New Year’s Greetings for the Year 2009 From

Henryk Skolimowski -----------

Thank you Professor.

HUMAN LIBERATION — THE ENDLESS PROCESS

The human kind has been staggering
Under the yoke of various forms of oppression.
The human spirit has so often rebelled valiantly
And liberated itself from many tyrannies.
From the tyranny of the pharaohs and Roman emperors.

Then came the tyrannies of social systems.
Already J.J. Rousseau protested and fought
Against the tyranny of Civilization.
His fight was unprecedented in history.
We heard his voice but only some could understand it.
Then the angry Karl Marx protested against exploitation
Imposed on workers by the unjust social system.
His form of liberation turned out to be ephemeral.
And we had to liberate ourselves from Marxism.

Then capitalism returned and the paradise
Of consumerism was established.
Then capitalism collapsed under the strain
Of its own contradictions — and we gasp in disbelief.
Thus we need to liberate ourselves from
The last fragments of the chains of capitalism.
And also recover from the noxious fumes of consumerism.

Yes, we need to stand upright and breathe deep.
And ask ourselves: where do we go from here?
Yes, we need to meditate on our unfinished agenda.
Our liberation is not complete. Far from it!
We need to liberate our tormented soul.
That will not be easy. We know it.
But the human being is incredible and indestructible.
We shall arrive there one day.
With joy and tears will celebrate our positive freedom.