101–110 of 146 posts
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Why does NATO exist again?
It’s a defensive pact for smaller countries to protect themselves from Russian aggression and imperialism.
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Oh yeah, some Russians have my utmost respect for putting up and being vocal about that brutal regime they’re under. I think it toughens you up after some point but from my outsider perspective I would be simply terrified to speak up.
It’s not a brutal regime. That’s what the media wants you to believe. Have you lived there and been treated brutally? The US is a brutal regime. Check the incarceration rates.
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Oh yeah, some Russians have my utmost respect for putting up and being vocal about that brutal regime they’re under. I think it toughens you up after some point but from my outsider perspective I would be simply terrified to speak up.
Yes, that's about 27% of them: https://www.levada.ru/en/ratings/
"Has become a mall society" - And the US has spent the last 30 years abandoning or malls. When I was a teenager it was definitely the place to hang out on weekends!
I was in Moscow in 2008 and one of my fondest memories was visiting GUM (pronounced "goom") right in Red Square. Three or four stories of shops ranging from perfume to electronics to butchers. I remember arguing with my mom loudly in English in its halls, and kids would come up to us to practice their english and try to help us :) At the Motorola store in GUM I bought an unlocked Motorola ROKR with Cyrillic T9 keys,…
> Several times during the 1960s and 1970s, the Second Secretary of the Communist Party Mikhail Suslov, who hated the idea of having a Department store across the Mausoleum of Lenin, tried to convert GUM into a Exhibition hall and Museum showcasing the achievements of the Soviet Union and Communism, without the knowledge of General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. Each time however, Brezhnev was tipped off and put a stop to such plans.[8]
I sympathize with the tragic situation in both these countries for the common person. My curiousness arising out of this situation is forced me to try to understand it and it’s roots. What I found definitely changed my perspective on what to expect out of this. I went in thinking this is a pivotal moment and unsure what the future looks like. I came out sad that this is not a one off thing for the people of this land…
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No, casinos are not necessarily bad for a community, you’re mistaken. Ohio legalized casinos in major cities and they aren’t bad (whether they’re successful or not is another matter). And idk what you’re referring to regarding “vulnerable”? Vulnerable to addiction? Alcohol is addictive and bars are legal. Casinos are still heavily regulated, but beyond that people are allowed to make their own decisions and gamble if…
They are certainly bad for the part of the community who have issues with addiction. As is alcohol and bars. I am not convinced that the misery that these people experience is offset by anything positive provided by casinos or bars.
I sympathize with the tragic situation in both these countries for the common person. My curiousness arising out of this situation is forced me to try to understand it and it’s roots. What I found definitely changed my perspective on what to expect out of this. I went in thinking this is a pivotal moment and unsure what the future looks like. I came out sad that this is not a one off thing for the people of this land…
I sympathize with the tragic situation in both these countries for the common person. My curiousness arising out of this situation is forced me to try to understand it and it’s roots. What I found definitely changed my perspective on what to expect out of this. I went in thinking this is a pivotal moment and unsure what the future looks like. I came out sad that this is not a one off thing for the people of this land…
There won't be a critical mass of dissenters. Modern dictators have figured that if they boil the frog slowly, they'll keep revealing small slivers of latent dissenters and dealing with them is easy. From time to time a dictator needs to announce some ridiculuos law, with the only purpose: to see who is brave enough to dissent.
I sympathize with the tragic situation in both these countries for the common person. My curiousness arising out of this situation is forced me to try to understand it and it’s roots. What I found definitely changed my perspective on what to expect out of this. I went in thinking this is a pivotal moment and unsure what the future looks like. I came out sad that this is not a one off thing for the people of this land…
You can always argue, correctly, that it’s hard to know what’s going on in an autocratic country, but many of these polls were un controversial and simply not stating support for eg the annexation of Crimea wouldn’t be an offence.
I do feel sorry for how badly this is going to affect people in Russia, but equally Russians don’t seem to mind serving up hot hell to their neighbours. I don’t know how you can break this cycle without making Russians understand how badly they are hurting others.
Russia may not be a democracy but the state does rely on popular support for legitimacy, and has had it in the past 30-odd years.