On the Possibility of Peace, Innocence, and Sting

At the edge of a new step of humanity, our hearts are beating for peace and the Ukrainian people

In the early 80s, one Saturday night, Sting was together with his friend Ken Schaffer, a researcher at Columbia University, in Ken’s tiny room. After chatting and drinking beers, they climbed up into the attic where Ken’s research equipment was settled.

Ken had invented the machine that could steal the signals of Russian TV satellites. At that time, it was not as easy to watch foreign TV as it is today. In the Cold War era, everyone in the West avoided the Russians but was also curious about them. So in the middle of the night, Sting and his friend managed to get into the signaling system of Russian TV and took a peek at what was the Russians broadcasting.

What they encountered was confusing. It was around 10 AM on Sunday in Moscow. To their surprise, the Russians were watching cartoons for children on Sunday mornings, very similar to Sesame Street. Sting and Ken expected to see propaganda programs putting westerners down or some people shouting at each other at least. Surprisingly, Russians had prepared children’s cartoons, just like in the US, Britain, or anywhere in the world.

Sting was struck to see the evidence that Russians also loved, cared, and paid attention to their children. The enemy had compassion, love, and had a stake in the future which was their children, like anyone in his own society. Inspired by what he saw, he wrote the song Russians, also part of his solo debut album.

The music of the “Russians” belongs to a Ukrainian-Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev, the Romance theme from the Lieutenant Kijé Suite.

We share the same biology, regardless of ideology But what might save us, me and you Is if the Russians love their children too

Sting has always been unique for me as a musician and a poet. When I heard this song for the first time, I was so moved. I felt in my bones that it wasn’t easy for him to empathize with the enemies from such a humane point of view. It requires such great sensitivity and innocence.

After all those wars just to gain power and money, millions of people died in vain or were obliged to live as refugees in other countries leaving their lives. This reality makes every human guilty of failing to prevent it, at least.

I wonder if any of us humans on earth will ever be innocent enough to repeat such magical words?