Neil Gaiman, the acclaimed author of 'The Sandman,' 'American Gods,' 'Coraline,' and countless other works, delivered the commencement address at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2012. In one of the speech's most memorable passages, Gaiman reflected on how his lack of formal education in the arts actually worked to his advantage. He described how, when starting out, he simply didn't know the rules of the industries he was entering — publishing, comics, film. He didn't know that certain things weren't supposed to be possible, so he went ahead and did them anyway. This insight became a core theme of his address: that ignorance of limitations can be a creative superpower. The line resonated widely because it captures a truth about innovation — breakthroughs often come from outsiders who don't know what 'can't be done.'