David Lynch is more than one of the most distinctive filmmakers in history. He’s also a weather man, of sorts. Every day, more or less, the co-creator of Twin Peaks records a YouTube video of him greeting the world, telling people what the weather is like in his home city of Los Angeles. Sometimes he says more than that. On Friday, Lynch’s report began as usual, albeit with a little mention of Portishead. Then he launched in to a giant pause before addressing the biggest elephant in the room right now: Vladimir Putin ordering Russian troops to invade Ukraine.
“If I could say something to Mr. President Putin, we are, as human beings, charged as to how we treat our fellow man. And there is a law of nature, a hard and fast law. There’s no loopholes, there’s no escaping it,” Lynch averred. “And this law is: What you sow, you shall reap. And right now, Mr. Putin, you are sowing death and destruction, and it’s all on you.”
He went on: “The Ukrainians didn’t attack your country. You went in and attacked their country. And all this death and destruction is going to come back and visit you.”
Lynch then reminded Putin that karma is a bitch:
“In this big picture, in this show we’re involved in, there’s an infinite amount of time, so there’s plenty of time — life after life after life — for you to reap what you are sowing. My advice to you is, ‘Save yourself.’ Save the Ukrainians, save this world. Start getting along with your neighbors. Start building friendships. We are a world family. There is no room for this kind of absurdity anymore. Get with it. Stop this attack. Let’s work together so that all the countries of this world can come up in peace, get along with one another, and solve the problems that we’ve got together. Let’s get real.”
Since the invasion last week, there have been untold posts from the rich and powerful. Some have been righteous. Some have been cringe-inducing. Some have actually cheered on what Putin is doing, including a certain former president. But Lynch’s is definitely in the first category.