More from Mindy Kaling

You take words, and you turn them into the infrastructure that keeps our world stable. A lot of you will become the quiet heroes of our country.

MK

Mindy Kaling

Harvard Law School Class Day 2014, 2014

14:32

Video starts at 14:32 — the moment this quote was spoken

The Story Behind This Quote

In one of the speech's most unexpectedly profound moments, Kaling paused her comedy to pay tribute to the unglamorous but essential work of lawyers. She pointed out that a lawyer wrote 'Employees must wash their hands before returning to work,' a lawyer wrote the Miranda rights, and a lawyer wrote the Terms and Conditions that are 'the only things keeping us from the purge.' While the seductive Southern lawyers in John Grisham novels get all the glory, Kaling argued, the rest of the graduating class would form the foundation of day-to-day life. Their dedication to meticulous reading and precise language was a form of heroism that most people never see. It was a rare moment of genuine admiration tucked inside an otherwise relentlessly funny speech.

Collect Your Favorite Quotes

Save quotes that inspire you. Build your personal collection of wisdom in Minditly — available on both platforms.