At CMU graduation, Alda illustrates importance of seeking truth
If the Internet starts buzzing with stories of acclaimed actor Alan Alda's graduation speech at Carnegie Mellon University, which urged students, among other things, to wear sunscreen, it's a hoax.
Alda, who spoke Sunday at CMU's 118th commencement ceremony, recited a few lines — “If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas, the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience” — from perhaps the most famous graduation speech never given to illustrate a point about how quickly false information circulates and cements in the Internet age.
“Being able to know what is true and what's right is a lot harder to do now, harder than ever before,” Alda told graduates at Gesling Stadium, where dark clouds didn't deliver on a threat of rain showers. “Now, more than ever, you need the wisdom of a trusted partner, or friend or a mentor, somebody who can remind you of what counts. Now, more than ever, I think, you need to know who you are and what you believe in.”
Almost 20 years ago, a graduation speech about youth and beauty, being wary of advice, singing, dancing, flossing and wearing sunscreen went viral on the early Internet. It claimed novelist Kurt Vonnegut gave the speech during a commencement ceremony at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997. But Vonnegut didn't speak at the ceremony. Mary Schmich, a Chicago Tribune columnist, wrote those words.
“In a flash, the Internet was flooded with retractions,” Alda said. “By the end of one extraordinary day, vast numbers of people had accepted and then rejected a worldwide hoax.”
More than 3,000 students received degrees, including Alda's grandson, Scott Alda Coffey, who earned a bachelor's degree in drama.
Alda, 79, famous for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series “M*A*S*H,” told the graduates to take time — a diminishing resource — to learn how their minds work.
Ben Charas, 21, who graduated with degrees in cognitive science and computer science, said he did plenty of that at CMU.
“That and procrastinating,” Charas said.
Charas said Alda's speech underscored how important discerning truth from lies will be in the future.
Yuki Nishihara, 36, who graduated with a master's degree in information systems management from CMU's Heinz College, said the speech was simple and entertaining, much like the sunscreen speech Alda used.
Knowing how your mind works, Alda said, will help in facing uncertainty, something his grandson, who is pursuing an acting career, and the graduates will be challenged by.
Brooke Kuei, 22, who majored in physics and minored in professional writing, told her fellow graduates in a speech that she was scared to graduate, scared to leave the comfortable CMU bubble and scared of the uncertainty.
“But the best part about uncertainty is that it's equivalent to possibility,” Kuei said. “Let's take the strength we've gained through this transformation and tackle the future with it.”
Aaron Aupperlee is a staff writer for Trib Total Media.
