Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Dec. 18 marks the anniversary of the death of dissident, playwright, and first democratically elected president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel. Elisha and Casey discuss his life and legacy, the role he played in Elisha's formative years, and the prize the Human Rights Foundation created in his honor. In lighter topics of discussion, Casey and Elisha talk about the office holiday party, Casey's impeccable—read joyfully terrible—rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain," and somehow the 90s sitcom "Home Improvement."
To learn more about the Havel Prize for creative dissent: hrf.org/havel-prize
To learn more about the 2023 Havel Prize laureates: hrf.org/announcing-the-2023-havel-prize-laureates
To read David Remnick's article in the New Yorker: newyorker.com/magazine/2003/02/17/exit-havel
To read Vaclav Havel's "The Power of the Powerless": https://hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/the-power-of-the-powerless-vaclav-havel-2011-12-23
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Dissidents and Dictators Show featuring Alicia Malado and Michael Bé
00:02:36 - Tim the Tool Man Taylor and Mr. Wilson's Neighbor Talk
00:05:20 - The Power of Writing and Creativity
00:08:04 - The Sanctity of the Individual
00:10:37 - The Dignity of Individuals Under Dictatorships
00:13:11 - Charter 77 and the Fight for Democracy
00:15:57 - The Impact of Havel's Leadership
00:18:29 - The Legacy of Havel and the Fight for Democracy
00:21:14 - The HRF's Hav Prize for Creative Descent
00:23:40 - Authoritarian Regimes
Learn more about our work at the Human Rights Foundation:
Website: hrf.org
Twitter: twitter.com/HRF
Instagram: instagram.com/hrf
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hrf
Subscribe to HRF’s Substack: humanrightsfoundation.substack.com
Join us in promoting freedom where it’s most at risk!
Donate today: hrf.org/?form=donate
#VaslavHavel #Playwright #Dissident #Czechoslovakia #Democracy #HumanRights #CreativeDissent #Charter77 #VelvetRevolution #Totalitarianism #ThePowerOfThePowerless #SummerMeditations #FreedomOfExpression #IndividualDignity #PeacefulProtest #NonviolentResistance #MoralLeadership #RevolutionaryWriter #AntitotalitarianActivist #CzechRepublic #LiteraryResistance #DissidentWriter #DramatistTurnedPresident #IntellectualActivism #ArtisticFreedom #PoliticalDissent #CulturalResistance #PragueSpring #DemocraticTransition #HavelsLegacy #EasternEuropeanHistory #ColdWarEra #FallOfCommunism #HavelsWritings #CivilSocietyMovement #NonviolentRevolution #IndependenceStruggle #HumanRightsDefender #SocialJusticeActivist #FreedomOfSpeech #ArtisticExpression #PeacefulDemonstrations #CharterMovement #AuthoritarianCritique #CulturalAwakening #CreativeNonconformity #LiteraryActivism #DissidentPlaywright #DissidentCulture #DemocracyChampion #PoliticalPrisoner #NonviolentStruggle #HavelsQuotes #HavelsIdeas #CzechDissidentMovement #AntiCommunistResistance #DemocracyHero
Dec. 18 marks the anniversary of the death of dissident, playwright, and first democratically elected president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel. Elisha and Casey discuss his life and legacy, the role he played in Elisha's formative years, and the prize the Human Rights Foundation created in his honor. In lighter topics of discussion, Casey and Elisha talk about the office holiday party, Casey's impeccable—read joyfully terrible—rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain," and somehow the 90s sitcom "Home Improvement."
To learn more about the Havel Prize for creative dissent: hrf.org/havel-prize
To learn more about the 2023 Havel Prize laureates: hrf.org/announcing-the-2023-havel-prize-laureates
To read David Remnick's article in the New Yorker: newyorker.com/magazine/2003/02/17/exit-havel
To read Vaclav Havel's "The Power of the Powerless": https://hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/the-power-of-the-powerless-vaclav-havel-2011-12-23
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Dissidents and Dictators Show featuring Alicia Malado and Michael Bé
00:02:36 - Tim the Tool Man Taylor and Mr. Wilson's Neighbor Talk
00:05:20 - The Power of Writing and Creativity
00:08:04 - The Sanctity of the Individual
00:10:37 - The Dignity of Individuals Under Dictatorships
00:13:11 - Charter 77 and the Fight for Democracy
00:15:57 - The Impact of Havel's Leadership
00:18:29 - The Legacy of Havel and the Fight for Democracy
00:21:14 - The HRF's Hav Prize for Creative Descent
00:23:40 - Authoritarian Regimes
Learn more about our work at the Human Rights Foundation:
Website: hrf.org
Twitter: twitter.com/HRF
Instagram: instagram.com/hrf
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hrf
Subscribe to HRF’s Substack: humanrightsfoundation.substack.com
Join us in promoting freedom where it’s most at risk!
Donate today: hrf.org/?form=donate
#VaslavHavel #Playwright #Dissident #Czechoslovakia #Democracy #HumanRights #CreativeDissent #Charter77 #VelvetRevolution #Totalitarianism #ThePowerOfThePowerless #SummerMeditations #FreedomOfExpression #IndividualDignity #PeacefulProtest #NonviolentResistance #MoralLeadership #RevolutionaryWriter #AntitotalitarianActivist #CzechRepublic #LiteraryResistance #DissidentWriter #DramatistTurnedPresident #IntellectualActivism #ArtisticFreedom #PoliticalDissent #CulturalResistance #PragueSpring #DemocraticTransition #HavelsLegacy #EasternEuropeanHistory #ColdWarEra #FallOfCommunism #HavelsWritings #CivilSocietyMovement #NonviolentRevolution #IndependenceStruggle #HumanRightsDefender #SocialJusticeActivist #FreedomOfSpeech #ArtisticExpression #PeacefulDemonstrations #CharterMovement #AuthoritarianCritique #CulturalAwakening #CreativeNonconformity #LiteraryActivism #DissidentPlaywright #DissidentCulture #DemocracyChampion #PoliticalPrisoner #NonviolentStruggle #HavelsQuotes #HavelsIdeas #CzechDissidentMovement #AntiCommunistResistance #DemocracyHero
