Earlier quoted context omitted.
Even when you're admitting that "US did a lot of warmongering in the middle east" you want to give them some excuses, "I get that they wanted to retaliate after 9/11" you say? "retaliate" you say. Against whom exactly? How the (oppressed) Iraqi people or even Saddam Hussein has to do anything with the 9/11? Do I really need to remind you that Saddam was US ally? or that Qaeda was the US ally in the "freedom" war agai…
Honestly, the middle east could have gotten better, there was a possibility that the dictatorships would get replaced by proper democracy, I think the US didn't realize how far down corruption and authoritarianism were rooted in those countries, it is like a Hydra, cut one head, many more grew. For example, Panama, Chile, Germany, Japan, South Korea all turned out better after US intervention. But Afghanistan, Iraq a…
Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
731–740 of 1001 posts
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#732The 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.
There is: https://ru.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D1%83%D1%81%D1%81%D0%.... That you don't understand it does not make it less real.
As I understand it (I'm from Poland, not exactly Russia, but we share enough culture and history) it's a way of describing something between culture and attitude to life. It's not limited to a phenomenon of extreme political apathy combined with distrust of anyone unknown (this is called homo sovieticus), but also a way of coping with learned helplessness, mostly by expression in family and close relatives.
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#733What are the possibilities for an average russian citizen to leave russia and start over somewhere in the west? How about visas? Does anyone know?
In 2022: zero, unless you have relatives/friends from abroad who are willing to help. I'm mid-20s below-average Russian born and raised in a city with population of 19k (and declining), Ural region. Average salary here is around 200-300 USD, 400 if you are lucky. I emmigrated in 2019 to work with an international startup in Montenegro: and ended up being ostracized and harassed by my manager from another country (won…
[1] https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/southeast-asia...
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#734This 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.”
> I grew up on Star Trek and somehow I just though we had (almost) arrived in a post-war, federation-like world. The Star Trek universe explicitly had a third world war, which was absolutely devastating. In that sense we're doing really well!
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#735Earlier 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.
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#736Earlier quoted context omitted.
I heard Russia violated a treaty that prohibited any acts of war for a month or so after the end of the special olympics with this. I don't know the consequences to that, but it's probably trivial compared to international sanctions.
Russia is targeting cities and civil targets, employing bombs that have been banned (cluster bombs), and committing war crimes, I don't think they currently give a damn about the Olympic Truce.
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#737I have a different message: Go on the street and take control of your country, before you turn into another North Korea. Ukrainians were able to overthrow their government, and so can you.
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#738Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why US was in Afghanistan in the first place? Uh, they blow up American city...
Wasn't that a citizen of the US ally Saudi Arabia that "blew up American city"? Why didn't you destroy Saudi Arabia instead? Because they pay their tribute in oil, and you had to destroy "someone", and Afghanistan was the first in the alphabetical list of countries that met the criteria for destruction?
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#739Quoted post unavailable.
Re: Tell HN: If You Are in Russia
#740Earlier quoted context omitted.
>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 falli…
> They're forced into a conflict they don't want to be in, and are suffering the consequences. Ukrainians are also forced into a conflict they don't want. Unfortunately, it's up to both the Ukrainians and Russians to do something about it, not Ukrainians alone. The Ukrainians clearly made their decision. Now it's up to the Russian people to make theirs.
There's nothing we can realistically do. It's up to the military to start a civil war.