a message from chaplin

 

“We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery.”
― Charlie Chaplin

 

In 1940 the American political satire comedy-drama film ‘ The Great Dictator’ was released. The film was written, directed and produced by beloved Charlie Chaplin. Towards the end of the film Charlie Chaplin gave a speech which today circulates online as one of the greatest messages to humanity.  When hearing his speech now you will understand why this message is so relevant to us today.

“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” 

Haven’t we shut our selves in? Don’t our laptops and smart phones make us feel on edge wanting more? Don’t we think too much and possibly feel too little?

I remember hearing this speech many years ago and thinking how relevant it was to our time and now more than ever. It is unnatural for us to cause harm to one another, it is unnatural to carry with us so much trauma, pain and torment and feel too afraid to speak about it.

And like Chaplin says…

“You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness!

You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure” 

So let us adventure together