JK Rowling over verbeeldingskracht en de voordelen van 'fouten maken'

31 januari 2015

J.K. Rowling, wereldberoemd schrijfster door de serie Harry Potter-boeken, sprak in 2008 op de jaarlijkse meeting van de Harvard Alumni Associaton. Ze zoomt in op de sociale voordelen van het 'maken van fouten' en de kracht en betekenis van verbeelding. Een historische toespraak die verrast en waarde heeft voor iedereen die is toegewijd aan de ontwikkeling van kinderen en (jonge) mensen. 

Enkele reacties:

''This speech is consistent with what I have long believed, that Harry Potter expresses Rowling's beliefs concerning the nature of integrity and goodness. This is such a wise, witty, moving speech, excellently written, and delivered with sincerity, simplicity and charm. I think it must be one of the best speeches I have ever heard. Thank you, J K R.

I did not realize she was such a phenomenal speaker. Thank you Jo Rowling for liberating my fear of failing.

Ms. Rowling´s speech deals with various issues, not only with the enrichening effect of failing and rebuild and restart, but also with the empathic magic of imagining other realities and people´s lives. But, in the final words, she stresses the responsibility of those who have the power of knowledge, strength and imagination to make this a better world. She masters the skill of communication being "autobiographical" in her presentation, making use of humour, self criticism and humbleness. No doubt she is being far more successful in reaching her audience´s attention than Baroness Weir, and in using that strategy of the anecdote, she has been able to hook and seduce her listeners. A really talented speaker, not only a worldwide admired writer.



“The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.