My friend showed me a video of his speech at the end of 'The Great Dictator', I was almost in tears by the end of the video. It was by far the most articulate and powerful display of oration I've ever listened to.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo

So my question is, after you watch this, what do you feel? What do you think of the world? Do you think his words hold true, that some day greed will leave the souls of men, and we can make life "a wonderful adventure"?

Just look at the world today:

Corporate America runs the world. They got us into one of the largest economic collapses ever and the the governments, who have LESS MONEY than corporations were responsible for bailing them out. Its a double standard. Government intervention in economic policy is taboo, but too put it bluntly when the [censored] hits the fan, the government has to bail it out. Of the 100 largest economies, 51 are corporate entities. At least it was that way back in 2002 or so, so now its probably even worse. Is that not concerning, the governments, which supposdly support the people are powerless to corporations. People with more money than God only care about making more money. 2% of the worlds population have 98% of its wealth, thats more than a concern that is a gargantuan issue. People fight wars based on age old ethnic differences that they cannot get over. I know the issue is more complicated than that but...

Extremist religious governments are trying to build nuclear warheads. We are involved in dozens of wars, we had 2 world wars within 21 years of each other, with the first one being the cause of the second. I could go on adn on.

So no, I believe it will be impossible, but it doesnt hurt to try.

Well that got political fast!

I think it's a record.

Unfortunately yes. The whole question was rather political.

That will NEVER happen.

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I like to believe in Chaplin ,but we are animals so we do savage things.

It's a wonderful example of rhetoric. I actually used that clip as an example in my Technical Communication class.

Oh, I didn't mean for it to be political, but I can see why it would.

And yeah, I don't think it's too plausible either, but I like that, 'doesn't hurt to try'.

That's a beautiful speech. Thanks for sharing.

I don't believe this plane of existence really has any hope left. We are nothing more than animals, with the powerful leading the powerless to their demise. We let them hold deceit over logic. We stand by and allow it even though we are well within the means to stop it.

I've given up on seeing this world improve. It's a sad, sad place where people can not even think for themselves. Greed is destroying out planet and us with it. The whole way of life is screwed.

The best you can do is search for self enlightenment, improve your self from the inside-out and hope to transcend your surroundings.

Don't believe their lies.

That's my two cents. :spotted owl:

As one of the comments in the video points out, it's pretty much one big idealism.

If only that were true.


Bodhisattva have to eat too.

Technically we are, there are just too many of us who are still asleep.

If you're suggesting we overthrow the government, good luck. If you mean we have enough power in the current government, you're overestimating representative democracy.

Well I definitely don't mean I trust the government to change anything, after all they're just dancing on the strings their puppet masters hold them with.

I do believe if enough people stood up to the tyranny, we could possibly change some things, but you know, probably not even, it would just be a case of meeting the new boss.

That is, if they didn't decide to just nuke us off of the map or use chemical warfare on us.

Like I said though, this world is pretty much hopeless in terms of ever seeing change. It's like a joke planet.

Some of this is difficult to agree with. What is it with "Only the unloved hate"? Many who are loved hate. Some famous that are admired and loved by many, have considerable hatred - oddly enough, for this speech, like Hitler for example who was certainly not unloved and certainly had hated for others. But if you are an outcast and alone and unloved, even with that some rise above being unloved, and instead choose love and forgo hatred. I don't think I can buy into that statement

Hitler was loved?? Yes by the German people once he took power. But prior to that he and his party were outcasts, they were unloved radicals. He was unloved his entire life, that is why he developed his hate, adn was only loved when he took power. If people have been nothign but good to you, you would find it hard to hate. Unfortunately Hitler is not an example of a loved person who hates.

Seems he was, and there were others. Remember Hitler didn't take power. He was voted into office by an adoring public. He had fanatical admirers (for example Hess). And many around the world admired him. And like I said there are other examples through out history.

And there is the reverse too. Some that were unloved turned out to be very loving. Trying to stay historical and not political to not violate forum rules... Ghandi might be a good example of the reverse. Someone who was truly mistreated by many factions and never gave up love.

I am shocked this is still open

Admired him and loved him when he had power. Prior to that he was a poor, radical who was seen as teh root of all evil. He hated Jews because be blamed them for Germanys loss in WWI, he hated Bolsheviks because well, everyone did. He hated Democracy for a reason only God knows. And he was not elected. His party was gaining power when he was appointed Chancellor by Hindenburg. From there his SS killed Ernst Rohm and the SA (the Brownshirts), who were actually his loyal supporters. He then burned the Reichstag down adn started clearing out communists. He was NEVER ELECTED INTO OFFICE!!!

That's funny. Chaplain actually watched Hitler's speeches and used the same "style" that he did for that clip. Most people don't notice, but they're all the same tone. Starts out nice and soft, almost a whisper, talking very slowly. Then as he progresses through the speech the volume goes up, and he makes more and more gestures, until it's built up to a fiery shouting tirade.

The content of the speech is almost not even important by that point.

Sometimes I get down about the state of society, and the plague of globalists that have descended upon the world. Then I think on the Amish, and get teary eyed.

Over-dramatic. Good speech though.

That's why it worked so well for the other guy with the screwed up mustache.. :whistling:

also, "Jawohl, mein Phooey!" is priceless

I think he also censored and killed anyone who didn't love him, which would have contributed to that perception we have of Germany at the time.