Charlie Chaplin’s 3 Minutes and the Power of Using Your Voice – Guest Post Coral Newberry
Chaplin stayed silent years after movies began using sound, for fear of ruining the Tramp’s magic. He was warned if he spoke his career would be finished. In the last scene, when he stands up as Hitler to address a crowd of Nazis, for the final three minutes, The Little Tramp speaks.
He speaks about the power of human potential, about war and senseless killing and our proclivity to give our power away to charismatic leaders who seldom come through in the way they promise. He speaks about the invention of the airplane and the automobile and how these machines are proof of humanity’s desire to connect to each other. He speaks about dissolving borders and seeing each person as part of the whole and part of ourselves. Many people attribute this movie to America finally rising up to help defeat the Nazis.
After this movie, Chaplin lost his career, his home and his adopted country (as he was exiled from the United States shortly after).
Why would a man who had everything, risk everything for a mere three minutes?
As I watched Chaplin’s three minute speech I resonated deeply with him. I’ve lived much of my life in censored silence, too. Trying to get along, be accepted, be approved of. I convinced myself I didn’t have anything important to say–at the time it’s what I needed to believe to feel safe. But, I recently came to realize that I do have something to say (we all do) and I’m willing to risk everything to say it.
Somewhere along the evolutionary timeline of humanity we decided that the group is more important than the individual. Not realizing that the individual is the group. I understand the need for this, as there is safety in numbers, but our world is at a point where fulfilling our soul’s deepest calling matters more than safety.
Humanity is rising.
We are willing to be ostracized and left alone in order to expand. And many of us are realizing that we are thriving outside the majority. We are not being exiled. We are creating new groups with others who are like us. Yet, even within these new groups we know that our individual alignment and our own wisdom come before anything else.
When you pull away from the group and say “I no longer agree to the role I’ve played all these years”—the entire movie changes.
And every actor and participant in your life has to re-evaluate their position and decide where they now fit. It can be uncomfortable and scary. But, without those who are willing to step out and say “No more,” the play goes on forever, repeating. There is no growth and no joy. Because as expansive beings we must grow in order to be happy.
Don’t be afraid to be the one to step out and speak your truth. Don’t be afraid of who you are any longer. You will find more connection on the other side of the fear and the silent movie, than you can even imagine.
And that connection will be with your own authentic self, which will be richer than all the superficial interactions you’ve experienced previously.
Don’t be afraid of being left alone. You won’t be for long. There are lines extending out towards forever, like kids at the high dive in the summer—waiting to take that great leap into authenticity.
There are lots of us here. And we will all meet together in the end.
But first you have to jump, you have to express yourself, you have to speak. Even if it’s for only three minutes. Because, after all, three minutes can change everything.
Here is the video that changed everything for him:
What do you think? Should he have spoken? Does his three minutes inspire you to speak up the way it does me? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Coral Newberry is an Artist, clairvoyant, spiritual therapist, tattoo collector, and mother. You can find her here on Instagram.
*For more information about Charlie Chaplin and his exile –
