Things like this are now happening within Russia's army. (Russian military commanders organize death matches in a pit between subordinates.)
And these things are happening in the West:
And to me, those protests are beyond cringe. When I know—even just have a glimpse—of what barbarians are capable of, of what’s really going on behind enemy lines... and then I see these almost virtual attacks on
art in the West… it feels hopeless. Because the canyon of misunderstanding between the West and authoritarian regimes is
massive. In those regimes, brute force is exactly that—brutal. It means killing, murdering, wiping the weak and innocent from the face of the Earth.
Please, don’t take this the wrong way—I may not be explaining myself perfectly—but here’s what I mean: The West is moving toward prosperity, toward inclusivity, toward a “live and let live” mindset. And that’s good, it’s admirable. But sometimes it feels like the West is starting to forget what the
real world is still like. Real, primal atrocities still exist. And they’re not some faraway myth—they're happening just across the fence.
We’ve all seen post-apocalyptic films. And deep down, we all
know that if some catastrophe happened—no power, no fuel, no infrastructure—the civilized shell would crack within days. Maybe even hours. It would become about survival, and let’s not kid ourselves with “I’d never compromise my conscience.” In that scenario, we’d all do things we’re not proud of.
What I’m trying to say is this: dreams and aspirations for a better world are noble, they’re the goal. But reality—here and now—is still brutal. And democratic leaders need to wake up and
ramp up their support for Ukraine. Because brute force can only be met with
equal force. Negotiation and diplomacy are great, but only when both sides genuinely commit—not when one just pretends.
Maybe it’s unfair to compare two very different things—one, a vile and murderous war, the other, a performance protest—but in my view, that contrast helps reveal the disconnect. It shows how the West tries to operate these days… and what’s literally happening right next door.
That’s my take, as an Eastern European, if you will. I vote for the Western way of life with both arms and legs—but at the same time, I’m not fully integrated into it. I can still feel the monster breathing down our necks.
Reality is still horrific in many parts of the world. And if we, the collective West, truly want to live and thrive in a civilized way—yes, even to throw a paint at paintings sometimes—we
must also have
teeth.
Fangs. Ones that are visible. Sharp. Dangerous. We need to remember how to growl. Because our enemies don’t speak any other language.
