Hollywood kingpin Steven Spielberg told Harvard grads to learn about history and to vanquish the world's villains on Thursday at the university's commencement speech.

"We are a nation of immigrants, at least for now," he said, which means that there is a vast number of stories to hear and tell.

"Heroes and villains are not literary constructs, but they're at the heart of all history," Spielberg said. "This is why it's so important to listen to your internal whisper." 

"Love, support, courage, intuition: All these things are in your hero's quiver, but a hero needs one more thing — a hero needs a villain to vanquish," Spielberg said. "And, you're all in luck. This world is full of monsters."

These monsters manifest themselves as racism, homophobia, and ethnic, class, political, and religious hatred, he said.

"Because we must never forget that the inconceivable doesn't just happen — it happens frequently. Atrocities are happening right now," Spielberg said.

There is no difference between anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination, he said: "It is all one big hate."

Spielberg said that hate is born of an "us versus them" mentality, and thinking instead about people as "we" requires replacing fear with curiosity.

"'Us' and 'them' will find the 'we' by connecting with each other, and by believing that we're members of the same tribe, and by feeling empathy for every soul," he said.

"I've imagined many possible futures in my films, but you will determine the actual future. And I hope that it's filled with justice and peace," Spielberg said.

"And I wish you all a true Hollywood-style happy ending: I hope you outrun the T-Rex, catch the criminal, and, for your parents' sake, maybe every now and then, just like ET, go home," he concluded.