An Impassioned Speech
One for the record books
“One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.”
— Elbert Hubbard, 1911
Inspiration can come from any source, as long as you’re paying attention.
That’s why what I do here isn’t just informed by history or literature; the arts come into play regularly — certainly every image I select for each newsletter has an underlying meaning, and there are instances of films that have given me pause and inspired observations.
Such as the MGM lion that reminded us that we can learn and grow from art:
Or the Old West gunfight that taught us about grace and integrity:
And the inhumanity of automation, where machines take precedence over basic humanity, as we saw in the 1927 film Metropolis and in the 1964 episode “The Brain Center at Whipple’s” in The Twlight Zone:
A Speech to Remember
Speeches have been stirring humans for as long as we’ve had the ability to speak. One of the greatest orators in history was Cicero, and while we’ve never heard the sound of his voice, his choice of words and delivery stirred his fellow Romans to action in the Senate.
Can you recall Charlie Chaplin’s voice if I asked you? (Spoiler: I’m asking you.)
The “Little Tramp” is still most well-known for his silent films in which is lithe body and facial expressions tell us everything we need to know to laugh or cry.
When Chaplin made his debut in a speaking role, he delivered one of the most moving and thought-provoking speeches in cinematic history.
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