Tom Hanks has shared his insights on the threats facing American democracy today, drawing from his passion for history. In an interview with Time magazine published last week, the Oscar-winning actor discussed his new World War II docuseries on the History Channel and emphasized that apathy poses a greater danger than hate.
The Danger of Indifference
When asked about the concept of "moral courage" in modern times, Hanks stated, "The best petri dish for tyranny is indifference, and we have a choice every single day to do something or not based on what we think is right." He elaborated that for some, this means taking a stand and saying, "not on my watch," while for others, it involves supporting those who fight for justice. "For many others of us, it just comes down to not ignoring what's going on and continuing to tell the stories that matter," he added.
Historical Lessons
Hanks used the example of Japanese American internment camps during World War II to illustrate the consequences of turning a blind eye. "For a populace to say, 'We did not really know that our neighbors were being rounded up and sent away' is just as though today we would say, 'I don't really see any signs of homelessness in America,'" he said. "No. It's obvious. And it's happening. And it's not pleasant. But we cannot be complicit in 2026 to this kind of thing going on. Otherwise, look what we might recreate."
America's 250th Anniversary
With the 250th anniversary of America's founding approaching on July 4, Hanks described the milestone as "all about the beginning of the two-steps-forward, one-step-back process of making our nation a more perfect union." He acknowledged that perfection is unattainable but emphasized the ongoing effort: "We will never be a perfect union but we've had 250 years to figure out how we actually get closer to that."
The Docuseries
The 20-episode History Channel series, "World War II with Tom Hanks," was developed in collaboration with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. New episodes premiere on Mondays, with the first three episodes available to watch now.
