Countdown to Christmas
3 - Steadfastness
- At first glance, all authoritarian or totalitarian regimes appear to be invincible. But appearances are often deceptive, because regimes can use their state apparatus to conceal their actually obvious internal contradictions. In the long term, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile the regime's lies with the real lives of real people. The people, then, may comply, but cease to believe in the regime's ideological tenets.
- This is a window of opportunity for steadfast individuals to expose the inner contradictions of the regime. In his 1978 essay “The Power of the Powerless” Czechoslovak anti-communist dissident Vaclav Havel, has argued, that all this not about counter-force against force. Those, who resist rather have to be steadfast and consistent in exposing the regime by imparting ideas about life, human freedom and truth: “As long as living a lie is not confronted with living the truth, the perspective needed to expose its mendacity is lacking.“ This may require enormous courage and a long perspective about the struggle, but it may be more than worth the effort.
A film about a real freedom hero who helped end the communist tyranny in Czechoslovakia with steadfastness, perseverance, intellectuality, wit and courage. The author of absurdist theatre plays and organiser of the dissident movement Charter 77 is threatened and arrested by the regime and nearly loses his life due to neglect in prison. He is also offered by the regime the possibility of a comfortable life of exile in New York. This is a tempting prospect. But Havel – very sensitively played by Czech actor Viktor Dvořak – hesitates whether to accept the offer, but then decides to remain steadfast and neither to bends to threats nor to be tempted by such bribes. It takes a long time, until his steadfastness finds its rewards. In 1989 the regime is overthrown by the Velvet Revolution and Havel becomes the president of a reborn democracy in the country. Because he remained steadfast and never allowed himself to be discredited, he became something like a moral authority for all people who struggle for freedom.
