What is the author's perspective in the book, Congratulations, by the Way?

Saunders states at the outset of the speech that he is speaking from a place of personal experience as he addresses his audience. His particular pieces of wisdom are mined largely from his personal experiences. To emphasize this idea, towards the beginning of the speech, he lists a series of personal misfortunes that he does not regret, and then he recounts the anecdote of his former classmate Ellen to introduce the idea of the necessity of kindness. However, despite the personal origins of Saunders’s ideas, he then articulates his advice and wisdom so as to emphasize their universality and consistent importance.