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5/1/2016 / Issue #005 / Text: AKG @ Filmhuis cavia

Future Europe

Oh, joy, we have a six-month-long cultural festival on our hands. The Netherlands is presiding over the European Union from January 1st to June 30th and apparently it’s customary for a cultural programme to run alongside the presidency. (Like how Zwarte Piet is customary.) The themes championed by the Dutch presidency this year are unity, innovation and commitment. (ho ho. Big words. Tall promises.) The Future Europe festival, a “major cultural festival”, has been organised by three Dutch “cultural entrepreneurs” De Vries (De Vries Producties), Van Schaik and Fransen (Pakhuis de Zwijger) through their joint foundation Plan C.

“Amsterdam will be a cultural capital and inspiring example for our society, by providing solutions for everyday living and being a canvas on which creatives and citizens can paint a picture of Europe’s future.”

I’m excited. I love culture. Who doesn’t love a bit of culture? What’s funny though, is that they start to introduce this cultural festival on their website, after explaining the Dutch presidency of the EU, by saying- “But it won’t all be about politics.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I would have said culture and politics are inextricably linked. Especially when we are talking about our future...

Whilst some of us do not have the luxury of separating politics from culture, (our lives are political,) in mainstream society, these two things are pretty separate and politicians need it to be that way. Most people are only remotely aware of the presence and goings on of central government. People do not have an interest in politics, let alone a comprehensive knowledge of it. They do not actively engage. They do not need to. The majority of people’s lives are comfortable enough that It doesn’t make that much difference who runs their country. This is the best set-up for the political world because it’s how they can get away with doing whatever they want. People don’t notice, and even if we do notice and start to ask questions, all that means for politicians is now they have to waste time coming up with lies about how unharmful their policies are.

My favourite part of this cultural festival they are throwing? “The Wall”:

“The 450-meter long brick wall which encloses the Marine base and will physically separate the politicians from the public… will actually be used to enhance the communication between those two worlds.”

You heard it here first. Two worlds. And somehow, these two worlds will be communicating through art installations and performances. They are referring to the world of ‘Public and culture’ and the world of ‘Politicians and Politics’, but they might as well be talking about communication between a world where people need to eat and a world where people are just a number. (If people aren’t respected, how can we communicate?) That’s how it needs to be though. In a society where the first and foremost concern is profit margins and growth, politics is a money game. (Funny thing that isn’t inherently profitable; Creativity.)

Our culture creates us and if politics isn’t a part of our culture, then it is not a part of us. We do not see ourselves as, and therefore, are not political agents. If we are not political agents then we have no control over our lives or our future. This Future Europe, “Europe by People” (how funny), festival will be nothing more than another charade. The only part of it I’m remotely curious about is the “FabCity” which will be popping up on the IJ at some point. It will be a model self-sufficient society, so I wonder what that’s going to entail. But although I hope we do, I’m almost positive that we are not going to talk about what really needs to happen for us to have a future. The changes that actually need to be made to our society. We are not going to actually talk about our meat industry, our mining, our pollution, our sexism, our racism, because we are not going to talk about our capitalism. Capitalism needs oppression. It is a system based on exploitation. Oppression increases the ability of capitalism to exploit. Oppression is the systematic imposition of inferior conditions of life on particular groups of people. And racism (and sexism, by the way) which we refuse to deal with, (that’s both) facilitates this social hierarchy.

It’s ironic that Amsterdam will be used as an inspiring example for the festival. This City, which is busy being turned into a playground for the rich. In a country rife with racist statements from politicians and police brutality. With a liberal population perfectly comfortable in it’s denial of its social inequality and exclusion.

It’s a shame because we could really learn a lot from each other. It’s one of the reasons we find it important to show world films at Cavia. Different perspectives on life, love and the moon can only come from outside of your world. But that’s not going to happen for the kind of people who think that Morrocan culture, for instance, is inferior to their own. (How base.)

Widening your perspectives can only happen if you respect difference. If you only tolerate difference then you will never take it seriously. You will never let it change you. And if we are looking for a future, we need to change. That much is clear.

All quotes taken from - http://europebypeople.nl/