08-09-2015, 08:46 AM
I'm not measuring the 40 year impact economically, although I have experienced it. I constantly find myself applying lessons I learned there, and for which I am nicely compensated.
Instead, I'm looking at every aspect of a life well-lived: friends made, lessons learned, wisdom gained, even the richness of the memories. And being a Stanford guy brought me into this forum, and all that I've gained from it. The rewards that cannot be quantified--becoming best friends of one of the great thinkers of my generation, and best friends of the most admirable person i know, to name two more--have been greater, and made more a difference in my life's quality and the pleasure I take in it.
As I've said before, I've sampled other schools: a small liberal arts university and a mediocre, large public university. All those two had in common with Stanford was the title, "university." The difference was at least two standard deviations, and more likely three. That's just me; for me, incalculable.
Instead, I'm looking at every aspect of a life well-lived: friends made, lessons learned, wisdom gained, even the richness of the memories. And being a Stanford guy brought me into this forum, and all that I've gained from it. The rewards that cannot be quantified--becoming best friends of one of the great thinkers of my generation, and best friends of the most admirable person i know, to name two more--have been greater, and made more a difference in my life's quality and the pleasure I take in it.
As I've said before, I've sampled other schools: a small liberal arts university and a mediocre, large public university. All those two had in common with Stanford was the title, "university." The difference was at least two standard deviations, and more likely three. That's just me; for me, incalculable.