Mr I's Digital Domain

response

1) It is New Years. For the last forty years the new president has given a speech lying about the country's circumstances. He will not.

2) Industry branches are producing useless goods, the state humiliates and exploits workers, and their education level is 72nd in the world.

3) They became used to saying what they did not feel. They continued to lie.

4) If they take responsibility, they can put it upon themselves to fix things. Also, by accepting totalitarianism as an unchangeable fact they were unintentionally encouraging it.

5) The first reason is that everyone, whether they are supposed to or not, has an opinion and can voice that opinion. Secondly, democratic traditions have been passed down through the generations.

6) Many people perished in jails. Many were executed. Hundreds of thousands had to flee the country. Also, all of the people who fought the totalitarian government or even thought freely for themselves were persecuted.

7) His speech surprised me because of how harsh it was. It was a day to "celebrate", but he insulted the people in a very harsh manner, in order to illustrate his point that they can and must move forward. Knowing their growth and development after the war helps to understand his reasoning as to why they need to take the steps he claimed they did. Finally, I believe he was incorrect in saying they were the co-creators because those who opposed the government were persecuted. Therefore, they could not prevent it, so they did not co-create it. However, I do believe he was correct in saying that accepting the totalitarian rule only helped them gain power. He was also correct in stating that it was their responsibility to fix things. This is because the people wanted change, so it is up to them to make it happen.

Response.....

1. New Year’s is viewed as a new beginning; as a close to the previous year. This speech embodies that which New Year’s represents. Havel speaks about the end of the former regime and how the Czech people must work together in order to begin again, to cast off the bonds of the totalitarian system and strive to establish a new and free democracy.

2. Havel first speaks of how industry is producing simply for the point of producing. The factories and workers are not creating anything of use and instead did the busywork of the Communist regime for years. Instead of working to create a flourishing economy by producing goods that are in high demand, they instead manufactured items that cannot be used. Second, he talks about how education has been degraded and how the Czech education system is seventy-second in the world, something it was once proud of. Havel then speaks about how the environment has slowly been destroyed by the unchecked industrialism. The once beautiful Czech landscape now contributes to the low death-age of its peoples.

3. This refers to the ideology of the former regime. Under Communism, the primary concern is to protect one’s self from the system, leaving no room for anything else. Every other primary instinct, such as love, hope, and compassion, that was not necessary for survival was suppressed.

4. In order to the Czech people to more forward, Havel emphasizes that they must not rest all of the blame entirely on the former leaders. If they were to do so, they would forget that they have the “obligation” to live up to the freedom that they have won for themselves. They all have to responsibility to fix what is wrong in their country.

5. Havel states that all people, regardless of their upbringing and education, are able to available the surrounding culture for themselves. No matter how hard the government tries to suppress this, they will be able to realize the flaws of the totalitarian system. Also, in some way the ideals and dreams of the Czech were passed down through the generations, so that when the time they were able to rise up and seize them.

6. Many artists, writers, and musicians were forced to flee the country because they were the psychical representation of the creativity and freedom that so challenged the Communist regime. Also, thousands of people who dared to stand up to the government were unjustly jailed. Finally, those who fought in WWII to protect the ideals of the Czech people were persecuted as well for speaking out against the new regime.

7. Personally, this is one of the greatest speeches I have ever read. By studying the post-WII history of Czechoslovakia I was able to better appreciate everything Havel spoke about. At first I was surprised by his comments on how “the blame” must also fall on the people, but then I understood just what he meant by them. If they were to simply accept totalitarianism and the Communist regime as a solid, unchangeable way of life, then what good was their peaceful revolution? So often, revolutions occur only to have those who started it become even worse than their predecessors. People want change, but refuse to work to improve their conditions once they have achieved their goal of revolution.

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