Perhaps now more than ever, we need to listen to this unforgettable speech by Charlie Chaplin from his satirical political comedy-drama film of 1940, “The Great Dictator.” Chaplin plays Adenoid Hynkel, a fascist dictator who experiences an awakening and change of heart whereby he realizes the true worth of life and humanity.
Allow this ageless cry for liberation from tyranny — and a way of life that is free and beautiful — to stir your soul and galvanize your resolve to never, ever give up, no matter how dark things may seem. We CAN make this world a kinder, gentler, more peaceful place that empowers humanity rather than oppresses it.
In the words of Chaplin, “For those who can hear me I say, do not despair. 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 who will pass, and dictators die. And the power they took from the people will return to the people.”
Charlie Chaplin as Adenoid Hynkel in ‘The Great Dictator’, 1940. Source: Photo: via Insomnia Cured Here / Flickr (CC BY-SA).