Eckstein Calls on Grads to Embrace Differences in Senior Address

Noah J. Eckstein ’26 called on his classmates to scrutinize their assumptions about one another in his senior English address, lamenting the polarization of today’s political environment.

“Whenever you meet someone, ask the other person about their beliefs, how they got there,” Eckstein said. “Place yourself in their shoes and ask ‘Why do I believe this?’” Eckstein said.

“That is the hardest and most important thing you can do in a world that is constantly telling you to pick a side,” he added.

Eckstein pointed to his own upbringing as a model of pluralism, describing himself as the child of an interfaith family with Muslim, Christian, and Jewish roots.

“A Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew walk into a bar,” he quipped. “I know historically the setup is a little bit dicey, but this time was a little bit different.”

Eckstein said Harvard — and the world beyond its gates — resembled his family: People came from different backgrounds and held diverging views, but it was possible to respect each other regardless.

“The world beyond these walls? It has all the same disagreements, the same differences of opinion, the same divisions that we have,” Eckstein said. “But I urge you — see the people in your class for who they are as people. Fight to understand them and their beliefs just as much as you stand up and fight for your own.”