The above image was made with stable diffusion using the prompt 'American abstract expressionism.'
Once upon a time, abstract expressionism was a fringe art movement that appealed to very few Americans. This movement would've been a mere footnote in art history, but the CIA had other plans. During the Cold War, US authorities lamented that aspects of communist culture seemed to be appealing to the Western intelligensia. So they decided to popularize American Abstract Expressionism here and abroad, in a bid to compete culturally with Soviet influences.
This was part of a much larger CIA plan to virtually take control of the direction of cultural evolution. This plan went far beyond art to include the manipulation of media on a massive scale. Here's a quote from an Independent article about it:
Dismayed at the appeal communism still had for many intellectuals and artists in the West, the new agency set up a division, the Propaganda Assets Inventory, which at its peak could influence more than 800 newspapers, magazines and public information organisations. They joked that it was like a Wurlitzer jukebox: when the CIA pushed a button it could hear whatever tune it wanted playing across the world.
It seems exceedingly unlikely that the CIA and other intelligence agencies simply stopped manipulating culture after the Cold War. Indeed, we've seen recent signs that such manipulation continues until this day. From Washington's commanding influence over Hollywood movies to the top brass from across the intelligence community falsely claiming that the Hunter Biden laptop appeared to be Russian disinformation, there are signs everywhere that our culture is not our own. Rather, our culture appears as a sick thing, having been poisoned by the psychological operations of the military-industrial complex.
This manipulation isn't just happening here and there. It's everywhere, with government agencies colluding with tech companies to censor anyone who disagrees with the powers that be. This has had such a corrosive effect on society that even basic facts about important issues like covid and the Ukraine war have become entirely untrustworthy.
It's impossible to overstate how big of a deal this is. Our information environment doesn't reflect reality. Our conversations with each other are being systematically interfered with. Even our arts and entertainment are compromised. Abstract expressions are permitted while direct expressions are censored.
We are free to say whatever we want as long as we say nothing. Showing support for status quo viewpoints is also allowed. Many are dissatisfied, but they're counting on the government to rein itself in, and they're directing their dissatisfaction at each other over cultural issues. It's all very tedious.
The thing I keep coming back to when contemplating the situation is humanity. Showing up authentically and recognizing each other's humanity creates a kind of communication space that's hard to manipulate. A protected space. It is possible to create this manner of space online, but it's much easier in person.
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