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We are approaching the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  This past week, the Berlinale Film Festival opened in Germany.  This attempt at normalcy in Europe is sort of like having a garden party happening while acknowledging that the house is on fire. 
President Volodymir Zelensky of Ukraine was invited to give the opening remarks.  He challenged his audience, asking them, "what side is (Western) culture on?"  

This challenge brings a lot of questions.  

Is Western Culture an entity that exists in a form that can bring about change?  Zelensky doesn't necessarily think so, but he believes it can serve as the means to inspire people to change.    What is culture really?  In the West, it can be argued that culture is not something that exists in a vacuum, it is a business decision, marketing assisted means of making money.    From Rhianna at the Superbowl to Banksy, doesn't such artists, hooked into the culture machine serve to influence people to purchase things?

Does the artist exist as an agent of change?   Martin presents two individuals from previous European conflicts, who acted on an individual's decision to forego their art in order to serve as an agent of change.  One, the artist Mata Hari, was eventually scapegoated by the French as a German spy and executed.  The other, James Stewart, risked his life and career to serve in the US Army Air Force in World War 2.   In the larger sense, both artists didn't culturally make a dent.  But band enough artists together and perhaps change can come about. 

But culture in the world as a single entity doesn't exist, further complicating things.  Russia's culture and China's culture exists at the whim of their leaders.   Culture exists in other countries, too.   Does India's culture have the responsibility to tell their leaders that they are dealing in "Blood Oil" from Russia?  Or as a culture, do they feel that this is OK? 

Can cultures influence other cultures?  And can individuals change cultures?  Or is Zelensky right in implying that up to now, Western Culture has been trying to have it both ways with the War in Ukraine?  

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