Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.

– Leonard Cohen 

Culture of all kinds has inspired me and is central to my view of the world.  I also think it is central to how we change the world.  A few highlights below that have informed my world view and I commend to all.

Bruce Cockburn

The Trouble with Normal (is it only gets worse)

Goran Bregović

Performing with the Serbian Orchestra

Jerry Mander

In the Absence of the Sacred

 John Coltrane

My Favorite Things

Jon Stewart and writers

The Daily Show

Shirin Neshat

Rapture

Paul Winter Consort

Missa Gaia

Chris Hedges

War is a Force that Gives us Meaning

Maya Lin

What is Missing?

Henryk Gorecki

Symphony of Sorrowful Songs

Marvin Gaye

What’s Going On and everything else that makes you wanna dance (Please note that the ad preceding this song about environmental destruction is for oil companies!)

Anna Deveare Smith

Fires in the Mirror

Tony Kushner

Angels in America

Larry Kramer

The Normal Heart

Chucho Valdes

Anything he plays

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim

Here Lies Love

 Yo-Yo Ma

The Silk Road Project

 Pink

Stupid Girls

 Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone

The Book of Mormon (Broadway show)

 Michelangelo

The Unfinished Slaves

 Evelyn Glennie

All of her music

 Janine Benyus

Biomimicry

 Youssou N’Dour

The Lion and Biko

 Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler

Sweeney Todd

 Savion Glover

Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk

Joseph Papp

His life’s work

Alvin Ailey

Revelations

John Steinbeck

East of Eden

Anna Akhmatova

Requiem

Bernardo Bertolucci

1900