Non-essentiel...

Non-essential...

The health crisis only reveals the regard that political power has for culture.

For indeed, let there be no misunderstanding: considering culture as non-essential is a political choice; it does not fall within the realm of health precautions.

A political choice that deems it more essential to keep stores open during sales for purchasing inherently non-essential items—primarily to snag good deals at the expense of unmasked and unvaccinated workers in the developing world—than to allow the public to engage with what is truly essential: nourishing human connections, dreaming, elevating the spirit, reflecting on one’s condition, understanding where we come from, who the other is, and what unites humanity...
If the choice were genuinely about health, we would implement rules similar to those in those same stores: no more than X people at a time, safety distances, wearing masks, hand sanitizer...
But the choice is political, and the incoherence of the decisions is the best proof of that.
This summer, we performed while respecting the conditions set for us: outdoors, with designated areas for the audience, hand sanitizer, masks, one bench per family bubble, and a distance of one and a half meters between benches... An audience waiting in line to be seated, and I repeat, all of this was outdoors. Honestly, how can we be seen as posing a greater risk than what we all witness in commercial streets, businesses, schools, and public transport?
It is indeed about considering culture as more superficial than a pair of discounted socks, despite the 250,000 cultural workers in our country and the €48 billion in revenue.

What is concerning is that politics no longer takes humanity into account; it has only an economic view of society, which many economists deem to be misguided.

No more sports, an education system on life support, culture at a standstill—“they” only care about turning us into consumers, self-centered beings focused on material well-being, with their share of marginalized individuals monitored by an armed police force, their share of the wealthy whom we don’t bother to control fiscally, and their share of extremists whom we brandish like wolves in children's tales.

Yes, all of this is merely a political choice that leads us further toward a society of self-isolation, climate catastrophe, and humanitarian crises...

Yes, deep down, we all know that what makes us happy is being surrounded by friends, enjoying a good meal with quality products while listening to good music, reading a great book, watching a good movie or performance, raising well-prepared children for their adult lives, and having our conscience eased by thoughtful consumption, all while being kind and loved.