Communia

When imperialist tensions grow high enough, the cultural press suddenly "realizes" that the great performers and conductors are - oh surprise - more or less discreet propagandists for the governments that support them. The demand for boycott becomes immediate and the usual nonsense about "culture as a bridge between peoples", "culture for peace", etc. comes to an end.

The reality is that classical music, theater and, in most countries, cinema, are unprofitable industries maintained for "national prestige" as part of the "construction of national identity". That is why the arts are confusingly called "culture". And when war comes, their contribution is also demanded and the doors are closed to the competitor's exhibitions on their own soil. After all, they never ceased to be sectors of preparation for war, militaristic propaganda by other means.

By the way, in the imperialist era this also applies first and foremost to sports, from the Olympics to soccer.... or to the Paralympic athletes, a competition born precisely to incorporate those crippled by the world war into the sporting cult of the nation. In case anyone was wondering why the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic teams were excluded today from the Winter Paralympic Games by the IOC.