'Privilege Guilt': Harrison Ford Faces Scrutiny for Urging Youngsters to Fix His Generation's 'Mess'

Star Wars and Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford delivered a blunt and honest message while accepting an honorary Doctor of Arts and Humane Letters degree at Arizona State University on May 11.

Addressing more than 14,000 graduates, the veteran actor pleaded with the new generation to fix the mess left behind by older people.

Telling the youngsters that they were entering “a real mess” as they step into the next phase of their lives, Ford encouraged students to stay aware, responsible and ready to face the challenges shaping the world today.

Instead of apologizing for the “real mess” that “my generation left you.” he urged people to “extend social justice.”

After receiving an honorary Doctor of Arts and Humane Letters degree for his work in conservation, Ford delivered a speech urging students to push for major “cultural change,” failing which corruption and climate change could lead to “mass extinction."

“Humanity is a part of nature, not above it,” Ford said. “We have an essential mandate to protect 30 percent of the world’s land and sea by 2030, to prevent the mass extinction, to slow the warming of our planet,” he stated.

The actor went on, “We need cultural change. We need to extend social justice. We need to respect and elevate the Indigenous people that are being marginalized and, in many cases, killed in cold blood.”

Ford then proceeded to encourage graduates to “change the world,” admitting that older generations, including his own, had left behind a troubled world.

“We can all play a role by embracing that wisdom in our day-to-day lives, by loving the planet, by honoring nature’s authority, her generosity, the bounty she affords us,” he said.

In the end, Ford stated, “the world you’re stepping into, the world my generation left you, is a real mess… Your generation has far more power than you may realize. And if you harness that power, if you find your leadership, your issues, your voice, the world will not be able to ignore you.”

However, after Ford’s speech went viral, the internet called out the actor for burdening the next generation with his demands to fix the world.

People even pointed out how instead of apologizing for the "mess" his generation left behind, Ford simply warned about the already known global fallout.

Author Libby Emmons wrote in her Desert Review column, “Ford lived his life as he pleased, now regrets not having taken a more active role in social justice, and demands that the next generation fix it — on his terms — and dedicate their lives to fixing it.”

She added, “Not only is this not a recipe for happiness, or liberty, but it will keep them broke and depressed, and they will not actually succeed. There is no "saving the world," there is only living a good and honorable life.”

On X, a number of netizens didn't seem too impressed with Ford's remarks. “Instead of inspiring the graduates and offering hope for a better future, this old leftist spreads negativity and hate at a graduation ceremony,” one user wrote.

Another added, “Ok Harrison, you give the land you own back first.”

An individual chimed in, “Harrison Ford is suffering from privilege guilt. There is an easy solution to that. He can donate all his money, sell his house, and buy himself a modest one in a low-income neighborhood, and just aim to live with less than 100,000 (what he spends in a month). Then he can lecture the rest of the world.”

“Ask this dummy to give up his Hollywood mansion to an indigenous family if he’s so concerned about them dying to some mysterious social attack,” one user stated.

One user stated, “Why doesn't he give up all his money for what he wants” instead of urging youngsters to save the world.