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The USSR in 100 Photographs

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Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#31

Post by Arodex »

victorbjorklund wrote: post #15
well_ackshually wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Americans prisons have been historically so much better than USSR prisons, sure <3

I would take an American prison over a slave Labour camp in Stalins Soviet camp with massive death rates. Few American prisoners freeze to death, starve to death or are beaten to death by the guards. Stop comparing American prisions to Stalin gulags or Hitlers concentration camps. They are not the same.

You know that American prisons are slave labor camps too, right? I am not exaggerating things: the 13th amendment calls it "slavery".

https://daily.jstor.org/slavery-and-the-modern-day-prison-pl...

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/inmates-at-louisianas-an...

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#32

Post by lnsru »

Eriks wrote: post #13
f6v wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People, on average, were much less unhappy than others believe.

Under occupation people hide their real emotions

This topic is very interesting. People from former Soviet states learned what and when to say. Sometimes in brutal inhumane way. Saying that dad brought some sausage or construction material from work was a thing kids learned not to say in public very early. There were many things no to say. Like Xmas or Easter celebrations were topic for family members only. Burial with a priest was tabu. Grandfather fighting Soviet occupation was a big secret kids never knew about. Knowing that having and reading some books were a way to have big troubles. You needed to get mature quickly to live normal life under Soviet occupation. It was really shocking when I arrived in West Germany that guys in their 30s were behaving like Soviet teens.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#33

Post by uwagar »

iammjm wrote: post #19

More like: USSR propaganda in 100 photographs. One “man in space” vs millions of people devoid of plumbing and basic products, all living in a repressive orwellian society. The aftermath is still tangible: former satellite states are even after 30 years behind Western Europe economically, the former USSR republics are either marginalised, autocratic or in active war for their survival against their former colonial ma…

as if this society is not orwellian. think snowden.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#34

Post by hn_submit »

iammjm wrote: post #19

More like: USSR propaganda in 100 photographs. One “man in space” vs millions of people devoid of plumbing and basic products, all living in a repressive orwellian society. The aftermath is still tangible: former satellite states are even after 30 years behind Western Europe economically, the former USSR republics are either marginalised, autocratic or in active war for their survival against their former colonial ma…

Is plumbing seen as the pinnacle of human development? We lived without it until the late 19th century whilst in Mesopotamia they had sewage systems, plumbing and even toilet bowls 5000 years ago. The Romans sewers built before the birth of Christ are still in use today.

Note that even today hundreds of millions in India and China still don't have access to modern toilets or sewage systems.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#35

Post by Arodex »

epolanski wrote: post #22
Toutouxc wrote: post #10

I grew up in an ex-eastern bloc country, so I’m familiar with some of the aesthetics and even echoes of the Soviet mentality. The images fill me with despair. So much human potential wasted.

Me too, Poland, but I don't share the sentiment a bit. I'm not denying things are better now, but they are also much more complex, people socialize way less, neighborhoods that were filled with life are now filled by cars taking any corner and you barely see anybody sitting outside and just talking. People are way more anxious and less happy, have no kids at all. Are we better overall? Sure. If you look at the financ…

>they are also much more complex, people socialize way less, neighborhoods that were filled with life are now filled by cars taking any corner and you barely see anybody sitting outside and just talking.

People are way more anxious and less happy, have no kids at all.

This is also the contrast you can see in countries that didn't live under a single-party rule with a secret police that can disappear you at any moment.

What you describe is the disease of modernity, and you wouldn't get a safer happier result if the USSR was back or never disappeared.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#36

Post by twolegs »

epolanski wrote: post #22
Toutouxc wrote: post #10

I grew up in an ex-eastern bloc country, so I’m familiar with some of the aesthetics and even echoes of the Soviet mentality. The images fill me with despair. So much human potential wasted.

Me too, Poland, but I don't share the sentiment a bit. I'm not denying things are better now, but they are also much more complex, people socialize way less, neighborhoods that were filled with life are now filled by cars taking any corner and you barely see anybody sitting outside and just talking. People are way more anxious and less happy, have no kids at all. Are we better overall? Sure. If you look at the financ…

That’s a false comparison. People socialising less today has nothing to do with the end of communism. Poland becoming freer, safer and vastly more prosperous is a lot more than just a “financial angle.”

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#37

Post by Arodex »

epolanski wrote: post #26
keiferski wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These kinds of articles are only popular in places that had no direct experience of life in the USSR. No one in Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, etc. looks back on the time with fondness.

I'm Polish and your statement is absolutely false. Things were simply different. My family had an absolutely happy life for all the generations that followed WW2.

So your family belonged to the nomenklatura, or was completely submissive to the Party...

Are you certain your parents weren't informants for the SB?

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#38

Post by cogman10 »

craftkiller wrote: post #20

What's going on with the photo of the children standing around a light wearing sunglasses? My first thought was tanning booth but surely they weren't tanning children?

Likely it was UV exposure to raise the kids vitamin D. I'm guessing this was something for northern parts of russia. (Yes, they were tanning the kids :D)

Skin cancer from sun exposure wasn't something I think they'd have considered in the USSR.

Re: The USSR in 100 Photographs

#40

Post by mnky9800n »

lnsru wrote: post #32
Eriks wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Under occupation people hide their real emotions

This topic is very interesting. People from former Soviet states learned what and when to say. Sometimes in brutal inhumane way. Saying that dad brought some sausage or construction material from work was a thing kids learned not to say in public very early. There were many things no to say. Like Xmas or Easter celebrations were topic for family members only. Burial with a priest was tabu. Grandfather fighting Soviet…

It’s not so bad to keep your mouth shut. Americans blab about everything constantly.
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