text: THE DIGITAL DIVIDE – Hip In Moldova « JO LEE MAGAZINE
  THE DIGITAL DIVIDE – Hip In Moldova
  Hip In Moldova
  After ending my twenty three year total immersion project into Russia, and six months decompressing in the California sunshine, yours truly took a trip to the former Soviet Republic of Moldova.
  Why Moldova? A few years ago I was at a Red Sea resort in Egypt getting some vitamin D during the endless Russian winter. There I met two Russian girls living in Moldova, one being the wife of Moldova's number one rock star and the other the manager of the band.
  For Russians, the idea of moving to impoverished Moldova is strange, but these two young ladies claimed life is superior in the poorest country in Europe. Intrigued, they explained that if you are an artistic person it is heaven; the ultimate place to hang out and create art.
  To understand what makes Moldova an artist's heaven you must understand its problems. Moldova is a tiny and ancient country in the beautiful and fertile rolling foothills of the Carpathian Mountains with a mild climate that is perfect for the production of wine grapes. The wonderful land and weather contributes to the sweet character of Moldavians, but it is not enough to save the society.
  With the "collapse" of communism, the KGB control strategy for countries too riddled with kindness to persuade a minority to tyrannize the majority is to infiltrate the government and impose total corruption and expel all good people from power. The strategy has worked perfectly in the Ukraine and Moldova. This makes it impossible for these societies to express themselves as cultures. In spite of this, Moldavians keep smiling and there is zero aggressive energy on the streets and little violent crime.
  The lack of an economy forces about half of the population to work abroad. This creates a terrible brain drain, but the positive result is an incredibly well traveled population and the absence of a low brow business community. It also creates a powerful artistic dynamic. Why? When Moldavians come home they want to relax, hang out, and many engage in art. The capital Chisinau is full of wonderful cafes and restaurants, all with exotically low prices and non stop music and art venues. The creative dynamic is immensely powerful.
  I was introduced into the art community by the ladies I met in Egypt and every place I went I was confronted with polite well dressed men. Beautiful, elegant and intelligent ladies in a warm art society in which business was rarely mentioned, artistic endeavors swooned over, and a total absence of a moneyed caste functioning as art gatekeepers. In other words, a creative person's heaven.
  I believe Moldova can be the next hip artist hangout of the world.
  2016 Power Edition, Digital Edition, INTOXICATING OPINIONS, The Digital Divide | Comments Off on THE DIGITAL DIVIDE – Hip In Moldova