- History is replete with instances of how several countries may go to war over one another or form an alliance with like-minded ideologies to take on the might of the opposition in a collective show of strength. Of course, as the erudite and pragmatism-driven individuals emphasize, there is no winner in any war since the devastation wrought by the conflict will eventually result in equal destruction on both sides. Since times immemorial, this narration has often been repeated and the consequences have only been devastating, to say the least. Fighting over territories continues to this day even though the deterrence factor in the form of modern weaponry dissuades adventurous leaders from pressing ahead with the ambitiously expansionist agendas.
PC: Associated Press
- Look not far from how the Chinese leadership is antagonizing countries along the South China Sea. We also have the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict that has not only set the two countries at war but also has had a debilitating effect on the global community in more than one way. Yes, stringent economic sanctions were enforced by the global leadership on adventurous Russia. It’s another matter altogether that those sanctions have had little implications on the Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. However, there is no way certain soft skills viz. movies, music, art, culture, tradition, words of wisdom, and exchange of universal views can be barred from being accessed by people in the technology-driven digital world of today.
- As mentioned, above, western sanctions have denied Russians even access to Hollywood hits. Further, Putin’s regime wants Russians to partake of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, whatever that means. Nonetheless, Russians are not listening. As reported, Movie theatres in Russia are using regulatory loopholes to screen films like Barbie. Simply put, where there is an audience, there is a way for sure. Make no mistake, this speaks to a worldwide trend. Nationalism in its many avatars has become increasingly rigid and exclusionary. At the same time, cultural internationalism, which refuses to fall in line with local edicts of what’s vulgar and what’s virtuous, is also stronger than ever. It keeps frustrating the censorship regimes everywhere.
PC: TOI
- Looking back, when India banned Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses in the 1980s, many Indians who wanted to read it despite the ban, or because of it, succeeded in doing so. Today, the very technological arsenal that governments exploit to block access to this or that, is as easily exploited to gain access. Note that cultural imagination seamlessly transcends hostile borders. Yes, Pakistanis still choreograph their weddings to the latest Bollywood hits. Mind you, Hollywood’s soft power cannot be tamed so easily as enterprising businessmen will find a way to ensure blockbusters find their way into banned countries like Russia. Simply put, you don’t require a passport to find a willing audience wishing to partake in any mode of entertainment on offer.
