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It's funny when Western social media synonymizes "modernization", "westernization" and "brighter future". Especially since it was very recently that huge struc

It's funny when Western social media synonymizes "modernization", "westernization" and "brighter future". Especially since it was very recently that huge structural transformations in Russia (Gorby's shock therapy) brought "westernization", "modernization" and a "brighter future" to Russia - in at least all of the US reporting. The shock therapy brought democracy (yes Russians vote) and economic liberalization (yes Russia is Capitalist society). It also broke what had been of an existing soviet union (another thing for the US to cheer about). This constantly unobtainable quality that the US really would like Russia to achieve is submission to decision making for the world centered in Washington, and until that is achieved according to "western" (sic) reports, Russia will not have modernized, and will not have a brighter future. This kind of exceptionlist rhetoric holds ubiquity over much conversation in the American bubble, but it's pretty embarrassing when you see that it has no clothes. Russia sees itself as uniquely important to world leadership. So does the United States. Neither is about ready to submit to the other's leadership in world affairs. Prospects for both Americans and Russians in the future are down, and citizens in both countries are being motivated against one another in jingoistic fashion to promote a national sense of unity and legitimacy. The Chinese, meanwhile, are doing quite well. If they can hurdle some (admittedly big) challenges, they will challenge both Russian and US leadership in the world in a very serious way. This is a unique and important time in history, in which the three major centers of world power may readjust in their orientation toward one another, and the balance of power may shift in ways hopefully not so techtonic there is another war between major powers (as it would be truly horrific).

flyinghamster 10y ago
>The Chinese, meanwhile, are doing quite well. If they can hurdle some (admittedly big) challenges, they will challenge both Russian and US leadership in the world in a very serious way. On the other hand, our incoming wildcard of a president seems to be ready to tilt away from China and towards Russia, though what really happens will be impossible to predict. I'm wondering if this rapprochement may come down to both nations' concerns about China. Watching the US/Russia/China dance over the years has made me think that Orwell was eerily prophetic, even if he didn't get the year right. "But we've always been at war with Eastasia!"
- xnull2guest 10y ago
  America has been at war with East Asia only since around the 1940s. But yeah given Orwell was English, they've been at war there for hundreds of years.
woodandsteel 10y ago
So what you are saying is it is good Russia is corrupt, dysfunctional and authoritarian because it helps Putin in his drive to gain superpower status for his country.
- woodandsteel 10y ago
  Let me add that you look at things this way because, like most Russians, you have a highly win-lose view of international relations.
- xnull2guest 10y ago
  No you completely missed the point, which is that the US has and does overthrow democracies for National Security and global power ambitions. Authoritarianism is an excuse for US activity and reforms in Russia that would make it more efficient but as strong willed and committed to global leadership would pose a greater - not lesser - challenge to American interests. The same analysis, of course, applies in the other direction. Repeating propaganda about some eccentricities in the style of governance or opinions about fairness/happiness, be it old Cold War rhetoric or new 21st Century Great Game rhetoric, misses the crucial axis on which state competition functions and inevitably renders resulting commentary/analysis petty and wanting. There's plenty to read in America about the creepy and corrupt Russians and plenty to read in Russia about the creepy and corrupt Americans. But if you're wanting to follow the present like someone in the future is going to read a history book, the fairy tail elements, "good and evil", finger and blame pointing, and apologism have to go in favor of a sober realpolitik.

flyinghamster 10y ago

>The Chinese, meanwhile, are doing quite well. If they can hurdle some (admittedly big) challenges, they will challenge both Russian and US leadership in the world in a very serious way. On the other hand, our incoming wildcard of a president seems to be ready to tilt away from China and towards Russia, though what really happens will be impossible to predict. I'm wondering if this rapprochement may come down to both nations' concerns about China. Watching the US/Russia/China dance over the years has made me think that Orwell was eerily prophetic, even if he didn't get the year right. "But we've always been at war with Eastasia!"

xnull2guest 10y ago
America has been at war with East Asia only since around the 1940s. But yeah given Orwell was English, they've been at war there for hundreds of years.

woodandsteel 10y ago

So what you are saying is it is good Russia is corrupt, dysfunctional and authoritarian because it helps Putin in his drive to gain superpower status for his country.

woodandsteel 10y ago
Let me add that you look at things this way because, like most Russians, you have a highly win-lose view of international relations.
xnull2guest 10y ago
No you completely missed the point, which is that the US has and does overthrow democracies for National Security and global power ambitions. Authoritarianism is an excuse for US activity and reforms in Russia that would make it more efficient but as strong willed and committed to global leadership would pose a greater - not lesser - challenge to American interests. The same analysis, of course, applies in the other direction. Repeating propaganda about some eccentricities in the style of governance or opinions about fairness/happiness, be it old Cold War rhetoric or new 21st Century Great Game rhetoric, misses the crucial axis on which state competition functions and inevitably renders resulting commentary/analysis petty and wanting. There's plenty to read in America about the creepy and corrupt Russians and plenty to read in Russia about the creepy and corrupt Americans. But if you're wanting to follow the present like someone in the future is going to read a history book, the fairy tail elements, "good and evil", finger and blame pointing, and apologism have to go in favor of a sober realpolitik.