卒業生の皆さん、卒業おめでとう。皆さんの高校卒業を心よりお祝いします。
今日のこの節目の日に、まずは、君たちをここまで育ててくれた保護者の方に感謝の言葉を直接伝えてください。また、これまで全身全霊をもって君たちに学問を授け、道を示してくれた先生方に、お礼とお別れを言いましょう。

そして今日まで子供の成長を見守られてきた保護者の皆様、皆様のこれまでのご苦労に敬意を表するとともに、改めてお慶びを申し上げます。また、これまで本校の教育と生徒指導に多大なるご理解ご協力をいただきましたことに深く感謝申し上げます。今日はこれまでのたくさんの思い出を振り返りながら、卒業式を楽しんでいただければと思います。

さて、卒業生の皆さんの門出に当たり。「もう一人の自分を隣に置く」という話をします。皆さんは認知バイアスという言葉を知っていますか？
自分を正しいと思いたい、がゆえに、他人の意見はもちろん、合理的科学的な根拠までも否定してしまう心理のことで、誰しもがその傾向を持っています。例えば「確証バイアス」。自分に都合のいい情報だけを無意識に集めてしまい、否定的な情報を軽視することで、自分の仮説や先入観を強めてしまう心理です。「自己中心性バイアス」。これは自分だけが知っている情報に優越感を感じ、あたかもそれが絶対正しいを思ってしまう心理です。「後知恵バイアス」。物事の結果を知ったときにあたかも最初から予想できていたかのように考えて、失敗した自分を擁護したりする心理です。どうでしょう。皆さん一つぐらいは思い当たるのがあるのではないでしょうか。
皆が持っている性質ですので、そう考えてしまうこと自体は罪ではありません。大切なことは、このように正しいと思いたがる自分がいる、ということを知ることです。それに気づいてくれるのが隣に置いたもう一人の自分です。もう一人の自分は自分にささやきます。「本当に君は正しいのか？」と。

実は隣にいるもう一人の自分の存在は、認知バイアスに傾いた時だけでなく、あらゆる場面で　心強い存在です。有頂天の自分に「君一人の成果ではないよね、助けてくれた人に感謝」とささやいたり、ネットにふざけた投稿をしようとしたときも、「ほんとうにそのボタンを押していいの？その結果どうなるか考えた？」と聞いてきます。あるいは悲観的なことばかりを考えている自分に対して「いままで頑張ってきたよね、えらいよ」と言ってくれるかもしれません。高校卒業後の世界は一気に自由な世界となります。だからこそ、人として、正しい判断が必要なのです。となりの自分は今自分にどのように言うのだろう？と意識して生活してみてください。きっと正しい道を示してくれます。悪の道は示しません。なぜなら、君たちはこの啓明学園で正しく筋の通った教育を受け、生活をしてきたからです。そのことに自信を持ち、また誇りに思ってください。

最後に、「天下国家を語れ」と題した詩を贈り、皆さんへのはなむけの言葉とします。

天下国家を語れ

世の中はへんてこな事だらけだ。
だから疑え、調べろ、学べ、そしてあるべき姿を考えろ。
疑問に目をふさがず、批判に耳を傾け、矛盾に馴れず、怒りを忘れず。そして、
友と、親と、先生と、恋人と、見知らぬ人と
向かい合って、真面目に、謙虚に、熱くなって、
政治を語れ、平和を語れ、核を語れ、文化を語れ、教育を語れ、戦争を語れ、科学を語れ、経済を語れ、宗教を語れ、歴史を語れ、貧困を語れ、差別を語れ、異性を語れ、家族を語れ、宇宙を語れ、世界を語れ、人生を語れ。

リアルな語りに人は集まる。君はその中心にいろ。

卒業おめでとう、さようなら、そしてありがとう。

2023年3月1日　啓明学園高等学校校長　大坪隆明

Congratulations to all the graduates on your graduation. I heartily congratulate all of you on your high school graduation.
Today, on this milestone day, first of all, please directly express your gratitude to the parents who have raised you so far. I would also like to say thank you and farewell to the teachers who have put their heart and soul into teaching you and showing you the way.

And to all the parents who have been watching over their children's growth up to this day, I would like to express my respect for everyone's hard work and congratulations once again. I would also like to express my deep gratitude for your understanding and cooperation in the education and student guidance of our school. I hope you will enjoy the graduation ceremony today while looking back on the many memories you have made so far.

Now, as the graduates are starting out, I would like to talk about "putting another self next to you." Are you familiar with the term cognitive bias?
Everyone has this tendency to deny the opinions of others, as well as rational and scientific grounds, because they want to think they are right. For example, “confirmation bias”. It is a psychology that unconsciously collects only information that is convenient for you and neglects negative information, thereby strengthening your own hypotheses and preconceptions. "Egocentric Bias". This is a psychology that makes you feel superior to information that only you know, as if it is absolutely correct. "hindsight bias". It is the psychology of thinking as if you could have predicted the outcome from the beginning and defending yourself when you failed. What do you think? I'm sure you all have at least one thing in mind.
It is not a sin in itself to think so, because it is a nature we all have. The important thing is to know that there is a part of you who wants to be right in this way. The one who notices it is the other me next to me. The other self whispers to itself. "Are you really right?"

In fact, the presence of another person next to me is a reassuring presence in all situations, not just when I am inclined to cognitive bias. When I whispered to my ecstatic self, "You're not the only one who helped me, thank you to those who helped me," or when I tried to post a joke online, I asked myself, "Are you sure you want to press that button? What will happen?" Have you thought about it?" I ask. Or you may say to yourself that you've been thinking only about pessimistic things, "You've worked hard so far, you're great." The world after graduating from high school becomes a free world at once. That's why we, as humans, need to make the right decisions. What would my next self say to me now? Try to live with that in mind. I'm sure it will show you the right way. I will not show you the way of evil. This is because you have received a correct and logical education at Keimei Gakuen and lived your life there. Be confident and proud of yourself.
Finally, I will leave you with a poem titled “Tell me about the world” as my final words of encouragement to all of you.
Talk about the world
The world is full of strange things.
So question, research, learn, and think about how it should be.
Don't close your eyes to doubts, listen to criticism, don't get used to contradictions, and don't forget anger. and,
friends, parents, teachers, lovers, and strangers
Face each other, be serious, be humble, be passionate,
Talk about politics, talk about peace, talk about nuclear weapons, talk about culture, talk about education, talk about war, talk about science, talk about economy, talk about religion, talk about history, talk about poverty, talk about discrimination, talk about the opposite sex. Talk about your family, talk about the universe, talk about the world, talk about your life.

People are drawn to real stories. you stay in the center

Congratulations on your graduation, goodbye and thank you. A.

March 1, 2023 Keimei Gakuen High School Principal Takaaki Otsubo