A chara, – While reading “I don’t want my flat white served with a hot take on the Middle East crisis” (Finn McRedmond, Opinion & Analysis, December 28th), I wondered what kind of world we would live in if artists did not reflect the suffering of humanity, particularly at the moment.
The writer appears to believe that there is no place for protest, however misguided, in going about her daily life and getting a coffee in a safe and comfortable city. As a society we are now largely living within echo chambers of our very own unique algorithm and to take away protest would be to eliminate a vital disruption to that curated existence.
The writer questions why we expect artists to have an opinion on the Middle East, forgetting the artists of today such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are not merely pop singers but also powerful business leaders of vast wealth, wielding a large influence that can reach places writers such as Orwell could have only dreamt of. Their influence, perhaps not fully justified, is a reality, and to stand in solidarity as many such as Charlie Chaplin have done in the past against fascism and persecution would bring hope for humanity to many people. – Yours, etc,
MIRIAM KEEGAN,
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Newtownmountkennedy,
Co Wicklow.