A commencement speaker who gave an outlandish speech to Ohio State University’s graduates claimed that Bitcoin is a “misunderstood asset class” and was met with thunderous boos. “The most misunderstood person.”
Social entrepreneur and 1999 OSU graduate Chris Pang, 46, defends his commencement address, admits Sunday’s jeering comments about Bitcoin were incomprehensible and caught him off guard. and admitted to using hallucinogens to write it.
But he also blamed people’s poor listening skills for his visceral reactions during the speech, which included two awkward sing-alongs, Navy SEAL breathing techniques and magic tricks.
“I’ve never had 70,000 people boo me. It doesn’t feel good,” he told the Post Thursday. “It was hard, it wasn’t easy because I’m human too, but you know, I had a job to do, so I had to keep going.
“What was I going to do? If I started crying, I mean, I walked off stage. I mean, that would have been dramatic, too,” he added.
Pan denied promoting Bitcoin, but only offered the cryptocurrency as an investment option for the Class of 2024.
“All I said was, open your mind. I know it’s polarizing, but I didn’t expect there to be boos. People didn’t like what I said. “I thought people would listen to me, but I didn’t know that people didn’t listen to me because they had their own prejudices,” he said.
But in retrospect, he admits he could have taken the Bitcoin part out of his speech and focused more on emotional and spiritual learning.
Pan, the founder of MyIntent.org, said the style he developed Sunday was similar to a hired lecture for office workers. His company, which brands itself as a project that promotes “meaningful conversations and positive action,” also sells custom his bracelets.
“I’m the most misunderstood person in this world right now,” he declared. “And people will understand eventually, so that’s okay. But right now it’s the way it is.”
Pan also hit back at critics who accused him of using the psychedelic ayahuasca when writing his speech. I also use magic mushrooms.
“I’m doing it not just for the healing, but for the creativity,” he said. “John Lennon and Steve Jobs, they all worked with it to stimulate their creativity.
“Some people are saying you’re a fucking idiot and you’re the biggest disgrace to Ohio State, and so am I. My inbox is full of messages from all over the world telling me I’m a fucking genius.”
Pan explained that she accepted the gig after receiving an email from the school in March. He previously told school officials in January that he wanted to return to campus to speak with students.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think it was in the realm of possibility,” Pan said. “That never occurred to me.”
One disappointed graduate was Rory Ewing, who criticized Pan in a scathing letter that he also shared with the Post.
“If you didn’t enjoy or appreciate your speech, you either don’t understand what you’re saying or you don’t understand Bitcoin,” the letter reads in part. “This claim is false and grossly condescending.”
“To suggest that a lack of gratitude stems from a lack of education or thoughtfulness is an insult to the very purpose for which we gathered this Sunday.”
