Charlie Chaplins Great Speech as it Applies Today. - New England Patriots Forums

***IcyPatriot*** · 12-26-2011, 10:16 PM

The great speech was a parody of Nazi Germany - before the horrors took place - otherwise it would not have been tolerated as a parody.

If a similar speech was given today - eliminate the nazi parody reasoning of course and modernized just a bit here and there ... how would it be received by the American public and how would that candidate fare?

Just a question or take the discussion on any route you choose.
I do note it's historical context towards the Jewish but I would like the speech to be applied more broadly - more worldly as it would apply today. I don't want to take away why it was written is what I am saying respectfully - but I think it's a great topic for today's world.

You the People have the Power! - YouTube

Quote:

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate;

has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in:

machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.

Our knowledge has made us cynical,

our cleverness hard and unkind.

We think too much and feel too little:

More than machinery we need humanity;

More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.

Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

LYRICS:
http://luis.impa.br/chaplin.html

For historical context go to 'Reception' portion here if interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Dictator

Interesting speech, film and worthy of discussion adapted to today's world.
Yes we are a democracy but we are also a bit dictatorship if the speech is taken literally. Some things we have a say in but others like militarily we have little to no say at all. Politically we seek answers but we are also to blame for the worlds mess - we want politicians to solve the mess for us because we blame them for the mess - we have a share in the mess also because we crave many of the conveniences that help cause the mess.

Chaplin calls it - it could be written today - minus the parody - it's not needed to apply.

***DarrylS*** · 12-27-2011, 05:02 AM

Cannot get the sound on my computer to work this morning, but reading it reads more like what a religious/social activist would say rather than what a politician would say.

Or maybe even something that Rage Against the Machine can convert into some music..

***Harry Boy*** · 12-27-2011, 09:47 AM

Liberals won't like it:

Liberal philosophy is as follows,
"Coddle The Bad"
"Condem The Good"

In other words "always blame the victim"

God Willing

PatsFanInVa · 12-27-2011, 09:51 AM

I believe the final speech is given by Adenoid Hynkel's double, the Jewish barber, who's switched places with Hynkel (a lot of people might miss this point and conclude that it's a send-up of social democrats or socialists as having the same starting point as Nazis. Not rational people, but people here.)

wistahpatsfan · 12-27-2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrylS

Cannot get the sound on my computer to work this morning, but reading it reads more like what a religious/social activist would say rather than what a politician would say.

Or maybe even something that Rage Against the Machine can convert into some music..

Not far off the track...

Interview with Zack de la Rocha - YouTube

PatsFanInVa · 12-27-2011, 09:59 AM

PS thank you for this thread... I have not watched this film for 30 years, and have just found it cut up into 8 parts on youtube.

Charlie Chaplin - The Great Dictator Part 1/8 - YouTube

I'll let people continue the subject of the thread now -- just a quick thanks.

Mrs.PatsFanInVa · 12-27-2011, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatsFanInVa

PS thank you for this thread... I have not watched this film for 30 years, and have just found it cut up into 8 parts on youtube.

Yes, indeed it can be found - all 8 parts.

Three guesses as to who's currently being forced to listen to it.

Thanks, Icy. I owe ya one.

***IcyPatriot*** · 12-27-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs.PatsFanInVa

Yes, indeed it can be found - all 8 parts.

Three guesses as to who's currently being forced to listen to it.

Thanks, Icy. I owe ya one.

I saw it in a thread on another forum ... listened to it and was blown away. I never had seen it before. Simply amazing how prophetic and meaningful that speech was ... written in 1940. Like I said I did not want to take it's meaning (reason why it was created) away from the Jewish people. At the same time, it applied to them then and it applies so much to our world now - like I said simply an amazing speech from a comedian no less.

http://luis.impa.br/chaplin.html

Quote:

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish. . .

This quote applies even to our own government.

Quote:

You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let's use that power, let us all unite.

Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people.

Ilikehappyppl · 12-30-2011, 09:13 PM

Just watched this and wow.....just wow!

I had goosebumps was such a great speech!

Watched this vid, with the music and R.Paul at the end:The American War-Machine, A Lesson in Blowback, and The Greatest Speech Ever Written. - YouTube

All I have to say is, this speech was spot on for the world today! I'm so glad I watched it now...