Why Russians CHOOSE to Deny Reality
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
- As Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine continues, we look at the role and predicament of the Russian people.
What happens to the Russian people affects not just Russia and Ukraine, but the world. Putin's war is part of a bigger pattern of escalation, and this includes escalation of global nuclear risk. Specifically, in this video I analyse why the Russian people don't value liberty, or freedom as a political value.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 The Russian people under Putin
01:15 The Russian people depoliticised
01:42 Political freedom in Russia
06:20 Passivity and rebellion
07:22 Impact on the world, nuclear risk, Greg Yudin
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Have you heard of Noam Chomsky. I hadn't read any of his work since college, I studied political science, and his ideas on manufactured consent? How can democracies really be free thinking when "the elites" are so effective with indoctrination we can't tell which way is up or down? Everything I think I know is what somebody, who told somebody, who told somebody, told me. Be it verbally or in written form. Are any of my thoughts my own???
Freedom might also be defined as an emphasis on the individual instead of being a slave to the collective will dominated by a cult. The tradeoff for this more disruptive dynamic is the increased opportunity for cultural evolution. In the United States, this value is sometimes expressed as ‘inclusive diversity’.
@@franny5295
If you are too occupied with your own life, than you will likely fall victim to the mistakes, assumptions, and disinformation propagated by whatever sources you are immersed in. A common pattern in moments of crisis is to join a political alliance of perceived like-mindedness for reasons of security. The quality of media varies widely, depending upon its audience, and it can be full of expertise (e.g. scientific publications), exist merely as a commercial enterprise (e.g. tabloids), or just be an extension of state or party propaganda (e.g. Russia Today, Fox News).
Democratic institutions tend to value truth-seeking in media, largely as a matter of survival. Facts and understanding can resonate within the commons, and this better facilitates cultural evolution. As reality is a complex matter, we are necessarily dependent upon the feedback from experts.
Within autocracies, independent thought and the truth are problematic as they will impinge upon the absolute power often demanded by the regime, which deems such animosity as necessary for its own survival. Any particular state typically lies somewhere along a spectrum, but there are extreme examples like North Korea, and Russia today under Putin.
I suggest exposing yourself to journalism, history, science, fiction, and the encyclopedia to develop a useful foundation of knowledge. Remaining ignorant is a good way to become a victim.
That neighbor was a dick though. 🇺🇦 🐸
You can protest against Politics by ignoring it, but Politics will not ignore you. That aversion to participation and its replacement with cynicism is where the U.S. is at too. Less than a majority even vote. I love your work and your delivery. Thanks.
I'm from Russia. I wanna say that russians tried to overthrow Putin in 2012 but we lost. I was 9 back in those days. From this period of time russians gave up and started immigrate massively(i think like 1-2 millions emigrated since 2012 to these days). So therefore most active and intelligent people just left the country and passive imbeciles stayed(unfortunately i'm too).
Stay hopeful, your day will come. Stay aware, stay vigilant.
There has been an extra exodus of intellectuals again now, but eventually some of them find their way back when they feel they need to help change the course. And by all reason, there will be an uprising. The fact that Russians trust Putin so damn much will be the downfall of his and his cronies: imagine when all the citizens of Russia one day realise they have been duped for years or decades. An explosive deprogramming. A revolution. You can't keep up a card house of lies forever.
And USA the so called "polar opposite" of Russia has the same long history of oppressing and bullying smaller and weaker countries,the same long history of war crimes,crimes against humanity, destruction and ruin and economic sanctions causing the misery and suffering of millions......even if they choose not to call it that.......even then the public accepts it why is that?despite being a democracy and freedom of speech country,does that mean the population are willing participants?and it's hilarious how they vote for their presidents for a second term even after they have declared war.they condemn Russia despite the fact that barely a few years earlier they were conducting wars in three different countries.
The truth is USA and it's supporters are no different than Russia.
Even when confronted with the truth and more information later about what they have done......they live in denial,they suffer from cognitive dissonance,rather than accept the truth that the religion or ideology or what they believed in....their country has commited horrifying things.
They continue to believe they are good even justified....
than to shatter their illusion.humans are painfully fragile.
America has accomplished not only the same thing as Russia but better......the creation of countless rhetoric and propaganda and false narratives since the 50s and 70s and the creation of "bogeymans" and "monsters" and "commie pinko fhegs" and "terror" and "nuclear annihilation" and "weapons of mass destruction" to convince the public that they are the good guys and
About 4 millions left Russia in 2022 only.
To make it worse, a lot of young professionals left at the start of the operation. Over the politics, being worried about being drafted and seeing what the sanctions will do to tech jobs.
Again a generation of Russia's best are going elsewhere.
I think you meant "migrate"
I was a student at the largest university in the UK in the 1970s. Every student automatically had a vote in the Student Union which ostensibly represented us. Nobody but a handful of left wing activists were politically interested. Most students loved the Union for providing incredibly cheap beer in its bar, running a series of big name gigs, and entertaining us with a witty, amusing student weekly newspaper.
Then the Union committee voted a huge donation from our subs to the IRA. Everyone was stunned, shocked, horrified; but we only had ourselves to blame for our complacency. It was done according to the rules and was irreversible. For me at least it was a lesson learned. Politics is everyone’s responsibility, ignorance is no defence.
As if donating directly to the IRA was a thing, I think you must mean the Sinn Fein republican party, back then the IRA's political wing...
Sinn Fein won lmao
It’s almost as if the two of you missed the point of her post.
If you don't vote you can't complain!
_POV You're an indoctrinated occupier and just missed the point of the entire video._
LMAO... Why do you think the IRA exists? Maybe don't steal other people's lands?
"When we turn away from politics, that doesn't mean that politics turns away from us."
that incredible stupid. who turn away from politics ?? russian tv is filled with non stop politic shows and allpeople watched them every day more than anything. Thas not a problem. research something about russia
I am American and married to a Russian. I have never exactly understood her position on politics. It is so very different than my western ideas. However, this explanation of rebellion in the form of sort of refusing to participate in politics, comes the closest to explaining to me how she feels. She tells me "why doesn
t someone stop Putin" and my response is "Isn't that the responsibility of the Russian people?". And I think that kind of sums up how different we think about political problems.
The "someone", i.e. deux ex machina, a deity, or a ghost is present in many folk stories. It seems they have completely lost the feeling of control over their destiny and chose to believe in stories instead.
Do you know the fable of a fisherman, his wife and a talking fish? Doesn't matter if you do, a fish talks and brings money because Russians won't.
Your response is relevant, but in theory. In fact, for people really knowing and feeling how it works in present Russia, it sounds like "why prisoners still didn't change prison administration?" With autocrat and dictator none of protests and opposition movements are working. Just none. It's bad, it's wrong, it's out of law, it's criminally, but it just doesn't. work. this. way. That's why she asks this question.
@@LMB222 Although I do not know the woman mentioned in the comment, I don't think someone saying that was thinking of a deity to save them, but of other powerful people and nations in the world. I imagine it's a different way of seeing responsibility in the world. Perhaps seeing powerful people as people who should keep other powerful people under control, regardless of state borders.
Perhaps I am stepping too far with this interpretation, but if they see no responsibility in the state or the state as somehow connected to them, they perhaps wouldn't see an attack on their government as an attack on them, if it were handled "honorably".
Again, I might be going too far with this interpretation, but if Russians do not understand state institutions or citizenry then to me it seems plausible some might end up blaming powerful people in the West for not keeping Putin under control, for not taking him down, etc, for constricting themselves with imaginary things like "the state", and helping this dictatorship get worse and worse.
I think we in the West should be willing to criticise ourselves and our beliefs that state borders separate responsibility. We probably have played quite a role in letting Putin get where he has gotten, and he most likely is our responsibility as humanity.
@@LMB222 actually i don't think we've "lost" the sense of control over our destiny, we'd rather never developed it in the first place. Historically most of countries were ruled by people who weren't controlled by their subordinates and citizens of their countries at all. Democracy is not an easy thing to form and develop, and very few countries managed to do it efficiently.
@@lada.violin I agree with you 100%, when you said that we "rather never developed it in the first place," but I think the problem is going far beyond democracy concept. For example, England generated Magna Carta phenomenon in 1215, though it was not followed much later, but the fact that king was forced to sign charter of rights and liberties by his subject is something we never ever experienced, until 1905 (also never followed).
Of course, it does not mean Russians should wait for next 700 years and democracy as institute helps with acquiring and maintaining personal dignity, but now social state of Russia is a full blown disaster.
To sum it up...Russia has a long and sad history of being ruled by autocrats..and being a bully to its smaller neighbors. Too many Russians just accept it.
My ancestors were from Poland. Russia and Germany have long been Poland's enemies. Germany, not really anymore, but Russia really hasn't changed.
well Germany disappear and got remade by the west old Germany is dead it took Ukraine war for them to start fixing their military
These countries released from USSR may have felt liberated from the bully. They're quite entitled to be who they want to be, part of EU, NATO, whatever. BUT we do have the likes of America trying to exploit these countries by using them as political chess pieces against Russia, even now, long after they got their wish of collapsing the USSR. Probably these countries want to lean more to the west but if America are using them against Russia then surely they're not helping them much? Especially as both Russia & US still play each other's paranoia of each other. Better for America to use its allies as human shields. In case of ww3, sacrifice your friends first & then most probably you will still be standing?
Right now, America is dictating to Europe that it can't have fuel or other trade with Russia. So it looks like it's not only Russia who likes to be the bully.
I’m not so shure about my fellow germans anymore. The paint on us seems thin.
I hear and read “I don’t grant a rice corn to a russian, they’re all orcs, take Russia down with every weapon available, I’ll gladly fight against Russia,…”?
The enthusiasm for war is eery. Especially under the younger generations.
"Poland" has invaded its neighbours too throughout history...
yes bu they are atually intelligent people...I live in Estonia, we have 21% russian population cause in 50s Stalin tried to russify the country by deporting bunch of estonians into Siberia and later imported bunch of russians into estonia , these russians are different than Estonians, they are very quick tempered, 80% of our criminal popualtion is russian and so on.... but in recent years I have started to see the change in this, younger russians who speak estonian and english arent like the older generation anymore... I know many very smart and intelligfent russians who know very well whats going ion in the world....its only the older generation that is still brainashed by Soviet er propaganda
After the war I’ve posted something on social media denouncing it, and my Belarusian teacher wrote to me that I have a “narrow bind” and the “truth is always in the middle” nonsenses like those. My Russian friend says he couldn’t understand why am I spreading “negative emotions” and why suddenly I become “anti Russian”. I tried to communicate and make sense with them, in vain, so now I just stopped talking to them, some actually deleted me anyway, years of friendship. Only in such extraordinary time, do I realize how different a people we actually are.
I am sorry.
I'm also from Russia. Thanks for the video. Wanna add that voluntary political indifference left in the 00s, now everyone is just scared to protest. I was on protest against Navalny's case last year and it was horrifying: we didn't even reached the square and there are already standing 100 policemans, in full military ammunition, ready to beat us to the death, and after several minutes another 100 arrived. We tried to find another place, but every crossroad was full of 10 policemans, they were everywhere we walk. And its not even a capital or other major city. Siloviki not afraid to put you in jail and, most scare part, is if you leave, they will come after your family instead.
What happens if you try to announce the protest and get permition? They will just beat you even with permission?
@@tomasmalin I think they won’t be given permission 😅
@@tomasmalin They won't give you a permition for this reason or for that.
A while back when some opposition groups tried to get a permition, their applications were always rejected, stating that on the territory where they want to protest will be some public celebration already.
@@tomasmalin if you need for a "permission" to the government to protest that means you live in a f@#$+Ed country
If you're not ready to answer them, you will lose. That's why Berkut burned on maidan. Not because people wanted to kill anyone, but because Berkut did
After they lost, they flee to Russia and became a part of your police system
My Russian language teacher at OSU--an American--noted that the times she had spent in Russia she could not get people to engage in discussions of politics. They seemed indifferent to politics. And as if discussions were pointless as it would avail nothing.
try to discuss Race&IQ with american students
That’s because they have no choice. Open mouth= head chopped off. Meanwhile in the US, liberals fight for an authoritarian state while complaining about the same
It also could be out of fear that a such discussion will bring on conflict and ruin the pleasant time together, etc. Or fear that neighbours will hear and they be reported. It's conjecture, of course..
The Russian people are passionate, candid and can be upfront to the point of rudeness.. They also know that politics, historically, can land u in deep water due to oppression and censorship! .. It can affect their jobs and careers! People there can get imprisoned for publically criticizing Putin and his policies even on the internet, protests aren't allowed! You have seen that even the silent protesters on the streets are arrested!
The human rights orgs and the environmental groups have been persecuted by the Govt for decades!
Their Grandparents suffered from Stalin's Dictatorship and Soviet oppressive policies.. They may know about the stories of Black Maria (KGB) coming to pick up people at night, then disappeared! It came not only for the Govt critics, the intelligentsia, the journalists, but also for the religious leaders, authors, Sunday School teachers, etc etc..Even those listening to Beatles were not safe, the rebellious youth.. Yes, that was under Communism! People learned to cope by keeping their heads down and by being more secretive!
These days, the Independent Media and a number of social, Western News platforms, incl Wiki, are banned in Russia! Only those parroting the Putin's State propaganda are allowed! So, many Russians do not have the variety of media sources and info that we do in the West! Many older Russians are not computer savvy!
Let's not compare the apathy of the Russians with the apathy in the West! For Russians, it's a matter of learned survival under historical Dictators!
All that is absolutely correct. Even people who lived during the disappearances to the gulags, from their own families don’t know what happened or why. People were often arrested and seriously tortured FOR NO REASON WHAT SO EVER,other than to instill fear and suspicious. And some of those people would welcome back Papa Stalin, happily. In Irkutsk where there was a huge gulag complex, mining and refining toxic minerals and is now the most toxic place in Russia, or maybe any where in the world AND as the prisoners had no means or permission to return to their homes, they stayed in place as did the managers of the camps. Those might be a few reasons so few are protesting. 15 years for standing on a street with a blank sign . Ha! What would you do?
I've seen some street interview video made in Moscow, in which the guy asked people if they feel free, and I've arrived at the conclusion that most Russians (or at least the ones interviewed) don't even understand the concept of freedom as we do.
Most of them started saying something about how sanctions are bothering them, as if being able to buy an iPhone or a BigMac equals freedom; some guy understood freedom as in not-being-in-jail or something like that, he made a chest pound gesture and then stretched his arms to his sides and said "look at me, I'm free, aren't I?", then he pointed at the people walking down the street and said "look at them, they're all free, everybody is free here"; another girl said that she just got off from work, so yeah, she felt free; and only a few people spoke of freedom of expression, democracy or human rights. This is very sad and terrifying at the same time.
But is it though? Do you expect a different set of answers in Brighton, Stuttgart or Copenhagen? I'm really curious to know, we won't know until we try. I live in a place that would score high on freedoms, high on democracy, low on corruption, yet i'm jailed by personal circumstances. Someone else may feel jailed by their chronic disease or something else. Performative rather than informative surveys are a thing.
And contradictory replies to vaguely worded questions are a thing too: i can think of a country where people may describe themselves as "free" but due to gerrymandering, their vote doesn't even count and right now steps are being taken to reduce their bodily autonomy when they become pregnant, or if they're transsexual for example. Apparently being "free" has been drilled into them so well, that they don't even have to be free any longer.
@@SianaGearz What I'm talking about isn't if whether or not we feel free in the 'west' as opposed to the Russians, but about how we perceive freedom fundamentally, and you just answered your own question. You mentioned the right to have an abortion (I'm assuming you refer to what's going in the US right now) and the kind of freedoms that have something to do with human rights or democracy. This is how, I assume, most of us see freedom in the west, with some nuances, obviously.
But in Russia, some people consider themselves free if they're single (as in not in a relationship) or if they're allowed to walk down the street without being arrested (which now, isn't completely true either, when talking about Moscow). This is what I'm talking about, they don't understand what freedom is like we do.
@@SianaGearz It's very simple.
Can you say "The leader of my country is an idiot" publicly without being arrested?
Then you are free.
@@norwegianboyee You can say that in many countries and still lack lots of freedoms.
You're just making a statement of superiority (if the Russians weren't white and blond some would call it a colonialist view). You just assume that if people in a particular place don't understand a concept the way you understand it, then the poor sods 'don't understand' or are mistaken. Even 'we' have different concepts of freedom and what are important freedoms or 'token' freedoms. But even this is besides the point: people could indeed have all the legally understood freedoms but it doesn't mean their interests, and those or their nation, will align with yours. I wonder sometimes if this talk of freedom is just a thinly veiled attempt to make other people conform. Like saying, those bloody (insert here: Russians, Chinese, Indians, Iranians...) if only they thought like us and acted in our interests....
" A Daze of Denial" hits the nail upon the head.
This video hits especially close to home for the people of Shanghai, China right now. Thank you for your insightful videos and putting these complex issues into eloquent words.
My pleasure and I am sorry our world is so politically dark.
And USA the so called "polar opposite" of Russia has the same long history of oppressing and bullying smaller and weaker countries,the same long history of war crimes,crimes against humanity, destruction and ruin and economic sanctions causing the misery and suffering of millions......even if they choose not to call it that.......even then the public accepts it why is that?despite being a democracy and freedom of speech country,does that mean the population are willing participants?and it's hilarious how they vote for their presidents for a second term even after they have declared war.they condemn Russia despite the fact that barely a few years earlier they were conducting wars in three different countries.
The truth is USA and it's supporters are no different than Russia.
Even when confronted with the truth and more information later about what they have done......they live in denial,they suffer from cognitive dissonance,rather than accept the truth that the religion or ideology or what they believed in....their country has commited horrifying things.
They continue to believe they are good even justified....
than to shatter their illusion.humans are painfully fragile.
America has accomplished not only the same thing as Russia but better......the creation of countless rhetoric and propaganda and false narratives since the 50s and 70s and the creation of "bogeymans" and "monsters" and "commie pinko fhegs" and "terror" and "nuclear annihilation" and "weapons of mass destruction" to convince the public that they are the good guys and
"depoliticization' 'anti- politics' ' passive rebellion' ...help to explain China too...as Shanghai lockdown gives rude awakening to people who thought they were 'citizens' . but are in name only...
I agree with the OP and also with Mike. Vlad explains Russia.
What is said also explains China.
China has become a fully developed fascist state under Xi. And it does not end there. It also helps to explain why in so many countries of the world the hardliner right parties are growing.
Your analysis is absolutely clever. Apolitic societies are the end of democracy.
@@krollpeter big fking joke!!!!!what makes America any less fascists than these countries?just because her population votes for it and agrees to go along with all her war crimes?and political and socio economic terrorism?its so easy to brainwash a population as America has shown time and time again in the 50s and the 70s and the 90s.......remember the trade wars against Japan in the 80s?
Manufacturing consent is what Noam Chomsky calls it.
Big fking joke just because the American government treats their own population nice but have zero regards and utter contempt when it comes to human lives in other countries?
Stick ur sanctimonious bullshyt up where it belongs.
Imperialism to Russia is just their natural resting state. I recently learned more about the occupation of Estonia during communism and the subtle resistance to Russian culture. Russia attempted to drive all over the top of the Estonian people for decades. Implanting a large Russian population, forcing a language, altering education, everything. Russia was always first amongst equals under communism and they never let anyone forget that, all the way from Kazakhstan across to East Germany. It was their empire, no doubt about it.
It was Empire inside out
Yes Yes, as if any-other Europeans country wouldn't do anything like this, or is it because Estonia's whiteness that makes it so terrible?
@@marlarki5280 I'm looking for a point or an excuse but seeing a nothing post.
@@marlarki5280 Other European countries pulled out of their empires (not always willingly, it must be said) and have had to come to terms with their post-imperial legacy. Russia refuses to do either. Until it does it will remain a threat.
@@marlarki5280 what the actual fuck?
I’ve been watching four Russian travel vloggers since before the war. Two fled to Georgia, two say they are “not political.” This statement of being “not political” makes me saddest. I see it here in the US too. It took me a while myself to realize we have to be engaged to protect our freedoms. While I was asleep, many of them had already slipped away, in the US the foremost was the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Citizens United, that ruled corporations are people and can make massive campaign contributions to political candidates. A milestone on the road to unfreedom for ordinary folk. Basically it legalized the bribery of political candidates by large corporations.
@Whatapp⓵⓷⓵⓷⓷⓶⓸⓺⓷⓽⓶ Unfortunately my own Senator Sinema from Arizona thinks it’s more important to raise funds from corporations than to pass legislation that will protect the right to vote so that our next election will be free and fair. We are slowly sliding toward an authoritarian personality cult form of leadership. This, I think,
is national suicide. The politics of eternity, with no connection to reality, based on a web of lies, tend to end in catastrophe for everyone.
@@sherrillwhately7586 Sherrill you just replied to a comment from a spam impersonator of my account!
@@VladVexler Dang!
@@sherrillwhately7586 huge thank you for your comment on our world! I’m getting rid of the impersonator accounts - it’s at this moment a big problem for all RUclips channels!
@@VladVexler I’ll have to be more careful. I’m used to watching out on email and text, hadn’t been aware of the RUclips problem. Thank you!
My godmother whom experienced the communist during ww2, said to me: "The first thing they do is kill the truth".
My grandmother says: "Stay away from people who speak slogans."
@@user-cr6es5kt4s Oh really? You're truly complacent with your own sense of reality. We as Karelia's was owned both Russians and Swedish. How Russians soldiers during the great wrath in 1721 kidnap women and children to Russia as slaves.
So keep talking with your inner propaganda.
@@statostheman So THIS is YOUR sense of reality?Blaming me for what happened 300 years ago? 300 years is 12 generations!
Maybe you should deal with your own inner problems first?
@@user-cr6es5kt4s Keep talking to your self. After all, you start it.
That's actually a pretty common saying, "The first casualty of war is the truth".
One of the best takes on this conflict I've ever heard. The part about red lines really hits home for me. I've spent some time arguing about this ordeal with my Russian mom and this was exactly one of the weird points I learned. There is no red line, the big brother knows best whatever he does.
And USA the so called "polar opposite" of Russia has the same long history of oppressing and bullying smaller and weaker countries,the same long history of war crimes,crimes against humanity, destruction and ruin and economic sanctions causing the misery and suffering of millions......even if they choose not to call it that.......even then the public accepts it why is that?despite being a democracy and freedom of speech country,does that mean the population are willing participants?and it's hilarious how they vote for their presidents for a second term even after they have declared war.they condemn Russia despite the fact that barely a few years earlier they were conducting wars in three different countries.
The truth is USA and it's supporters are no different than Russia.
Even when confronted with the truth and more information later about what they have done......they live in denial,they suffer from cognitive dissonance,rather than accept the truth that the religion or ideology or what they believed in....their country has commited horrifying things.
They continue to believe they are good even justified....
than to shatter their illusion.humans are painfully fragile.
America has accomplished not only the same thing as Russia but better......the creation of countless rhetoric and propaganda and false narratives since the 50s and 70s and the creation of "bogeymans" and "monsters" and "commie pinko fhegs" and "terror" and "nuclear annihilation" and "weapons of mass destruction" to convince the public that they are the good guys and
Learn well from ur mom my little padawan,for they have seen the world and it's hypocrisy and u have only smelt the crack cocaine of USA's rhetoric and consumerism.
Yeph. The "nah I dont care about politics", "nothing changes based on what my opinions are/what i do/how i vote" hit home too - hearing this time and time again from Russians.
Mikhail thank you - it must be hard negotiating these complex issues within the family.
Man this is metaphoric, indeed there's no red line painted somewhere in Ukraine. That just means you have to know where are your limits. Obviously it's not easy to know where's your red line when you have your "friends" nato and EU that tell you you have no limit and it's Open bar for you.
@@thomaslacornette1282 I'm from Russia originally, my parents still live there. Not sure what are you talking about. Even if Putin would go full 1937 great purge style or nuke Kiev my parents seem to be supportive of the regime.
Thank you for providing vital, English language insights into the Russian psyche at a time they're unfortunately so desperately needed. Your videos are among the most thoughtful I've encountered regarding this conflict and I just wanted to express my appreciation.
And I want to express my appreciation to you for saying this!!!
@@VladVexler nice propaganda piece Vladberg Vexlerstein
I was going to express much the same - but you beat me to it. I think his insights are invaluable.
Fake Leftist Propaganda 💋
@@d993s 🤓🤓🤓
The Greeks of old defined and coined the word "Idiot". In Greek this is translated as an individual who has no interest in politics. A country deserves the leadership it votes for and if the electorate are "idiots" the rest follows.
Heinlein, in one of his books, had 2 charcters speak:
"Politics is more important than your heartbeat."
"Well, I don't pay any attention to that either."
😔indeed
We can expect no more from our leaders than we give to our children.
And in soviet Russia the term "useful idiots" was coined...
@@jimbob-robob and be very careful with which politician you cross a bridge .Chances are good he will double cross it.
Interesting especially in context of some of the 1420 interviews on the streets. There is a concious understaning of the situation, but a lack of anger... just a capitulation or an awareness of not saying the wrong thing or ignoring the politics. The older interviewees see this current event as something that instills false memories of soviet power. The propaganda is like Stockholm syndrome. Like in the book 1984 for most of the population ignorance brings safety, a comfort blanket.
As if here in the West everyone is running on the street "angry" about Ukraine. I tell you, most people here don't care about it as much as you think.
The best description I have found so far of Putin's manipulation, propaganda and disinformation. Very thorough and accurate. Nice work!
Francois I thank you!
@@VladVexler Thank you for taking the time and doing the effort of showing us all how it works and how to defeat it.
Scary how much I see this happening in the States.
It's a good day when you see an upload notification by Vlad.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much!!
Carefully watching from Brazil and sending you my "muito obrigado" for your thoughts, Vlad! If anything it makes me feel quite pessimistic about the future. I'm wary of what may come tomorrow in "Victory" day.
I do hope to inspire hope too - sorry for all the pessimism and thank you so much for your engagement!
Important conversation, I see this passive rebel amongst my fellow citizens here in my city of Detroit. I recognize the danger of it and now I have a name for it. Thanks
Thank you so much for watching!
The chains of oppression are comfortable to those who are scared to feel the shame of accountability that comes with freedom. Freedom means you're driving and whether or not you get there is your responsibility and it can't be blamed on others. Until you are strong enough to fail in the eyes of others you're not strong enough to be free. If you're not strong enough to be free it's more comfortable to be oppressed. Everyone fails but you must be able to accept failure, learn from it, grow and try to do better. Personal failure and growth aren't needed if you can blame someone.
You made a point in another video that I thought was so insightful. You said Putin saw the Soviet Union as a continuation of Russian imperialism by other means. I think that is historically accurate. “Communism” as an ideology was truly just a facade behind which the Russian Imperium reached its highest point. You can see it in the Russification of all former Soviet republics right down to surnames. The Soviet model took over because by the time of WWI the Tzarist model was an historically spent force. This is my admittedly amateur observation, as a son of a scholar who spent many years studying Muslim peoples in Russia and the former USSR. Thank you for the insights.
Thank you so much. You are quite right that nationalism played a role in the life and demise of the USSR. And that underneath the communist universalism there was Russification. At the same time, the ideology was a real phenomenon. So we can’t say communism was superficial, with Russian Empire the real stuff below. It was both.
The Sovjet Union ideology had to justify Russian imperialism by portraying itself as a brotherhood of nations. Ironically, they drew borders for the ethnical minorities and gave these new entities the theoretical right to secede, creating the foundations for the eventual split-up. I believe that communist China similarly continues the geopolitics and even many of the traditions of the Chinese Empire. They have also given the minorities special rights, but never went as far as to give the regions any right of secession.
And USA the so called "polar opposite" of Russia has the same long history of oppressing and bullying smaller and weaker countries,the same long history of war crimes,crimes against humanity, destruction and ruin and economic sanctions causing the misery and suffering of millions......even if they choose not to call it that.......even then the public accepts it why is that?despite being a democracy and freedom of speech country,does that mean the population are willing participants?and it's hilarious how they vote for their presidents for a second term even after they have declared war.they condemn Russia despite the fact that barely a few years earlier they were conducting wars in three different countries.
The truth is USA and it's supporters are no different than Russia.
Even when confronted with the truth and more information later about what they have done......they live in denial,they suffer from cognitive dissonance,rather than accept the truth that the religion or ideology or what they believed in....their country has commited horrifying things.
They continue to believe they are good even justified....
than to shatter their illusion.humans are painfully fragile.
America has accomplished not only the same thing as Russia but better......the creation of countless rhetoric and propaganda and false narratives since the 50s and 70s and the creation of "bogeymans" and "monsters" and "commie pinko fhegs" and "terror" and "nuclear annihilation" and "weapons of mass destruction" to convince the public that they are the good guys and
Communism and freedom and democracy what's the difference?just a facade behind which American imperialism has achieved the greatest heights.
@@trismegistus2881 The "right of secession" were of course utterly bullshit. As shown by Hungary (who wasn't even a part of the USSR, just a puppet state) in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.
@@2hotflavored666 Or East Germany in 1953, or Poland in 1956
Lived in Moscow for nearly 6 years over the course of 2012 - 2020. As a deeply political and far-left person I was blown away by the de-politicization and apathetic impotence of the population.
I eventually sort of became that way (mostly), whilst there. They all theoretically believed in the values of freedom, equality and representation but couldn't/wouldn't act on it or even expect it.
I never thought Pooh-tin would invade Ukraine and now I see the consequences of that.
Will share this with some friends, if they're not put off by the title.
Good analysis. Subbed
Thanks for sharing that. And of course as you know, Moscow and Peter are the most politically conscious place in Russia! My titles and presentation are more causal and less in your face on my second channel - Vlad Vexler Clips
@@VladVexler Moskva and SP are also the most wealthy cities. Clear correlation. The vast majority of Russians outside those two cities are in dire poverty. Such wasted potential. Very sad. I'm taken by the reaction of Russian soldiers, who are mostly from Siberia, when they are in Ukraine looting like motherfuckers. They are surprised that even villagers have washing machines and an occasional laptop. So they jealously hate them for their modest lives and take it out on the "khokhols."
Far left??? You disgust me.
@@XenaBe25 Russians call Ukrainians khokhols. Stems from the Cossack haircut.
@@XenaBe25 Yes, according to my Ukrainian wife. Just like Moskali is a sort of slur to Russians.
I've been reading and rereading Tymofey Sergeytsev's article for Ria Novosti in early April - What Russia should do about Ukraine - it describes a total destruction of all things Ukrainian, and a generation or two of "denazification" which means reeducation camps and Russian propaganda and more. What I don't know is how well that article reflects actual Russian policy. Some of Russia's actions are outlined in that article, and the rest sounds like the worst of Stalinism applied to modern Ukraine.
It's openly printed in an official Russian news website. How can Russian's claim to be ignorant of what's happening in Ukraine?
I may be way out in the Twilight Zone but Putin comes off as a unregenerate Stalinist. Right down to the (hopefully bloodless) purges of late.
If you apply what Vlad is talking about in this video, this gets easier to understand: you don't perceive what some politician/intellectual/journalist is writing as anything to do with you.
And also (and this is something Vlad didn't touch on) if you have no emotional/personal stake in how your country defines itself deeply, things like this just doesn't matter.
For me for example, I am deeply (and illogically) proud of some things my country does, how some things function here. This is part of who I am, I have a stake in what my country is, I get sad and disappointed when things are done stupidly (example from Covid: proud of public health always being very firm on all vaccinations always being voluntary, sad about borders not being opened in a more pragmatic fashion).
But now imagine that all your sense of nationality, of identity, is totally separate from anything political.
Anything political is just too uncertain, too nasty, too unfair, too stupid. There's no place in your own identity for anything from that sector. Instead that identity is filled with cultural things, or local things, or vague historical things. What politicians or intellectuals say or do is not anything to do with you. You have no moral stake in what these "leaders" do. You are a good person, and _because_ of that you don't get involved.
@@Asptuber You've touched on some very good points here, and I think this is exactly why total mobilization isn't possible in Russia. People are living their lives, whatever happens in Ukraine they have no control of, this is fate beyond their reach, all they can do is show their support and continue their daily lives remaining in fear of being thought of as a dissident, which is a very dirty word in Russia it appears. The thing is, once you're asked by your government to participate in the war in Ukraine, asked to die for your country over a cause you don't understand, you will soon forget any dirty words and become the staunchest dissident. One thing the Russian propaganda failed to do is present a cause for the average citizen to take up arms and go fight somewhere when there is clearly no threat or danger to your own country and your own home. Let the regular army do the fighting, leave me out of this and I'll happily wear St.George's ribbon on my jacket for the 9 May parade. This is the mind of the average Russian, even those heavily zombified by Kremlin propaganda.
@@elimalinsky7069 And this is exactly why Putin hasn't declared war yet, and ordered total mobilization. If he does, there will be a massive uprising.
@kolya Nazarov I suggest you look at the history. There was no such agreement.
Since you're bringing up broken agreements -- there is the Budapest Memorandum in 1994 where Russia (THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION), the USA, NATO, etc all agreed to respect Ukraine's borders in exchange for Ukraine giving up the nuclear weapons that were on its territory. After the breakup of the USSR many were worried about nuclear weapons the USSR had staged in what were now independent countries, and whether those countries had proper safeguards.
Russia has certainly violated the agreement it made in 1994.
Very interesting discussion, and this helps me reflect on the propaganda about how anything and everything is considered an "existential threat". It's not really fear that outsiders want to take over and destroy Russia, the nation, but that outside influence may make the Russians *change being the way they are* and that is a threat to an established sociopolitical identity.
Russian mind games...
This op^^^
@@royfearn4345 wrong comrade
The more I watch your video, the more I am terrified and sad about the future. But still - thanks again for a remarkably interesting concept of how you can understand concept of freedom and curious idea of depoliticization of societies.
My pleasure - I do need to give hope too. I know! I partly do it via the love of life I convey in the videos!
@@VladVexler the more I admire your approach to life and the world with love and openness, despite the difficult and terrifying things you talk about!
Thank you so much Vlad. Your thoughts and reasoning on ‘why’ Russia and Russians are doing what they are doing is utterly fascinating. I’ve promoted your channel to many of my friends and colleagues. Your content is miles better than most of the standard commentators.
I am very grateful to you! Thanks so so much!
Hi Vlad, thanks for the video! As a Russian, I feel the need to mention that for the past 20 years people in Russia have been actively discouraged from any participation in politics. Elections are always rigged in the most shameless way, which is so frustrating that lots of people stop voting altogether, and to be elected one must come from a ruling party or one of their proxies. Independent candidates are pushed out and often end up in jail. This generates a sense of hopelessness which further transforms into apathy about politics.
The thesis "I'm apolitical because politics - bad" isn't exclusive to Russia
@@unilajamuha91 Thanks for replying!
No doubt, but since this video is about Russians, and this factor wasn't mentioned in the piece, i think it's appropriate to try explaining the situation in Russia. It's not that people don't want to be interested, it's that for many years now they are being punished for trying.
"Dad, what would we do if Canada started rigging elections, and invaded smaller countries and acted like terrorists?"
"Son, we would move to another country, New Zealand looks nice"
LITERALLY almost verbatim not too long ago.
not all russians are apathetic at the moment, a considerable chunk of them are cheering in the comments under the photos of dead Ukranian children after a missile strike, tell Ukranian women to get ready for rape by russian soldiers or say that Bucha should be repeated. Even migrants, who have spent half of their life abroad, like to cover their cars with z symbols and harass or assault Ukrainians they meet in the street for speaking Ukrainian or wearing blue and yellow. It's very far from apathy.
To become discouraged if you are discouraged is only a bad excuse not to become so frustrated and angry you become almost automatically courageous.
Vote...know who to vote for, hold them accountable...and vote, vote, vote!!!!
Today is Mothers Day. I feel so sorry for the 25,000ish mothers who will NEVER celebrate this day again with their sons. Sacrificed at Putin's altar!
That’s Vlad. It’s always good to see a new video from you, despite the topic being so sad. How many more people must suffer and die before this horrible excuse for a human (Putin) dies. Cheers from Oz. 🇦🇺
I'm originally from ex-Yugoslavia and what you're talking about happening in Russia, has already happened there.
Depoliticised nation, psycho right wing politicians taking over, failed military. All of it.
It's both exciting and scary to see where Putin is going to lead the Russia in the next few years.
Russia doesn’t have a red line but it has a red square.
Thank you for your valuable insights into the Russian psyche and culture. I think it is vital that as many people as possible truly understand what is happening inside Russia and inside Putin's mind, so videos like these are invaluable. Also - I viewed some of your videos about classical music, and I truly hope the situation improves so one can get back to thinking and talking about music, rather than war. Although I do disagree with you on Gould and your definition of pop ;-) Thank you, again. Your work is immensely important!
Thank you so much! I will be sharing music videos on the main channel - but I will be staring a secondary channel just for casual classical music talk. Will be called Vlad Vexler Music.
@@VladVexler I'll be sure to subscribe!
Sunday evening, new Vlad’s video, what a lovely end of the weekend. Hope you are ALL well 🤗
Dear Ivi hi hi hi hi hello wishing you a positive week!
Another marvellous, short lecture - thanks so much! Elizabeth in Calgary
Dear Elizabeth thank you so much! Warm wishes back at you from London.
I think it's very well put. I made myself this question during the three years I lived in Moscow (2007~2010). I used to ask friends there how it comes nobody does anything regarding certain actions from the Kremlin, or "unfairness" seen here and there all the time. I told them "this, in my country, would take people out to the streets immediately". Most of them answered "Because there is no hope". That was heart-breaking, in the time when Russia looked most prosperous as it hadn't been in decades (at least in 2007, right before Osetya was bombed). Well, many years later we would see people going out to the streets. Lots of them. Still, that wouldn't change anything. Thus, those Russians who developed some hope in the last years got back to being hopeless. Thank you for the video :)
Ah Vlad, the Truth it hurts today. Thank you for your generosity 🙏
You are amongst my favourite political analysts on RUclips, because in your gentle, but erudite way, you are warning us not to be complacent. And in my opinion, you are absolutely correct. We are all brothers under the skin, and the same wind is blowing on the same direction on all of us, because... All the right ingredients are present for things to take a decidedly unpleasant turn. Human beings forget, and have to learn the old lessons, in a new fashion. Entropy it is then. Stay well, my friend. You are a blessing to the world, and we have need of voices like yours.
You touched an important point here: sooner or later the Russians will have to learn how to live without Putin because no one lives forever anyway. Thank you and greetings from Poland.
Thank you so much for your eyes and ears. Yes, Russians still haven’t got this point. Putin is out of time for them.
@kolya Nazarov wrong. go invade another neighbor russian and have fun torturing their innocent civilians like you have in Chechnya, Georgia and Ukraine. No one surrounding russia wants to be part of your dreadful and hopeless nation.
@kolya Nazarov lies, propaganda lies. Every free Country, like Ukraine, is free to do anything it wants. Ukraine chose not to be long in crappy fascist russia, but belog to free wealthy West. Pootin is only one responsible for war
@@pioneernut7487 That makes sense. That's how it should be. Now tell me, why wasn't Cuba allowed to do whatever they wanted as independent country back in the time of Cuban crisis? As independent country wasn't Cuba allowed to have soviet weapons on their territory back then? Why did usa intervene? Doesn't today's situation resemble the one of the Cuban crisis a bit? Why is it allowed for the USA to react whatever way they want if they feel in danger, but when some other country does that, like Russia now, that's considered the worst thing that ever happened in this world? Why are there people today literally being totally okay with hypocrisy this conflict has pushed up on the surface? I have so many questions 😁
@@VladVexler And the USA will have to learn how to live without their liars. Have a look at Bush Senior, Bush Junior, Biden and all the rest. And the EU will have to learn how to live without their asslicking demofarts.
Thank you being strong and truthful.
Nice to see you, Vlad!
Nice to see you!!
Excellent analysis. The point ~ the middle about lack of proper _civic society_ is the crucial point, I think. I was born in communist Czechoslovakia, I saw the Velvet Revolution and the wild '90s. And in new born Czech Republic, we _still_ are in the process of building civic society. Despite Czechoslovakia did have a democratic pre-WWII experience, it has taken quite some time ad it will take more time still---in fact, I believe it will take until the older generations die out.
It's difficult for people who are used to live in dictatorship to shake off the chains, because the physical ones are far less binding than the mental ones. IMO, that's the worst crime committed by Communist regimes here in (geopolitically) Eastern Europe (and dictatorships in general): the mangling of the minds of generations.
Of course Russians have it even tougher; as Russia has no real democratic experience at all, except perhaps the few years in the '90s. That's no surprise.
I have only just found your programme. What a wonderful find. I'm 79 and you have confirmed all I have learnt in my lifetime. Thank you I'll be a true follower of you channel.
I really appreciate you digging into the Russian psychology like you have been. I've learned a lot and it has given me much to think about and think with.
Mike I'm thankful to you!
I’m so grateful for the knowledge of Russia, her leaders, and people. Your content is instructive in understanding the situation in Russia and the similarities with America.
We will get to America! Soon. Thanks so much for watching Claire.
@@VladVexler Please do that. Since 45 America seems almost scarier than Russia.
Similarities with Russians??? I think not! A nation of uninformed sheeple living in a fantasy. Drunk on vintage dreams.
@@funkyalfonso It's not just Trump. He is a symptom, not the cause. Over the last 10/15 years, the general population has become increasingly polarized and hostile, political extremism is rampant, political violence is becoming more socially acceptable, both sides of the political spectrum have dehumanized each other to the point that they dont really view each other as human beings anymore... Basic freedoms are being attacked, like freedom of speech, freedom of expression, artistic freedom... That's a recipe for absolute disaster. We've seen where this kind of thing leads and it is never pretty.
@funkyalfonso I agree 45 sucks but under Biden we are becoming like Russia with our new "Ministry of Truth" in the DHS wanting to censor what we say and see. If FZ was alive IMO he would say this is BS and fight like hell against it. Peace.
You're not kidding... I've tried to reasons with some russians on YT...was something between talking to a brick wall and a broken record.
lol I wonder what you were trying to convince them of
A large chunk of the US is the same. A right wing authoritarian cult.
@@sethgoldberg hi Seth, i ask them if they can give me a rational answer to the actions of the russian troops in Ukraine.
@@alexiachimciuc3199 I can give you a bunch of reasons from the top of my head, but the most obvious is bioweapons, meaning weapons of mass destruction of biological nature, which Toria Nuland during a senate hearing said she was concerned cound end up in the hands of Russian troops. you know, WMDs, over which Iraq got invaded.
@@sethgoldberg the american army was researching bio-weapons in Ukraine?
So wisely and acutely said, Vlad the Explainer.
Thank you!!
Learned helplessness. Without strong coordination rebellion is impossible, coordination is impossible as the repressive apparatus has become so vast and effective.
Your analysis put puzzles pieces together. 👍
I’m glad.
I always find the way you describe things makes sense, and helps me understand. Thanks for taking the time to make this. I watch all your videos.
Really grateful to you.
New subscriber and catching up on some videos I've missed and have watch a variety of different videos and subjects related to Russia/Ukraine and it felt like gathering information, however, I always come away after watching your videos like my understanding was just taken to a new level. Thank you
Vlad, you are stunning in the excellence of your perceptions and knowledge. I wish we didn't live separated by the Atlantic ocean. I was a musician for many years and became disabled by a rare genetically based systemic autoimmune disease. To have a friend like you would be a great blessing for me. America is in trouble with fascism growing like a virus with the Trump Cult present in our government and Supreme Court. Bless you Vlad for all the good that you do!
Thank you for your valuable insights.
Pleasure pleasure
I have just discovered this channel and already subscribed to it.
Your videos are golden, sir, keep it up with the excellent work.
Greetings from Italy
Greetings back at you - also do know there is a second channel called Clips where I do Q&As and chat casually
Brilliant and alarming, and ...sophisticated.. Great thanks.
thank you!
A common human psychological phenomenon. But as mature humans can tell you, sometimes from experience, the problem with denial is that it only works until it doesn't. Then you're doomed.
A+++ thank you very much. As usual, a really good explanation of a complex thing done simply without dumbing it down.
It was a tricky balance! I am not sure I succeeded!
This is a deeply sobering broadcast Vlad but one we needed to hear. I wish I could shake the Russian people and shout ‘wake up!!!’
I watched a documentary about Alexei Navalny recently. Such an intelligent, charismatic and brave man. If only he were leading the Russian people. Instead we have a degenerate gangster holding the world to ransom.
Navalny’s stock is rising.
@kolya Nazarov In response to your points:
1.You assume that NATO membership is somehow commanded by America. In fact, NATO membership is voluntary - countries choose to join it. This is not NATO expanding eastward. It's a former Soviet country escaping to the West (or attempting to). The Americans can't say "we won't expand NATO into Ukraine," because they do not control who applies for membership. If you don't want Ukraine to be a part of NATO, you need to convince Ukraine that they don't need to be a part of it. And a quick hint: Invading them is exactly the opposite of what you need to do.
2. There's a lot to be said here, but the bottom line is that's not how a democracy works. If an elected leader tries to subvert the principles of the government they lead, a democracy can and should remove them (and incidentally, Yanukovych's removal was entirely legal and in keeping with the Ukrainian constitution). An elected leader should never be secure enough to think they can get away with breaking their country's laws or reneging on the promises they made to their voters.
3. So you're saying that if another country acts evilly, Russia should be evil too? If you actually care that America has done the wrong thing, then you should be all the more determined to do what is right, not seek a free pass for terrible behaviour!
Your final comment is exactly the same as a brutal husband saying that his bleeding unconscious wife at his feet is responsible for the injuries he inflicted on her.
No. The Americans didn't do this. You did.
@kolya Nazarov Lots of lies here.
But let's focus on your first line.
"if your gonna support a coup to overthrow a democratic president that’s that’s a definition of violating the sovereignty of the nation. "
Okay, well, this one is fascinating, because you have told two lies in one sentence.
To whit:
1) There was no coup. That's just a line from the Kremlin. What there WAS was a mass protest - followed by which, the President was legally removed in accordance with the Ukrainian constitution.
2) While we're at it, overthrowing a democratic president happens regularly, and is not in any way a violation of that nation's sovereignty, provided it happens within appropriate channels - which happened in Ukraine in 2014.
The reason Russians find this hard to cope with is because you simply don't understand democracy. An elected leader is not a king or a tsar! They do not have any right to expect themselves to be in power for life. If an elected leader breaks the law, it is not only acceptable to remove them, it is what is actually meant to happen. And if the public withdraws its support for a leader, they have every right to elect a new leader.
In a true democracy, the leader is an employee of the country. Just like an employee who steals from his employer will be fired, so too a leader who is found to be acting against his own country in favour of another (e.g. Yanukovych) can also expect to be fired. And he was.
I understand that this is hard to imagine if you come from a place where an "elected" leader can prevent all attempts to replace him. But you can't do that in a democracy, and if you CAN, the country has stopped being a democracy. In 2014 the problem wasn't with the Ukrainians; they behaved entirely properly. The problem was with Yanukovych directly, for violating the terms of his employment, and with Russians indirectly for arrogantly thinking that if they got their guy into power, the game was over. That's just not how the system works in a free country! Instead, a leader in a free country must ALWAYS, and CONTINUALLY act in accordance with the wishes of his people, and if he fails to do so, he has to go.
And finally, one last point: This is ENTIRELY the Ukrainians' business. Russia lost their right to comment on it in 1991, and should simply butt out. They've proved they don't get how it works, and that's fine - but if you don't understand a system, don't meddle in it. A country's destiny is to be decided by the country's citizens, not their neighbours.
About the frog in the water thing: they have an absolute sense of temperature and immediately hop out once the water is outside their comfort zone. Otherwise they would always be in danger once the sun comes out and shines on some part of a puddle they were sitting in.
So glad I found your channel!
So glad too ! Thank you for finding.
Oh my God...I didn't realise how closely we are in mentality....In my country is exactly the same. Many people are imigrating in foreign countries like United Kingdom but go back because they like chaos and anarchy.They "rebel" against the politics but if had a chance they will do exactly the same.
Interesting how widespread this is - basically true of any society without a shared and vibrant civic culture.
What country is this please?
@@Digitaaliklosetti Bulgaria.
A really excellent presentation of the situation. Thank you.
There are some superb insights contained in this video. Your explanation of the differences between personal and political freedom resonate strongly with me. In particular the observation at 2:18, namely
"Freedom comes out of the experience of frustration, the feeling of resentment in the face of being put in somebody else's power."
4:24 USA citizens are exactly the same way when it comes to money and capitalism. They tolerate an extremely inequitable medical system, taxation, remuneration, and wealthy folks hiding behind corporate perks. They even vote voluntarily for parties that promote further inequality, and when asked by pundits "Aren't you voting against your own interests?" they will often respond with: "When it's finally my turn to strike it rich, or my kids, I'll want all these same advantages and more." You could easily chalk that up to political immaturity, vicarious greed, coupled with excellent propaganda regarding The American Dream and Rugged Individualism.
One clever man here. But you are a voice in the wilderness.
Nice content 🙏
In the US we have a party and a former president who have and are still waging a war on democracy itself. We all need to be aware and work against these movements that can literally hurt us all. The most hopeful thing about this situation is the banding together of so many against an obvious negative force. If we prevail, this could be a cautionary tale for those who would be dictators and warmongers.
Very heavy stuff! Thank you for your explanations!
Great to see a new video! From watching many interviews on 1420, etc., I get the sense, like you say, that Russians aren't interested in politics and feel that it's a simple enough game--don't antagonize Putin's regime. There are plenty of Russians interviewed that don't seem worried about speaking their minds. They are also very clever in expressing how they feel around the rules. Anyway, I don't get the feeling most Russians feel like they're living in a police state, contrary to what Western media seems to presume.
What's most fascinating to me is none of them seem the least bit worried that Ukrainians will one day infiltrate Moscow and St. Petersburg and bring the same intense violence they experienced. Russians don't seem to connect the dots that their media people are calling Ukrainians Nazis who basically deserve to be raped, tortured and killed. Muscovites believe that Ukrainians are angry with Putin, not them. Is that the case? I don't believe that's so. Like you say just because you turn away from politics doesn't mean it turns away from you. Russians may not escape the Ukrainian politics of revenge.
I'd love to hear your opinion. My thought so far is this is really a civil war and in time will flow freely back and forth between Russia and Ukraine and many other parts of the Russian Federation.
Do you think russian life will implode in to chaos karma does as it does?
Sorry for butting in with my opinion. I believe Ukraine actually knows how to stay within its borders, the Ukrainian state will only attempt to topple Kremlin if it feels it needs so to survive, it will weigh realistic options, it is a functioning state after all, as opposed to an autocracy of someone gradually losing his marbles. Right now it's facing apathetic Russians, or ones who feel all this is wrong but are in a state of thanatosis; if it were to wage a land offensive on core Russian territory, they risk validating the Kremlin propaganda and turn Russians into the same kind of defenders of their land like Ukrainians are now.
The way Ukrainians view Russians that support Kremlin is like a sort of really dumb kind of kettle. The anger is there but isn't of particularly violent variety, rather immense disappointment. But as soon a they cross the border weapon in hand or as potential secret agents, they are a mortal enemy, and it takes a considerable self-control for Ukrainians to treat them humanely.
I don't believe it comes to civil war because i was certain this was going to be the case in Donbas, DPR/LPR; and yet that hasn't happened. In spite of DPR government and military being comprised of known Russian agents (Russian citizens with well-documented connections to Putin or the FSB) and mercs, or maybe specifically because. The confrontations there remained limited to the front line, which unfortunately includes part of a dense residential area, which for sure is fortunate for Russia/DPR propaganda because hits do happen, and nobody will know for real whether they came from Ukraine or from DPR mercs, but it's easy to blame Ukraine.
It depends. If and when Russian intruders are banished from at least pre-Feb territory, Ukraine will attempt a peace deal with Russia. Ukraine will heavily lean on international organisations - foremost they will try a UN Blue Berét mission, but they tried so in DPR/LPR and Russia Veto'd. If Russia can be kicked out of UN sec council, that's super promising. All Ukraine wants is to be done with this shit and with Russia, and this involves dealing with Russia as little as possible and with potential international backers as much as possible.
@@SianaGearz i agree very much about ukraine not wanting anything to do with russia. There will be no forgiveness or amicability. Its too far gone and people have been brutalised. Russia is a dark murky place
@@SianaGearz I hope to God you're right! Just to be clear, I don't believe Ukraine is going to invade Russia, nation to nation. But I believe militias will if things don't stabilize. My point as only that what would have been laughed off a few months ago, the Ukrainian military taking Russia on directly is not as laughable ;) There was no civil war after Chechnya, Georgia and Donbas because everyone viewed Russia as being too strong. In Syria Russians aren't as cocky ;) If Ukraine wins some serious counteroffensives everyone will recognize that Russia is beatable. Once someone seems beatable all bets are off as they say. It has been one of Putin's arguments over the years that I buy into. Russia may be impossible to govern with a light hand. And until 2010, most Russians were thrilled with how Putin brought Russia back from the Soviet Union. Odd the media never mentions that.
I believe the war could have been avoided, bad as Putin may be. That belief makes me worry that the West will not be able to Shepard in a peace as you describe. I hope I'm wrong. Well, could go on and on!
@@MaxoticsTV Ukraine no longer has militias, every possible group is integrated either into National Guard and TDU (Ministry of Interior) or are actual army (Ministry of Defense). It's difficult to predict whether they may form again, but i think these people, of patriotic persuasion, will be focused on rebuilding once the opportunity arises. There's so much to rebuild, and it's becoming more every day!
I think Kremlin is the largest hazard to peace in Russia. Specifically due to the amount of trust people have grown towards Putin. Imagine Russians waking up to being mislead for 10-15-20 years? Euromaidan and Colour revolutions will seem so tame in comparison!
How would you say an unprovoked war could have been avoided? Vlad makes a strong case that it happened for palace and power consolidation reasons, and i'm inclined to deem it plausible. I think the future war was programmed in during the 2014 gambit when Crimea got annexed and Donbas proxy republics were created.
You say that it may be that Russia needs to be ruled with an iron fist. Maybe let's imagine the absolutely implausible completely opposite scenario - Dr. Yavlinsky takes the presidential seat in Russia, along with his party having the majority support - pure sociodemocrat, Euro-integrator, staunchly anti-war, sharp economist first politician second, let's fictionalise him to be better than the real person, and let's assume for a sec that the party can execute an optimal strategy near flawlessly, i know, it's a stretch, nobody gets it right on first try, but maybe they had prior trial runs before, as things happen in a democracy. What sort of failure mode do you predict for this government, and why do you believe his team may be unable to mitigate it? I'm not interested in possible stumbling blocks on the way there, but whether a government like that can serve a term or two eventually without things going terribly wrong; and if there is a way, then there should also be a way that leads there.
And maybe Russia genuinely needs to go through a few rounds of revolution and chaos just like any young democracy until it finds its true multilateral footing, with its golden wide coalition that carries it safely and boringly most of the time, and strong idealistic opposition capable of corrective action by taking the reigns partially once in a while - a model that works so well in a lot of EU, but Ukraine is still tumbling its way towards.
So, the fate of my family rests in the hands of aggressively disengaged apathists. How disturbing. I get the impression that, at a base level, Russians never stopped being property in their own minds. Ownership simply has been transferred from czars to different entities over time. At the same time, they seem to clamor after self defining themselves as badasses. I once saw a video of a Russian girl -- a base-jumper in one of those flying squirrel suits -- standing out on a steel girder. The wind was whipping. She looked at the camera, and said "In Russia there is one law -- don't be pussy." Then she turned and dove off -- disappearing at first, then gliding off in the distance below. That mixed with apathy is a strange stew. ••• Thanks!
And that's part of it, isn't it? Having given up on being able to change their world for the better, they pivot to a cult of *personal* toughness. Like they're saying "in the end we'll both die but I will have had fun, while you will have been miserable."
Thank you. A difficult understanding.
Finally catching up on watching your channels Vlad. Thank you again for all the insight and energy you put into each.
Very informative. In other videos, Vlad has explained that Russians - if I understand correctly - do not have real citizenship in that they are not encouraged to actively and meaningfully engage in the country's political process. They live in Russia, but they aren't really permitted to be part of its political life. The You Tube channel 1420 features ordinary Russians being asked politically significant questions about their country. It's amazing how often they decline to offer any direct comments, either out of fear or lack of interest.
@kolya Nazarov you do have a point, that is if you treat putin and RF as a whole non compos, which is to say they don't think beyond animalistic reflexes, even in complex things like politics.
@kolya Nazarov those MALICIOUS biolabs are a fake, dude. They were built in USSR, so of course they are still there. The rest might as well be a huge manipulation on Russian state media's part. I'm speaking from a russian citizen's POV, btw. Cuz, I am one.
@kolya Nazarov no they haven't lol
We can use the word 'liberty' in English for the specific concept of freedom in relation to the law and to governing authorities. I have had difficulty explaining the difference even in Italian, so I can well imagine how hard it is to give context to such a difference in Russia.
It’s quite a feat of omission and manipulation this video - I had to keep nearly everything I would have wanted to say out. Including the term liberty, which is what we political philosophers call political freedom.
In Russian language, freedom related words are two:
Physical freedom from jail - “volia” or “svoboda”.
The civic freedoms concept has a tendency to use only “svoboda”.
Paradoxically word “volia” in Russian also means “will” as in desire, preference and choice. Example: “A ruler’s *volia* was that all citizens not vote”.
Is is absolutely true that the concept of personal-freedom for the expression of will to speak freely and choose freely is not comprehensible to the majority of the population in Russia. They also do not have a concept of individual autonomy from the state. Groupthink is prevalent. And the worse things become economically, the more patriotic the sentiment becomes amongst those millions of units of this group. They feel more martir-ous and “on the right side of history”. There is no civil and civilized society in Russia today.
Thanks again! very informative.
Thank you so much for taking time as always!
Thank You !
Pleasure!
I’m so glad I found your channel, although it happened because of the war. Thank you for your videos! Слава Украине! Жыве Беларусь! Россия будет свободной!❤️
Thank you thank you!
I like you the most when you get brutally honest. There is no possible compromise between realism and illusion, no matter how beautiful the illusion nor how ugly the reality might be. The only hope for our common future is that we all (or at least a significant number of humanity) embraces realism, both in the east and in the west. I do not believe that a future is possible under political blackmail of nuclear war - certainly not a future I wish to live in. We have to deal with this matter at some point. No point I can foresee is more suited than any other. Might as well deal with it now. The future of Europe stands or falls with the future of Ukraine. Putin has forced the moment, but he is also merely a catalyst of the chemistry which has been at work for the past 200 years. The issue of toxic nationalism will be resolved with this conflict, I hope. At least for the foreseeable future. I wish us all the best. And the birds, too,. (In Norwegian 'the gods' may be substituted by 'the birds')
I want to thank you for specifying "toxic" nationalism. I think that nationalism is still essential in our time (up to a point), in the same way that we view our families as the closest to us and to whom we give our first devotion and commitment, while knowing that others likewise take care of their own families. It doesn't keep us us from helping others in need, but gives us a stronger base to do it from. Some day humanity may be mature enough to grow into a more inclusive unity, but we regularly prove that we're not there yet.
@@regular-joe I agree. though I do prefer the term 'healthy patriotism' to 'non-toxic nationalism'. Wishing the best for the country you live in is okay. It's normal. While nationalism is an ideology, patriotism is an expression of feelings. Nationalism as an ideology is mostly toxic.
Thank you for giving me more to think about. Sometimes words can be taken for granted, which leads to fuzzy thinking and to misunderstandings. I appreciate your clarity and precision, and also for expanding on this topic. One RUclips person I admire very much for his logic and common sense has been speaking very negatively about nationalism is general. I hope it's as you say, and that he doesn't also scorn patriotism.
@@regular-joe Thank you for making me think, also. Well, there is of course toxic patriotism. Aggressive expressions of patriotic feelings. They say a picture says more than a thousand words. OK - sometimes they do. But one word may say more than a million pictures - sometimes ;) Peace, friend.
Excellent discussion!
Thank you!
Your summation of freedom is very thought provoking! Thank you for sharing!
My pleasure Jennifer. I tried! This video feels like it either says too much or not enough. So it’s generous of you to find it thought provoking.
@@VladVexler I think you say just enough! 😊
Thank you for your profound analysis. Coincidentally I have just watched Anton Petrov describing some recent astronomical discoveries regarding the formation of super-massive black holes in unusually densely populated star clusters on the periphery of some galaxies, where the massive central nothingness violently shreds surrounding stars as it increases its mass, rocking its neighbourhood with gravitational waves and scorching it with X-rays in the process. The enforced passivity you describe seems a bit like individuals being stripped of their freedom to radiate ideas of their own while adding mass to the local entity that took them away. Even more rarely, these black holes can meet and coalesce with even more extreme consequences. Despotic kleptocracy has been popping up and fading way on a small scale all over the post-colonial world that followed WWI and WWII, but now we have 3 in a row, stretching from Moscow to Pyongyang, all with nuclear arms and a lot to lose. My galactic metaphor has run out of steam (another one) but it seems that the way to stop this accretion of passive political mass is the existence of an entity with even greater gravitational pull, akin to the black hole at the galactic centre, providing the stability that allows most of the stars in the galaxy to co-exist and continue to shine. The most remarkable outcome of Putin’s attempt to re-integrate Ukraine into a rebirth of the FSU has been the strength of the galvanic reaction of the “West” to oppose it. The question now is how can the “West” break through the hold these regimes have on the information that reaches their populations, whose passivity provides their wealth and power, without simply annihilating everyone in the process? Maybe China is the odd-man-out. If there can be an accommodation with the “West”, that might deprive the present crisis of the resources it needs to expand while keeping Pyongyang on a tight leash.
Very interesting video! It helps me understand not just about Russia but indeed the West, too! Thank you so much, Vlad! ❤ It is so good to see you!
Dearest Emma it’s nice to be back! I hope your weekend was positive and not too overwhelming.
@@VladVexler Thank you! It has been lovely
Vlad, this was really well put together. Thanks.
Excellent. Another valuable channel. Thank you.
Russia's government has crossed a red line from which there is no retreat. The sanctions have already doomed it. How many more lives in the world will be needlessly lossed. Tomorrow May 9 I will celebrate the beginning of Russia's century of humiliation.
Its not the beginning of a century of humiliation, but the beginning of a second century of humiliation.
@@hummelman I have been witness in the media to all kinds of tragedies all over the world including here in America all of my life. I realized a long time ago that if I allowed it to continue to affect me it would drive me mad. So I have trained my mind to not react emotionally to anything that doesn't affect me personally. I'm like an outside observer just watching. It means I ignore appeals for money and I am not emotionally affected by sales pitches, movies, books, the news, music, or anything else people would try to manipulate me with. I've lost all interest in sports, fiction, pop culture. The real world is far more interesting and I'm absorbed by all of it. I still enjoy art and music as much as ever but to be worthy of my time it must be at the highest level and I never let politics of its origin diminish my enjoyment.
This is the most dangerous man you can meet. He wears a dress, a funny hat, and carries an ancient book that was written when people believed the earth was flat. He tells you if you listen to what he says and do what he tells you your immortal soul will go to heaven or paradise after you die but if you don't it will go to hell and suffer excruciating pain forever. He wants to steal your money, your time and energy, and might even send you off to war to fight and get killed against an army of another guy who is in the same racket. He wants your complete loyalty which is why he hates women. Women offer something he can't compete against. The last thing she wants is for you to go to war and get killed. She also wants your money, your time and energy, and compete loyalty but if anyone is going to kill you she wants to be the one to do it. So if you meet this man don't walk away, run as fast and far as your legs can carry you. HIs is the oldest scam in the world.
I have enjoyed your videos quite a bit of late. I think your perspective on Russia and Putin is a very interesting one. There is a large contingent of citizens in the US (where I live) who also are pulling away from participating in politics... from both the left and right side of the political spectrum. This phenomenon seems to be a global issue.
People abandon politics in the US because they don't like the irreconciliable extremist choices presented to them, especially in cultural matters, such as guns, race, and sexuality. I'm not sure whether there are Russian analogs to this. A Russian might ask himself whether he has a harsh choice between hating Ukraine/West or becoming a vulnerable enemy of the State.
@@rolandtours8404 the Russian politics is really a theatre - where there are a lot of actors but they are all actors, some more aware and willing than others. There is an arrangement of parties deliberately built to look more extreme, less appealing and less sensible than the president - they're playing the same play - and formerly a little true opposition but manipulated such that they'll never get the vote. If some party becomes too dangerous, a clone of it will be built to split the votes and then the original will be subtly disparaged. Surkov actually spoke all about how he built this system, not a lot of detail, but some hints and confirmation.
As such, the apathy from not having a true choice that is actually appealing actually is sort of similar, maybe.
First post I've watched from you. I'm impressed. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Silence is still violence.
I live in Norway, geologically close to Russia but not so much politically. This video hit close to home for me as I find myself being depoliticized. I didn't vote at our last governmental election as to be honest I have no faith that any of the options would make the crumbling remains of my life any better. It makes me realise that in many ways I am the same as the masses of Russians turning the blind eye to the atrocities of their government. Feeling powerless as an individual is damaging to the individual, but when society feels powerless as a whole it is damaging to the entire world.
Thank you so much for your comment. For sharing. I think there are degrees to this of course! I look forward to talking about these issues a lot more, both here and on the second channel.
David Satter has talked in his books and in lectures posted on You Tube that communism was a system of morality more than a system of economics. And this system of morality is that whatever serves the interest of the state is moral and good. That is why there are no red lines with the Russian people as to the actions of the Russian state. Russian society is still dominated by this system of morality that was established during communist times.
That’s certainly false about Russia today, and mostly false about the USSR. The problem is not that Russian citizens accept what the state does is good - rather they have no moral standards from which to assess the state at all. They just want it out of their lives.
@@VladVexler I think that the phone calls from Russians to their relatives in Ukraine would cast doubt on your assertion. It seems to me that around 70% of the Russian population which consumes Russian television adopts the system of morality that whatever serves the interest of the state (as defined by the rulers) is moral and good. Russians repeat these ideas and opinions from Russian TV, even Russians who live in the West and consume Russian TV propaganda.
@@VladVexler
I've always thought that Russians have been so thoroughly kept down for centuries of autocracy that as a nation they've resigned from the idea of governance by the people altogether.
The centuries long autocracy has been imprinted to the DNA of the nation, so to speak.
They know through generational transfer of knowledge, knowledge both said and observed that nothing good ever comes from challenging the powers that be.
@@VladVexler same things with the Chinese population and the CCP
@@VladVexler I think iakona23 put it pretty on point. I do see and feel this in most of lower class russians. They have no like any moral rules or boundaries when it comes to justifying anything that is profitable in their mind for their state and imperialism.
You are one of the absolutely best thinkers and communicators on these issues. Thank you so much for making these videos and sharing your insights.
Utter pleasure.
This video/explanation is excellent, deep, spot on. I can see similar actions taking place here in Canada. I will be watching and listening to this video more than once. Thank you.
I find your videos incredibly valuable because it makes me understand how Russian people are accepting their situation. It does though block my mind every now and then because it's simply so beyond everything I was brought up with. It frustrates me when I hear relatives talking about "democracy" and "freedom" as principles which go against the things they are used to: A strong authoritarian leader who makes it possible they should not worry about stuff. Could you say the Putin regime is a renaissance of totalitarian regimes like that from Stalin?
Will answer you with timestamp on next Q&A on the second Clips channel!
Reminds me of how Germany and Japan fell to fascism.
Fun fact, Japan used to be the most progressive country in Asia before world war 2. And Germany was also the same way.
Both country's citizens became apathetic of their own governments' actions and it took their country getting torn to shreds just to wake them up from their stupor.
This is what it is all about. Bravo.
Thank you
Very good presentation!