Vaclav Havel

Vaclav Havel
Václav Havel; 5 October 1936 – 18 December 2011) was a Czech writer, philosopher, dissident, and statesman. From 1989 to 1992, he served as the last president of Czechoslovakia. He then served as the first president of the Czech Republicafter the Czech–Slovak split. Within Czech literature, he is known for his plays, essays, and memoirs...
NationalityCzechoslovakian
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth5 October 1936
CityPrague, Czech Republic
absence absurdity deeper experience meaning
The deeper the experience of an absence of meaning -- in other words, of absurdity --the more energetically meaning is sought.
hero meaning-of-life absence
The deeper the experience of an absence of meaning - in other words, of absurdity - the more energetically meaning is sought.
meaningful strong light
I am not sure one is capable of reflecting absurdity without having a strong sense of meaning. Absurdity makes sense only against a meaningful background. It is the deeper meaning that is shedding light on the absurdity. There must be a vanish point, a metaphysical horizon if you will where absurdity and meaning merge.
meaningful would-be reason
Without the constantly living and articulated eperience of absurdity, there would be no reason to attempt to do something meaningful. And on the contrary, how can one experience one's own absurdity if one is not constantly seeking meaning?
meaningful thinking rights
The idea of human rights and freedoms must be an integral part of any meaningful world order. Yet, I think it must be anchored in a different place, and in a different way, than has been the case so far. If it is to be more than just a slogan mocked by half the world, it cannot be expressed in the language of a departing era, and it must not be mere froth floating on the subsiding waters of faith in a purely scientific relationship to the world.
meaningful responsibility community
The question is...whether we shall, by whatever means, succeed in reconstituting the natural world as the true terrain of politics, rehabilitating the personal experience of human beings as the initial measure of things, placing morality above politics and responsibility above our desires, in making human community meaningful, in returning content to human speech, in reconstituting, as the focus of all social action, the autonomous, integral, and dignified human I,...
danced delighted elected immense joy learned moment remember
I still very well remember the moment in 1978 when me and my friends learned that Karol Wojtyla was elected the pope. It was a moment of an immense joy for us. I even think that we were so delighted that we danced for joy.
imagine last quite
I can imagine this is something that will last quite a while,
atlantic doubt historic leadership mind north personal treaty
Mr. President, for the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization there's no doubt in my mind that it was personal leadership that made this historic development possible.
economical intelligence-and-intellectuals sort
Now we have a sort of economical drying of intellectuals,
enter freedom great leaving office realm speak
I feel with leaving office I will enter a new realm of great freedom than I have had ... and I will speak more freely,
burma government implement refused situation un
For 15 years the Government of Burma (Myanmar) has refused to implement recommendations made by the UN and the situation is getting worse,
act burma chosen compared council countries government implement recent refused security severe situation un
For 15 years the Government of Burma has refused to implement recommendations made by the UN and the situation is getting worse, ... In fact, the situation in Burma is much more severe compared to other countries in which the Security Council has chosen to act in recent years.
absolutely against law legal spirit
That is very dangerous, ... in an absolutely legal way and in accordance with the wording of the law, but against the spirit of the ... constitution.