----- Original Message ----- From: "JOANNA A." <123hop at comcast.net> To: "lbo-talk" <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 10:54 AM Subject: [lbo-talk] Art and the CIA
> An old topic, but a good summary and, apparently, a related series to be
> shown soon.
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/modern-art-was-cia-weapon-1578808.html
>
> Joanna
It was interesting, particularly the foundation front through Rockefeller and Fleischmann and sponsorship of international shows. But I think far more effective in the culture wars was the role of music which was already mass media and easily distributed into Europe. But there was a problem which I don't think the CIA quite grasp. It's easier to `see' in music like jazz. The central message and concept was simple, there are no rules. Nothing is cut and dried. That is a double edge sword that cuts both ways against both capitalist and communist governmental control. Of course there are rules, but they take a long time to figure out, working on this and that to find them. But the overall impact of the work was a kind of mental-emotional liberation from the stilted, mass conformity to national goals there were set up during WWII.
CG