Courage

The speaker, reflecting on his own divided nature between a practical self and an imaginative alter ego, delivers a rectorial address urging graduates to cultivate courage as the chief virtue. He argues that young people should insist on partnership with their elders in decisions—especially those leading to war—because earlier generations failed to heed warnings and misled youth about the realities of conflict. Mixing personal anecdotes, wry observation, and moral counsel, he warns against assigning base motives or using abusive language toward opponents, encourages honest engagement, and offers practical, compassionate guidance for facing public and private challenges.