The beginning of the “annulment” of anything Russian – American “cancel culture” conquering the world
The beginning of the “annulment” of the famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev took place in Milan. There he conducted the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “Lady of Spades”. There Mayor Giuseppe Sala called on the Russian maestro to publicly declare and condemn the war.
Let’s start with telling well known but somehow secretive truth. The “west” has never had democracy they are publicly and otherwise pushing on others. Unless you believe in Hollywood propaganda. I always remember my late father saying that in Hollywood movies everyone is blonde, rich and nobody goes to work. Even Lenin would not produce that sort of communism. However, then I believed that my father is a bit weird and that freedom and democracy live somewhere west of the place I was born.
The phenomenon of civilization, as Regis Debre notes, is a supranational concept. It implies striving for expansion and conquest. It is opposed to culture, whose ranges are more local (national) and limited. These are aimed at nurturing and preserving its uniqueness. The United States, as the leader of Western civilization in terms of material and intangible power, once again imposes on the world patterns of behavior created as a product of local social relations and movements. It is a phenomenon of the culture of annulment ( Cancel culture ). It gained its international momentum in the midst of Russian military actions in Ukraine. Western civilization strikes back at its “eternal” opponent by annulling Russian culture and artists.
His silence was not enough
The first to be targeted by that Cold War was Russian conductor Valery Gergiev. A decades-long artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, whose career far exceeds the borders of his country. An ambassador of Russian music. Tireless traveler with the busiest schedule in the world of music, Gergiev performs around the world leading the world’s largest orchestras and soloists. From Munich, London, Rotterdam, which has a festival in his honor, Vienna, Paris. New York.
However, Gergiev’s close ties with the Russian president and support for his policies often provoked protests and protests in the mentioned cities. Support for Russian intervention in his native Ossetia and neighboring Abkhazia, but also a concert in Tskhinvali, agreement with the adoption of laws against same-sex unions, then support for intervention in Syria and a concert in liberated Palmyra, as well as participation in the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, are some of the topics that have burdened the Western public so far.
However, in the wake of the recent war, his name (along with hundreds of other compatriots) is once again coming to the forefront of media and political leaders. They are pressuring and ultimatums to publicly renounce war and Putin’s policies so that he can continue his concert activities. His silence was assessed as insufficient. Rain of condemnation and cancellations followed across the planet. First through performances at Carnegie Hall with the Vienna Philharmonic, and then dismissal from the position of music director of the Munich Philharmonic.
A rain of condemnation and cancellations followed across the planet. First through performances at Carnegie Hall with the Vienna Philharmonic, and then dismissal from the position of music director of the Munich Philharmonic.
It is all about domination folks
Is this really about condemning the war in Ukraine? Of course, it is not. Nobody was trying to cancel any American or British artists during their never-ending wars. So, why is this happening now? Well, such called western culture is dominating film and video production. Make no mistake, it is not because it is the best quality product. First, the only media with global outreach comes from Anglophone groups of people. Everywhere around the world, you can watch CNN and BBC news. Maybe not in North Korea but everywhere else I have visited that was the case.
Mass production against craftsmanship is another reason. Only India and China can compete with the mass production of Hollywood. Chinese and Indians somehow failed to conquer the rest of the world. This simply resulted in Anglophone cinema production being the only one with global outreach. They dominate cinemas as well as TV programs. I have not seen one single movie that is not Anglophone production shown on any commercial TV station in Australia in almost forty years. When I mention that in discussion some people give me funny explanations. Like, the Australian public does not like reading subtitles, etc.
Anglophone countries also dominate literature with global outreach. Imagine if some of the Russian classics were coming from England! The same applies to popular music. However, classic music is certainly not dominated by that group. Till now. I can go on and on but I am sure you got the picture.
I will not go into canceling Yuriy Gagarin. That is a certain sign of desperation.