War and Creativity

My algorithm consists of heartbreaking videos of war crimes, political rhetoric, and fashion DIY tutorials.

Sometimes they appear within the same minute.

Honestly, starting a creative venture in this geopolitical climate has at times been difficult to justify to myself. The easiest thing is to ignore it all and continue focusing on your passions from a position of geopolitical privilege. At least, that is what most people around me say when I explain that motivation can be hard to find.

But inside I feel the urge to do something.

Something within my strengths.
Something within my power.

For now, that power is small. It is this piece of writing, an attempt to contribute to the dialogue in any way, even if no one ever reads it.

So how do you validate art in times like these?

The answer might be simple. We need more of it.

More voices.
More confrontation.
More dialogue.

Art has always existed against the grain. Every artistic movement emerged as a response, an unsatisfactory stance against power and against the world as it was.

The difference between then and now is what I mentioned in the first sentence. Within a few scrolls on your phone, you can witness both war and creativity.

The proximity makes creativity feel almost meaningless.

Especially when creativity itself has increasingly become an income stream or a symbol of social status rather than the translation of one's soul into the physical world.

Maybe we should have listened to Jaden a couple years ago.