Noise #172: A view from the outside

To much of the world, the U.S. looks unhinged right now. Here's my musical reaction.

America’s toxic political shenanigans take a domestic toll. But there’s international damage as well.

Every time the U.S. spasms out an assassination attempt or batshit xenophobic smear, a coded call for amplified violence or an articulate accusation of paranoid conspiracy—it eats away at the country’s global reputation.

We start to seem less like a beacon, more like a basket case.

This is a problem, given how interwoven our world has become. When banks in one country fail, economies halfway around the world can shudder as a result. When alliances and raw material supplies and shipping and environmental policies change somewhere, the resulting ripples or tidal waves can touch people’s lives everywhere.

And when a pillar of global stability is perceived as leaning closer to chaos, it can set anyone watching on edge.

I recorded Noise #172 thinking about the images and impressions of America recently projected onto the world stage—and the international reactions being projected back. The music also reflects my fascination at how interlinked the world is, despite borders and boundaries, and the possibilities and pitfalls that come with that.

Thanks so much for being here. I hope you enjoy Noise #172:

Wishing you peace,

Michael

(Noise #172 by Michael Gallant. Copyright 2024 Gallant Music LLC. All Rights Reserved.)