Obama's speech was important. A lot of people have been slacking off when it comes to getting an education. Many don't take education as seriously as the country use to. Some students do just enough to get by rather than trying to actually achieve something. Education is what is going to get someone on the path that they most desire to be. Success shouldn't just depend on the school one goes to but how much effort they put in when attending that school. Slackers can't blame their teachers or their families, only themselves. Students need to learn how to live up to their potential through exploration in education. Good jobs don't come without an education. Everyone can't get rich by becoming famous. No matter what is going on in your life, education will help you get to a better place. Students need to learn how to take responsibility of their own lives. They can't rely on someone else to do everything for them for the rest of their lives. Commitment is important. Students can't give up every time they fail. Everyone should learn from their failures and mistakes. I don't see why this speech was so heavily debated. All students needed to hear this message. Nothing he said was irrelevant. He is right. Educating oneself is one of the best things one can do in their lifetime. Education creates independence, and independence creates new ideas. Don't be the one to use someone as a crutch. Get an education to learn how to stand without that crutch. Education leads to success because knowledge is power.