Century of the Common Man, remembering Henry Wallace's speech and Copland's Fanfare, 80 years later

This year, 2022, marks the 80th anniversary of Vice-President Henry Wallace’s prophetic speech “the century of the common man” (May 8, 1942).

www,americanrhetoric,com/speeches/henrywallacefreeworldassoc.htm

It is also the 80th anniversary of Copland’s Fanfare for the Common man

And then, what?

Wallace praised the era and triumph of the common man, i.e. the ordinary person who is given much dignity in democratic nations and can ascend to high positions through his/her merit and good education.

Behind this, I guess that Wallace envisioned the meeting between the common man and the Messiah. Really?

Metaphysics of the common man

Where does “the common man” come from?

According to Wallace, it is not a political concept, nor is it a product of the Enlightenment, of humanism, of rationalism. His speech insists that the genesis of the Common Man is in the Bible, and even in the Old Testament. It is the Bible that started to reveal the infinite value of every single person.The only privilege we have is that we are created in the image of God. This privilege is divine, common to all.

Wallace’s passionate insistence on this topic can still move us today. This kind of rhetoric was to prepare the democratic world to later hear the Messiah address audiences on topics such as “God’s Hope for Man”, a masterpiece of True Father, wonderfully translated by Dr Pak in 1973.

http://www.tparents.org/Moon-Books/sm-gww/GWW-13.htm

Our Chapter “Christology” in the Divine Principle, explains the value of the common man” and our chapter Eschatology tells us about God’s Providence to restore or recreate the common man.

But Wallace was a strange guy, you may say.

Definitely. I agree with you.

Every single common man is actually a strange guy, no doubt. None of the “ordinary people” fits the standard. No one is righteous, not even one, Paul said.

Each is very unique, both wonderful and completely bizarre. Exactly the profile needed to follow the Messiah. The common man is always difficult or impossible.

Aaron Copland, who composed The Fanfare for the Common Man was also a controversial person, you may add.

Yet, his piece is one of the most famous tunes of the 20th century, and the theme is deep.

www,youtube,com/watch?v=FLMVB0B1_Ts

Let us go back to the metaphysics of the “common man”. The common man is, simply speaking, the original human being. What we call the modern times, or the preparation for the Second Coming in our Divine Principle, is not only the preparation for the birth and mission of the Lord of Second Coming. It is also the preparation for you and for me. Our movement used to do much “street witnessing”, because we believed that the chosen or prepared person is to be found there, in the cities around the world where young people come to study. God had prepared our post war generation to be those who would meet and attend the True Parents. Consciously, or unconsciously, Wallace envisioned the day upon which “the common man” is transformed into a saint by going through the formula course (2 days, 7 days, 21 days, 40 days)

Today, more than ever, let us be the proud and dedicated common men and women who are proud and honored to attend our True Parents.

Laurent Ladouce