How to really find one another

We are living through a period of extreme narcissism. Our current leadership in Washington believes that empathy is a weakness, and that our nation stands supreme and alone. Add to that, everyone here today has a phone in their pocket that is algorithmically programmed to celebrate you, and you alone, by making you the protein maxxing hero of your own special journey.

Much has been written about how isolated and siloed we’ve become, but for me, the antidote is quite simple. By de-emphasizing what makes us special … we can really find one another. Not as an exercise in virtue, but as a path towards greater laughter, love and real growth.

— Conan O’Brien, 2026 Harvard commencement address