Tom Hanks: He gives a moving speech at Harvard

Harvard University has awarded Tom Hanks (66) an honorary doctorate in art. He was also given a Wilson volleyball with the lettering of the elite university. A reference to a famous prop from his film “Cast Away”.

“It’s not fair, but please don’t be bitter about that fact,” Hanks said, jokingly about the fact that he’s made a lot of money playing a Harvard professor without ever having studied. The actor alluded to his role as Robert Langdon, which he embodied in three Dan Brown films (including “The Da Vinci Code”).

“Today the truth is considered malleable”

Tom Hanks also gave a speech at the graduation ceremony for this year’s elite university graduates. Traditionally, this task falls to a prominent politician or artist. For his speech he was inspired by a motto from Harvard: Veritas (Latin for truth).

“For some, the truth is no longer empirical. It’s no longer based on data, it’s no longer based on common sense and it’s not even based on common decency,” he said, referring to the post-truth era that many observers see dawning.

“Telling the truth is no longer the standard of public service,” Hanks continued. “It is no longer the cure for our fears or the guide for our actions. Truth is now considered malleable, through opinion and through zero-sum games.”

Three Kinds of Americans for Tom Hanks

For Hanks, there are three types of Americans: Those who stand up for freedom and independence. The ones that don’t. And those who don’t care. He drums into the graduates to join the first group: “The responsibility lies with you. With us.” Finally, the US star emphasized: “But the truth, the truth is sacred. Unchangeable. Carved in the stone and the foundation of our republic.”