Amanda Seyfried on Socialism: A “Wonderful Idea
- american actress Amanda Seyfried discussed her upcoming role portraying Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker religious movement, and reflected on the relevance of Lee's communal principles in...
- Seyfried shared her thoughts in a recent interview with Variety, detailing her role in the upcoming musical drama, 'The Testimony of Ann Lee.' The film explores the life...
- seyfried emphasized the enduring importance of Ann Lee's teachings,stating,"Thank God that we talk so much about Ann Lee,because there is a direct relationship between what she created and...
Amanda Seyfried Connects shaker Founder Ann Lee’s Ideals to Modern Society
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american actress Amanda Seyfried discussed her upcoming role portraying Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker religious movement, and reflected on the relevance of Lee’s communal principles in today’s world.
Courtesy Variety
Seyfried on ‘The Testimony of Ann Lee’
Seyfried shared her thoughts in a recent interview with Variety, detailing her role in the upcoming musical drama, ‘The Testimony of Ann Lee.’ The film explores the life of Ann Lee (1736-1784), who founded the Shakers, a religious sect known for its commitment to social equality, pacifism, and communal living. The Shakers believed in celibacy and equality between the sexes, principles radical for the 18th century.
seyfried emphasized the enduring importance of Ann Lee’s teachings,stating,”Thank God that we talk so much about Ann Lee,because there is a direct relationship between what she created and what we are missing.” She questioned societal priorities, asking, “What if we don’t have any agenda? What if our agenda is to take care of each other?”
Drawing Parallels to 9/11 and Human Connection
The actress connected Ann Lee’s emphasis on communal support to the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Seyfried recalled the outpouring of selflessness following the tragedy,noting,”Everyone left everything for each other. They sacrificed their lives without a second thought.” She then posed a challenging question: ”and we shouldn’t have to go through a meteorite or a burning house to leave everything for others. That’s who we are as human beings.”
The attacks on September 11, 2001, resulted in 2,977 fatalities in New York City, Washington, D.C., and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and prompted a widespread display of national unity and mutual aid 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
Reflections on Greed, Ego, and Human Desires
Seyfried further explored the fundamental human desires that often conflict with communal values. “We all want to be seen, we all want to be loved, we all want to be desired. We all want to succeed. We all love money.We all love our children. That’s right. Both sides, all sides,” she stated. She then directly challenged the motivations behind negative behaviors, questioning, “So what is greed? How does greed help you? How does defensiveness help you? How does our ego hurt us?”