The Last Lecture

Pausch remembers where he was when man first walked on the moon in 1969. Pausch felt that it was proof “that pretty much anything was possible. It was as if all of us, all over the world, had been given permission to dream big dreams” (131). While some people may criticize such ventures for draining resources that could be put to better use, Pausch argues that “inspiration [is] the ultimate tool for doing good,” as it encourages everyone to dream big, “to achieve the maximum of human potential” (132-33).

By drawing on specific people in his life, like the Eagle Scouts and his mother, Pausch offers specific insights about working well with others that he has learned over the years. From the Eagle Scouts he learned that sincerity is a timeless quality. In fact, he admits that when hiring people, he was more likely to bring them on board if they had been an Eagle Scout in the past. To him, that qualification demonstrated integrity.

From his mother, Pausch learned that life is too short to argue over petty details and that negotiation can solve a lot of issues, like not giving in to an argument when his mother called him “Randolph” instead of “Randy.