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Vacations in the Soviet Union

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Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#161

Post by dubcanada »

0xDEF wrote: post #38

It's fascinating how the ideology of Marxism–Leninism (Communism) today is more popular than ever among young people in former capitalist heartlands like the US, Canada and UK. A simple European-style welfare state with universal healthcare is all you need to satisfy 90% of people but the elites in the US and the UK refuse to provide that.

Is it? I don't really see any surge of young communism ideologies... If anything I'd say it is exactly as popular as it's always been.

I cannot speak to any but Canada, but the MOST people here do not want pure communism, they want Scandinavian/Nordic socialism. Our policies tend to venture into a weird combination of that and American policy copies, so we end up with a very weird mix.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#163

Post by cameldrv »

Arrath wrote: post #141
ActorNightly wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a very good idea for teenagers and younger adults to break them out of the online world. For working class though, its probably best not to force people to socialize. The thing that doesn't get talked enough about in socialization is that its not all positive, and people have different tolerance to each others bullshit.

My dad had a, to teenage me, embarrassing habit of asking less-than-full tables at busy restaurants (mostly tables that looked like they'd just been seated, only drinks or maybe appetizers) if they would like some company and conversation. It got us an invitation surprisingly often, skipping a long wait or a walk to another restaurant, and made for some interesting table talk at the same time.

This is something that is somewhat common in Frankfurt, Germany. I got to meet some interesting people this way when I visited a couple of times.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#164

Post by lawn »

0xbadcafebee wrote: post #103

There are a bunch of zoomers out there who un-ironically claim Communism is the ideal way of life. I've worked with some of them. I still can't fathom what's going on in their brains.

And there's a lot of people who dream about going back to the Soviet glory days.

And with how the war against Ukraine is going, Russia is on a fast track to relive those memories.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#165

Post by bequanna »

0xbadcafebee wrote: post #103

There are a bunch of zoomers out there who un-ironically claim Communism is the ideal way of life. I've worked with some of them. I still can't fathom what's going on in their brains.

One explanation I've found pretty accurate: When the young start to become educated (late teens, early 20's) they face the realization that they will be entering the world on the bottom of the economic totem pole.

There are two primary responses to this:

1. Realize that the real world is competitive and difficult and much self-improvement and hard work will be needed to thrive. These people put their heads down and get to work.

2. Refusal to address the truth of #1. Frame the real world as some unwinnable game to avoid putting in the required effort to succeed. Distract yourself with structural problems (real or imaginary) far too big for you to have any effect on but keep you from the painful self-improvement that is really needed.

Communism preys on the people who are susceptible to the second path.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#166

Post by FooBarWidget »

atdrummond wrote: post #138
DiogenesKynikos wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not difficult to visit China (except that you'll probably have to apply for a visa, but Chinese people have to do that to visit Western countries too). You won't experience much about the government while there. Police aren't really that present in public. Border control is like any other country. The only issue you're likely to run into is the Great Firewall, for which you can just install a VPN before arriving…

Very much this. The only area where I felt uncomfortable was in Xinjiang, as two friends in that region have effectively been “disappeared”. While I am skeptical of much of what has been written on this topic, due to its obvious use as propaganda, many of the tours I had there reminded me of those in DPRK. There was an obvious level of orchestration designed to show you a face of Xinjiang which lacked any warts.

When were you there? Did you choose to have a tour instead of freely traveling on your own, or was it not a deliberately choice?

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#167

Post by olddustytrail »

kfrzcode wrote: post #68
pierat wrote: post #49

Sigh, that's not always easy with many of the people here with "unlimited PTO" without guaranteed minimums. Most of the unlimited clauses are based on manager approval. The base HR justification for unlimited PTO is to not have to pay out unused PTO when they leave. Naturally, it sounds good on face, but leads to less PTO taken due to inherent worries of "how much is too much", lack of manager approval, and the like.…

20 + 10 = one full calendar month (that's 6 business weeks) of work. You're asking for more than six weeks per year where you can just get paid for not working. Sure, there's plenty of holistic value-add to being a well rested, happy employee, but if the difference for your happiness and well-being is somewhere above having six weeks of paid vacation (plus assumed sick days as needed for actual sicknesses) and gettin…

In the UK the legal minimum is 20 + 8. I'm currently on 23 + 9 (10 this year due to the coronation).

If your job can't provide you with a decent amount of time off, perhaps you need a better job.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#168

Post by ivan_gammel »

fweimer wrote: post #94
krisoft wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We are legally required to use it to relax and restore our capacity for future work. What does that mean in practice? Will the police come knocking on your door if they see you digging up the garden? Will someone arrest you if you go sailing and get bonged in the head by accident instead of resting? If you use your vacation days to help your grandma move a grand piano will you get in trouble? If you do your taxes o…

It's not a criminal matter. The employer might bring it up if there is an employment dispute. An employee who regularly comes back from vacation injured or sick is likely to raise some eyebrows (similarly for coming to work every Monday with a massive hangover), but it's totally at the discretion of the employer if they want to do anything about it. On the other hand, we do get separate sick days (technically even if…

>I don't know if anyone actually tries to get vacation days back they lost due to sickness

This does happen, because why not, if it’s your right. I have seen it a few times.

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#169

Post by FooBarWidget »

kortilla wrote: post #152
DiogenesKynikos wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not difficult to visit China (except that you'll probably have to apply for a visa, but Chinese people have to do that to visit Western countries too). You won't experience much about the government while there. Police aren't really that present in public. Border control is like any other country. The only issue you're likely to run into is the Great Firewall, for which you can just install a VPN before arriving…

The dystopia is right in your face. VPNs don’t work well and with them turned off there is a ton of stuff you can’t access.

You may be surprised to find out that outside of HN, not many people use Internet freedom as a prime measurement of dystopia.

As a techie I am personally also very annoyed at the lack of Internet freedom. But as a Chinese I also recognize that there are many more aspects in life and society that are more important than Internet freedom, and that China scores pretty high at (especially in historic context).

Re: Vacations in the Soviet Union

#170

Post by dubcanada »

kfrzcode wrote: post #75
0xDEF wrote: post #38

It's fascinating how the ideology of Marxism–Leninism (Communism) today is more popular than ever among young people in former capitalist heartlands like the US, Canada and UK. A simple European-style welfare state with universal healthcare is all you need to satisfy 90% of people but the elites in the US and the UK refuse to provide that.

[flagged]

I don't think the ideology of communism is the issue, on paper it's a very sound ideal.

The problem is when greed/other human attributes gets involved it stops working. As with any of them, it's all about the people and how they implement it. I don't think capitalism sounds good at all on paper, but has worked for quite a while, mostly due to some degree of working standards and unions.

Remember most of these haven't been in use for longer than like 100 years. Before 1920 it was largely a mix of other religious/monarchy ideals.

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