Humanity at Its Best
Last Modified: 12/02/2020
Joaquin Phoenix talks about love and humanity in his Best Actor acceptance speech.
- 1We fear the idea of personal change...
- 2...because we think that we have to sacrifice something to give something up.
- 3But human beings, at our best, are so inventive and creative and ingenious.
- 4And I think that when we use love and compassion as our guiding principles,...
- 5...we can create, develop and implement systems of change...
- 6...that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment.
- 7I've been a scoundrel all my life.
- 8I have been selfish.
- 9I've been cruel at times, hard to work with and ungrateful.
- 10But, so many of you in this room have given me a second chance.
- 11And I think that's when we're at our best:...
- 12...when we support each other. Not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes,...
- 13...but when we help each other to grow, when we educate each other,...
- 14...when we guide each other towards redemption.
- 15That is the best of humanity.
- 16When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric.
- 17He said, "Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow."
- 18Thank you.
Powered by:
