Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear

This is the graduation speech I wish I had! Hiassen states clearly what newly minted ‘adults' need to hear - the world is not all unicorns and rainbows, people are often jerks, and if you expect to get the same treatment in the real world that you got in college, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Oh, for those who are not familiar with Carl Hiassen, spoiler alert...

I'll freely stipulate to being prone to the darker side of things, but this book enumerates why the world is unfair, why people regularly try to take advantage of others, and why only you can ensure your life turns out the way you want it to.

Hiassen encourages the reader to make their own evaluations about others, to take an active part in their own future, and by expecting the worst, to be pleasantly surprised when they find someone who is actually kind, compassionate, and not totally self-absorbed in pursuing their own gratification at the expense of everyone else.

This is a very short book, but well worth your time if you want a few good laughs or to hear that you are not the only person in the world who thinks quite a few others are willfully ignorant and completely dependent on others to provide their opinions.