How the CIA shaped your favorite art movement
Corrupt adults from Ikebukuro
We start with cultural penetration—not the sexual kind (yet). What does it actually mean to influence culture? Is it a grassroots process, or does it come top-down from elites? The reality, as always, is darker than we’d like to admit.
The conversation pivots to how corporations shape taste. We talk about how entertainment has changed over time, contrasting the deeply artistic, slow films of the 1970s with today’s hyper-optimized, algorithmic media. What happened? Why did mainstream culture become so safe, sterile, and soulless?
Then, we get into the CIA’s role in art movements. We break down how Cold War-era intelligence agencies manipulated culture to reinforce Western hegemony. Ever wonder why modern art suddenly became obsessed with abstract expressionism, individuality, and market-driven narratives? Turns out, that wasn’t an accident.
From there, we explore situationism and its weird connection to modern media. MTV, TikTok, and viral culture all have roots in early avant-garde movements designed to disrupt capitalism. Ironically, those same ideas were hijacked and commercialized, leading to the dopamine-fueled media cycles we have today.
The discussion then takes a political turn. We question whether modern art has become a passive collaborator in neoliberal ideology. If artists are too scared to challenge dominant narratives, does their work actually mean anything? And if movements like futurism once inspired radical political change, why does today’s art feel so toothless?
Then comes the big question: is the goal of neo-decadence to dismantle the CIA? We examine how the current global order—especially America’s cultural influence—operates as an extension of Cold War propaganda. If cultural stasis is the enemy, what does a truly radical alternative look like?
Finally, we touch on fascism, nationalism, and the failures of contemporary political thought. We break down why certain ideologies are instinctively popular and why the left has largely abandoned artistic vision in favor of ideological purity tests. If you strip away historical baggage, what makes a political system actually compelling?
It’s a heavy discussion, but if you’ve been listening this far, you probably expected that. The CIA shaped modern culture more than you think. Art is propaganda, whether we acknowledge it or not. And the biggest crime of all? Most people have stopped questioning it.
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