Have Courage, Face Reality | 5-Minute Videos | PragerU
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@AyaanHirsiAliOfficial grew up in Africa and the Middle East. Her life was steeped in danger and chaos. In contrast, young people in the West today are steeped in comfort and security. But ironically, they face the same challenge Hirsi Ali did. What that challenge is, and how to overcome it, is the topic of PragerU’s 2026 commencement address.
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Transcript:
Have Courage, Face Reality
Presented by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Class of 2026: Congratulations!
Of the many pieces of advice a commencement speaker might impart, I think the most important one is this: stay connected to reality.
This is a more difficult task than you might think. Reality can be deeply painful, and there will be many temptations to run from it.
When I was growing up in Africa and the Middle East, I lived in uncertain and often dangerous circumstances. Hardship was universal. My life, and the lives of everyone I knew, were touched by war, poverty, disease, famine, and disorder. Our reality was brutal.
The temptation we all faced was to run from that reality — to give away our minds to strongmen, false prophets, and radical ideologies. We were encouraged to channel the pain of our reality into tribal and religious enmities. But these were just coping mechanisms, ways to run from a reality that felt hopelessly difficult.
Ironically, you face the same challenge — running from reality — but from the totally opposite perspective. Whereas my life was surrounded by chaos, your life is surrounded by comfort.
