I did not see the video, but have to commend the speaker. As a parent of two kids in elementary school, I see firsthand how much worship some kids are subject to. The parents act like public defenders, every member of a winless team still gets a trophy, and far too many kids are given tv's in their bedrooms, cell phones, and all the latest electronic toys. It is sickening. There are many parents who do not fall into this pattern, but enough of them do to make it hard to our values embraced outside of the home.

when I was growing up if you had trouble in school my mother would ask "what did you do", today parents ask, what did they do to you. This generation is coddled and entitled, look a t the Occupiers, everything for free.

Thanks for this column. It's sad to see an entire generation being thrown under the bus by people looking for an easy smack-down. Mr. McCullough had a specific purpose for a specific audience. But I can tell you that there are many graduating classes out there, filled with the kind of people he wishes his kids will someday be.

Michael Lewis gave a similar commencement speech to the graduating class at Princeton. Although, Lewis was more sophisticated and not as crude as McCullough.

When the world gets tougher, parents will always tend to shield their kids more. It all goes in a cycle. It's important to remember that what kids need the most is your time and attention. That doesn't change. And it can be hard when so much in their environment is so flashy and new. Parents are working so much that they don't have the time. (Insert sentimental Cat Stevens song here). Kids need quality advice for how to deal with a world that is changing so fast adults can't keep up themselves. As Richmond said below - and I may be paraphrasing, but don't let your kids have televisions and unrestricted internet access in their rooms. It's not appropriate and that's coming from a tech guy. Move to a place where the kids can have neighborhood friends and don't run their lives through "play dates", it's ridiculous. Make their world slower. Not faster. It will be a blessing. Connect them to real activities everyday. Sports like hiking, skiing, fishing (catch and release) bike riding, martial arts and kayaking will lead to life-long pursuits (team sports good too, but you're not necessarily with them) gardening, bird-watching, yoga, meditation are good for kids. Get them away from screens. Point them to classic literature and read it yourself. And did I say no to "play dates"? I'm not saying completely restrict access to technology, but build-in the life balance because without you they will drown in the tech.

Giermund, what's the problem with "playdates" anyway? It's nice to have neighborhood friends, and it's nice to be able to invite over other friends who don't happen to live down the street. I'm also not sure what your beef is with team sports -- kids will much more easily be able to play a game of pick up baseball or hoops than they are likely to be able to go kayaking anytime soon. Bird-watching and meditation? You know we're talking about KIDS right? BTW, I think you mean Harry Chapin, not Cat Stevens.

Good column, however a good portion of Mr MdCulloughs message does apply to the students at TechBoston and Phoenix. The "your not special" was specifically pointing out that others beyond those you closely interact with will not view you as special. Even if you have overcome amazing odds to achieve what others have been given. It may be unfair, but the kids at TechBoston and Phoenix, or in any other challenging situation can't rest on the laurels of defying the odds to achieve a high school diploma or even a college diploma. This message in my opinion could have been modified slightly and still applied to just about any high school class. On a separate note the "greatest generation" looked at the baby boomers as coddled, who then believed that the Gen X and Ys were soft, and it is the Gen X and Ys who are pointing to this generation as beiing coddled. I suspect this has been going on for ever. Having said that I do believe we protect our kids too much....