Live data from Hacker News

Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

news.ycombinator.com

611–620 of 1001 posts

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#611
post #548

The reason Russia has elevated tyrants to power for centuries is deep-rooted in Russian soul to the point where it's not even a problem. It's something that is inexplicably difficult to understand unless you actually experience the culture for a good portion of your life. There is a lot of literature out there about the "Russian Soul" and I really recommend reading it to understand how this happens. In my opinion it'…

There is no such thing like Russian soul. But Bolshevist legacy and Checkist persons in control. See how Korea was split and become completely different countries from the same people.

They are different countries but still they are very strict, hierarchical, conformist societies, and so is Japan. I think maybe it's just the same mindset put into different economic systems.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#613
post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think that talking to Hitler is going to stop a war?

Saying "Ukraine will remain neutral and will not join NATO" would have stopped this war. It's an unpopular fact but it's still true.

If your partner wants to break up with you and date other people because you're an ass and offer nothing they want, who are you to stop them?

If Ukraine wants to break up with Russia and join other alliances because it's an ass and offers nothing Ukraine wants, who is Russia to stop it?

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#614

It's a bit alarming that some HN posters are saying that Ukraine never applied to join NATO. That they did is the central seed of the John Mearsheimer lecture 'Why is Ukraine the West's Fault?' [1], which got about another 2m views in the last 48 hours. Mearsheimer provides a direct quote demonstrating NATO's resolve to eventually incorporate Ukraine, which was pledged at the Bucharest 2008 summit. Bush was also push…

I know you’re going to disagree with this using some silly rationalization, I won’t respond to after this because it fundamentally sounds like you don’t believe is Ukraine’s right to self determination and you think that they should be bound by deals the US or Russia have made on its behalf in the past which Ukraine had no say in.

Here it is, NATO is fundamentally a defensive organization, and Ukraine is a democratic country they should be free to choose who they do deals with, I’d feel the same way if they freely and democracy decided to align closer with Russia.

I think saying NATO antagonize this is people treating Ukraine like a colonial holding of Russia and that Ukraine doesn’t have sovereignty. This is fundamentally wrong and goes against any countries right to self determination. I don’t care if it’s the US or Russia trying to dictate terms to a third country, it’s wrong either way.

What I really think this is about is Russians are fundamentally humiliated that other former Soviet countries like the Baltic states and Poland have a fair greater standard of living than Russia exactly because they embrace democracy and cooperated with western countries. Russia just wants to wreck Ukraine for aligning more with the West and improving their economy because they’re afraid of having another example of a former Soviet country prospering of their doorsteps making it ever more obvious how badly the rulers of Russia treat their people.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#615

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you! Do you know if its only incorporation in EU countries? I am not quite sure about globally, but since Canadian and US Limiteds are likely out of the question as well that would (have been?) Hong Kong then? For the banking, is that transactions out of the country or any transaction, so also from money you get from out of Russia? I was more looking through the sanction perspective

> Do you know if its only incorporation in EU countries? Anywhere abroad. It is illegal (and has been illegal since 2014 or so, can't remember) for a Russian resident to have a controlling stake in a company not incorporated in Russia. > is that transactions out of the country or any transaction It's about transfers of funds from Russia to foreign bank (and "bank-like") accounts. Accepting money from abroad is still…

> It is illegal (and has been illegal since 2014 or so, can't remember) for a Russian resident to have a controlling stake in a company not incorporated in Russia.

How does this work with Gazprom owning Nord Stream 2 AG (incorporated in Switzerland)? Exempting legal entities would make the law extremely easy to circumvent, so I'm guessing that's not it.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#616

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Russophobia that has been pouring out is lamentable. And people don't realise this will only push the Russian people further towards Putin to re-establish their pride. And the sanctions are making this even worse. This mirrors Germany's treatment with the Treaty of Versailles leading up to WWII.

It is really distressing, not only because it’s ethically wrong to blame groups of people for individual actions, but also because it’s pragmatically against the interests of the West. We gain nothing by escalating this.

West's reactions is too bad for the Russian people but not reacting would mean they lose credibility and soft power in the future. Putin's previous adventures were not sufficiently reacted too and other countries around the world could see that too.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#617

The reason Russia has elevated tyrants to power for centuries is deep-rooted in Russian soul to the point where it's not even a problem. It's something that is inexplicably difficult to understand unless you actually experience the culture for a good portion of your life. There is a lot of literature out there about the "Russian Soul" and I really recommend reading it to understand how this happens. In my opinion it'…

At the moment I see more challenges to this war from inside Russia than I ever see from the US when it is starting a new war.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#618

This whole situation is so surreal and disappointing. I grew up on Star Trek and somehow I just though we had (almost) arrived in a post-war, federation-like world. We know things should be solved with words because otherwise there are only losers. It’s how we raise our kids. I just keep thinking about how Jean Luc is looking down on us from orbit, slowly shaking his head whispering “Savages.”

You are not alone, there are academics who have build careers around this notion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_of_History_and_the_Las...

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#619

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pardon my French but this is bullshit. Putin’s perverted logic goes like this - Ukrainian joins NATO, it establish missiles, Moscow in danger. The problem is Ukraine does not have to join NATO to have US missiles on its territory. Basic military agreement would allow that. Such an agreement technically was possible as early as 1992. The fact of life - there is no such agreement, hence whole idea of NATO or US threat…

also - in 2022 you don't really need to have basis with nuclear missiles at the doorstep to be a threat (so much that Putin also escalated on this topic too). You have submarines that can launch an attack with nuclear missiles, you have intercontinental vectors to deliver nukes. Putin is just trying to restore the idea of Russian Empire and/or Soviet Union. Same as Hitler trying to restore the German Empire.

Also, if Russia annexes Ukraine, it now has 4 more NATO members on its borders.

Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia

#620

Are any countries accepting refuges from Russia that seek asylum? I know some Russians that are wholly against their Government's actions. I hope some provisions are being made to allow those who wish escape to do so...

>Are any countries accepting refuges from Russia that seek asylum?

This is an important topic. Some EU countries like Czechia are even blocking visas for Russian citizens now and I think this will be a trend in other EU countries.

AFAIK, since Russia is the aggressor here and is (on paper) a democratic country (but not really), then its citizens are not considered yet victims of the war, and are most likely not falling under the rules of refugee status, unless they can clearly prove that the Russian government is a threat to their life, which would be a bit difficult (like if you're in political opposition to Putin).

I honestly don't envy the Russian people now. They're forced into a conflict they don't want to be in, and are suffering the consequences.

Post reply on HN