Over the 8 years that have passed since writing the book, it has gone from being looked at with disdain, to becoming somewhat understood and admired. The headline of “recent tour in Russia 2010” read that it seems “all of Russia” is beautifully polarized In its unalloyed hatred, on the one hand, while on the other, in its understanding. But, there are no 86 percents. Moreover, what I saw in the internet was 70% understood the message, and 30% hated it. This percentage is a great step forward – a welcome improvement in outlook !

But, although the view of the”political component” of the text has gradually moved towards this rethinking, understanding, and a shift in consciousness, the attitude towards the “musical part”, is still, as it was before – “stalled.” It’s as if the world is running in place. Until the world gets off the treadmill of the present political didactic, and moves forward in its thinking – until these two components connect with equal aplomb in people’s minds – then, in many important ways, humanity’s expectations, on a planetary scale, will go largely wanting and it’s goals for peaceful progress and enlightened prosperity will remain disappointingly unmet.

In the final analysis, how can we expect something to be understood when the “enlightened world of Webster” celebrates its demise, shadows it from the sun, misinterprets and maligns it ? Is it really true that humanity-at-large is as blind, as it seems, to what is actually before their eyes ? It seems hard to believe that what really “happens” is never spoken of, but there it is – a bit of the Middle Ages returned to haunt our psyche. The great philosopher Plato famously wrote centuries ago that, “truth is not in shadows, but in things”. To become truly aware of reality, we must indeed stop chasing the shadows. But I am resigned to the fact that it may take awhile for the next enlightenment to come. It may take about 200 years to return to provide our world with meaningful understandings of the role of art and culture and peace, and of other things elemental to civilized humanity. But I am hopeful that clarity will come. It must come – Otherwise, our world’s greatness will dim, and the light of our artistic souls will be extinguished – again.

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