rather hear about my friends’ plans and dreams and pet projects and thesis results and latest crazy, wonderful schemes and ideas.
It’s not a matter of “being tortured” or illegality or anything like that. It’s a matter of being respectful and effective in a unique event in people’s lives, and thinking about context. If you present content in a positive, exhortatory manner, people can take it or leave it. If you are purposefully confrontational, you’re not there in the spirit of celebration. I’m not saying she should be arrested or fined. I’m saying I’d never hire her as a graduation speaker again, I wouldn’t be surprised if she lost PR points (however little they may be worth) with her audience, and the graduation was quite possibly less sweet than it could have been. What’s the point? What have you gained? You just make everyone aware of what they disagree about. Positive speeches, on the other hand, either serve as neutral background or, if they’re really good, remind people of what they share. I don’t know anyone in the Berkeley class of 2000 who was energized about doing something about Iraqi sanctions. Instead I knew very liberal, anti-sanction people who just didn’t want to ever talk about it anymore and moved on to completly different topics. know this because when I brought it up a few months later for some petition or another I basically got booed. The debate was all about the speech, and not remotely about the topic.
What do you have against poetry, dude?
The substance of her speech was fine. In fact, I agreed with her, and I stood up and clapped a few times in the beginning. It was her tone that I was objecting to. Her tone was basically, “Hey everyone, since I clearly know SO MUCH MORE about everything than you guys, my classmates, then I’m going to talk as if you know nothing about what’s going on and you’re just ignorantly clapping.” She just completely didn’t even acknowledge the fact that this whole debate had been going on all over campus for weeks about Albright and that her fellow students. . .several whom she shaved past to the UM slot by the narrowest of margins. . .had also given the issue a lot of thought. The last lines, the ones I quoted, most exemplify this tone. The underlying assumption was that she and the protestors the only one who cared about this at all, because anyone else who cared about it wouldn’t have clapped for Albright. When some of my classmates emailed her in the ensuing debate about the propriety of her speech, she replied–to someone whose parents had come to America escaping a dictator–“you need to step out of your narrow little world.” It’s that kind of arrogance that these speeches emobdy. It’s the opposite of what a graduation speech should be.
vurdlifeYou say it made the rounds of Academia and won admiration for Rafeedie? Fine, but did it make anything better? Did anyone do anything differently? Did it change anyone’s mind? Show me evidence of that to counter the evidence I’ve seen first hand of people it turned away from the cause. I get tired of people’s protests being judged as admirable only by other protesters. I’d like to see some evidence of efficacy before I go around clapping.
I have been to substantial graduation speeches that were interesting, insightful, thought-provoking, and positive. Walter Pincus at Columbia’s Journalism Day comes to mind. He told good stories, from his own life, that were inspiring. Pretty much every Berkeley physics graduation but my own was on target. Nobel Laureate Steve Chu gave a good speech about following your nose in science, again, illustrated with his own life. You can talk about abstract principles and ways of doing things without stepping on people’s toes. It can be done. There’s a lot of dynamic range between arrogance and South Park.
Maitri: Bob Novak, yeah, that’s much, much worse.
Yeah, so perhaps I’m really opinionated on this subject because I actually listen to speeches and I end up going to a lot of graduations.
I’ve got nothing against Robery Frost. Nor do I think a tongue lashing or guilt-inducing spiel is a-ok
I’m just saying that its ok with me if someone gives a speech thats not what I expected, or is a little bit more serious, or that upsets conventional wisdom. I don’t think any of that makes it less likely that people can have intersting conversations afterward
i think that gathered together, it would be nice if we considered ideas as a group or society more often, commencement speeches are one of the few times as a community we listen to someone talk about ideas, the audiences are one of the more diverse large gathering places we have
Seems to me you have an issue with the Berkeley speaker’s arrogance. If she really were arrogant, OK thats wack. But, that doesn’t address my point….that speakers can and should make speeches that bring up issues that might be critical and/or “negative.” (Tone has nothing to do with my point). Graduation speeches are an opportunity to address often tens of thousands of people at very poignant moments in their lives. Ideally they should be a sendoff to students to think about the world critically and change it. Graduations shouldnt solely be about introducing your parents to your thesis advisor or engaging in bullisht petty small talk.
You’ve seen people it has turned away but did you conduct a rigorous, bias-free study with a normalized distribution? No. Neither did I. Therefore there is no reliable evidence that I can present on this point, same goes for you. What you have are mere anecdotes…yeah I have those.
If you must have answers:
Did anyone do anything differently? Very likely, people began to think outside of their meaningless little lives, gpas and majors onto larger issues. People thought more critically of the world.
Did it change anyone’s mind? Probably. See above.
Columbia’s speaker last year, playwright Tony Kushner, was hilarious. He dinged Bush’s foreign policy, but he did it in the midst of a ‘carpe diem’ sort of inspirational speech with a heavy dose of humor. He was Robin Williams-esque and heavily applauded, even though the Republicans in the audience shifted uncomfortably for a bit.
Btw, V, I’m surprised you don’t note that your source, Power Line, is a right-wing blog.
Nothing against poetry, but Robert Frost did write more than The Road Not Taken. At a friend’s college graduation, the speaker put the words to a folk song, replete with badly-tuned guitar and all. Awful, simply awful.
I remember neither the name nor the talk of my high school commencement speaker, and stared at my mom during Novak’s spiel, pleading with her to ask the administration to get our money back. In 1998, Univ of Wisconsin got the Dalai Lama and I DO remember what he said.
The subtext of all this: Do you want someone who will give you an attaboy speech for earning your receipt or would you rather a lesson/experience from a speaker you will remember for a while? There is no right answer. It really comes down to different expectations of graduation ceremonies. Personally, I go to hoot and holler for the science and engineering sections. Geek.
“…,Powerline, is a right-wing blog.”
Manish, did you similarly chide Abhi when he linked to Kos a while back? Or did Abhi write – I am now linking to something from the liberal Nation and liberal Kos. Maybe he did…..
Remember:
The Nation is to Kos as The Weekly Standard is to Powerline…..
*PS aren’t you all bored with right and left. I mean, come on, that must be the most boring topic in the world.
*PPS the gracious speech appears to be a lost art. I’m not talking about right or left, or the war here. I mean, the analogy of the middle finger? Quelle crass!
Nope, but I should have, and he should have. Biases should be identified, and Powerline isn’t nearly as widely known as Instapundit, LGF or DailyKos.
“How about going to Riyadh and telling them how they’re seen? That would be real courage . .”
I am sick and tired of people with – if you don’t like it here, go somewhere else attitude. Also, if another place is worse, it is no excuse for us to be bad. The fact of the matter is that we didn’t reach where we are without dissent. Governments never gave any rights to people on their own, people had to fight for it. As for the message, I think it is the right message that graduating students have a better chance to change world’s perception of the U.S.
That’s very genteel, MD, but I think I agree. There’s been a decrease in civility in public discourse in the U.S. and it’s kind of scary (esp. when the vice president is unapologetic about telling a senator “to go f#ck [himself]”).
You could always go listen to Prairie Home companion and feel better. It’s very soothing.
I agree with Saheli. I’d rather listen to something like this – Conan O’Brien’s speech to the Harvard Class of 2000.
Powerline updates with a bit more info:
Yeah, sounds like I may be jumping to conclusions regarding Ms. Nooyi. A trip to the dentist and through the rain has mellowed me out. The whole speech would definitely be helpful. She may not fall into the category I’m arguing against anyway.
vurdlife:
Well, no, I would be happy to hear “mere” anecdotes of real change and influence. Not the same people merely going, “yeah! you go girl!” who agreed previously. “Very likely, people began to think outside of their meaningless little lives, gpas and majors onto larger issues.” Well, no, that’s exactly the kind of “very likely” assumption that bugs me. I’ve neither seen examples of such a speech waking up such people, nor can I grok the mechanics of how such a speech would wake up such people, to the extent that they exist. What was annoying to me is the assumption she made that so many of her classmates were such people with “meaningless little lives” and, in four years of university, would never have dreamt of thinking outside of gpas and majors if she hadn’t graciously condescended to enlighten them.
Anyway, it’s a minor point. My main point is about arrogance and style. Perhaps I’ve been overly influenced by Manish, but I too will forgive a lot if you do it with style and skillful humor, and without projecting arrogance or a tongue-lashing. Most people who attempt more than the attaboy speech are not like that. And there’s nothing wrong with a good attaboy speech either with just a few zingers. Those can be great. Kushner’s sounds on the mark, and like I said, so was Pincus and Chu and several others I’ve heard.
Anyway, like I said, I’m opinionated on this subject, so sorry if my tone is harsh.
I have read the speech Ms. Nooyi delivered at Columbia University. I have also read the reactions to the speech – or shall I say, overreactions!
The speech was humorous, if anything, and simultaneously an honest appraisal of the US’s strengths and weaknesses. I do not understand why America and Americans must react so negatively to the speech. Is it because they are so full of themselves that they cannot bear to hear anything even vaguely negative said about them? Are Americans SO vain? Did this vanity take Ameica to the heights it has achieved? Or is this a reaction against someone who is ‘profiled’ (racially, if you like)?
If anything, this vanity (and, yes, I think of it is as just that) is symptomatic of the downward spiral that America is about to initiate. Pride comes before fall – and, there’s a lot of that around – more than ever before.
I have admired many (though not all) things Amercian and I would hate to see the fall of this mighty nation.
However, if America and Amercians move along this newly chosen path, I’m afraid, I will live to see their downfall.
America – reclaim your greatness – with deeds, not mere words! And, if Indira Nooyi was wrong, prove it with your actions! Don’t react! ACT!
Ajish Kanoi
I think Indra Nooyi’s speech was on the surface. She did exactly what the american business woman did in china. Insensitivity to the people of the country she was residing.
I see no difference to the business woman visiting China and herself. Or maybe all attendees had too much pepsi…. and lost their bearings?
I have read and re-read the comments of Ms. Nooyi, as well as her attempt to “explain” it away. Nobody can seriously read that and presume that she was doing anything but being critical of the United States. Having been educated at Yale, she is fully aware of the meaning of the upraised middle finger to Americans, and used that to figuratively show hers to America. She is a smart woman, and knew exactly what she was saying.
For someone who literally makes millions of dollars (see Forbes.com) for peddling primaily junk food to the world, she should consider her remarks and apply some modicum of propriety. Similarly, she represents both women and Indians in America, and should not abuse this role to make some personally driven politically charged remarks. She is damaging others as well as herself. Your average person on the street in the U.S. is now going to say “another ungrateful foreigner” and let this incident influence their perceptions of other Indians in the U.S. Thanks a lot, Nooyi!
Free speech is a privilege of everyone in this country, but it does not absolve any person of responsibility for their remarks.
I agree with everything you say other than this:
Free speech is a right, driving is a priviledge. However in both cases you are still responsible for what you say/do.
Actually, I doubt that. I think only the wingnuts are saying it, so I’m going to say this short and sweet:
Say whatever you want about her speech, she’s an American. Calling her a foreigner is just ignorant.
I don’t view Nooyi as a “foreigner”; neither do most of her critics. Almost none of the criticism I’ve seen touches on her national status, which would be strange anyway, insofar as most Americans tend to be proud (sometimes excessively) of their immigrant heritage.
Nooyi’s speech shows her to be a rather dim-witted, patronizing buffoon. Speaking before what is probably the most cosmopolitan of the world’s top business schools, she had no idea who her audience was– gee, there’s a lesson– and delivered a canned speech that in any case is based on a nonsensical metaphor. (Races cannot be compared logically to fingers. Hands do not require “anchors,” and none of the non-thumb fingers is indispensable.)
Do we have solid evidence that she actually gave this embarrassing, foolish, hackneyed lecture? It sounds more like a prank pulled by a local undergrad speaking in her stead. Or maybe a resentful Columbia Law grad who couldn’t get into the B-School….
Anyone have a photo of her delivering the speech?
Please, stop referring to a clumsy analogy comparing the US to a middle finger as “something of substance” or an “intelligent critique”, it only exposes your own stupidity.
Read this post.
Perhaps I was unclear: the comment “”another ungrateful foreigner” was preceded by “Your average person on the street in the U.S.”
What I was saying was that when this story trickles down to the level of the average joe on the street (presuming the great MSM institutions bother to report it) that is the kind of knee jerk response it could generate.
For a highly intelligent woman, this metaphor was plain stupid, and instigated an unnecessary negative reaction in virtually all the attendees of the speech. Considering the damage control Pepsico is now employing, the reaction has been pretty strong and primarily negative. Whether intentional or not, the result is the same, regardless of her national heritage.
Gujudude: you are absolutely correct. I was trying to convey the idea that compared to many parts of the world, especially some of those that we are allegedly “fingering,” it would be considered a great privilege, and should be an inherent right in all peoples.