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I have spent weeks and months even on and off since 2009 in Hungary. Last visit, albeit just two days long, ended today, actually. I am well versed in the neofe

by _ugfj 5y ago

I have spent weeks and months even on and off since 2009 in Hungary. Last visit, albeit just two days long, ended today, actually. I am well versed in the neofeudalism that Orban has wrought. And yet, look at my dates -- Orban is a symptom of much worse. I do not know where you grew up but the playgrounds were fucking dystopian. Do you remember the ping-pong tables? I do. I remember them all too well. They were raw concrete with a piece of metal for a net, it had holes in , but still. Try to pay ping-pong on a non-at-all smooth surface if you can. I could continue with the slides, the see-saws and all. As for the schools do not get me started. If you speak Hungarian I wrote down our education journey at https://www.reddit.com/r/hungary/comments/he9c9s/a_mi_t%C3%B6rt%C3%A9net%C3%BCnknek_magyarorsz%C3%A1gon_v%C3%A9ge_elmes%C3%A9lem/ https://www.reddit.com/r/hungary/comments/he9c9s/a_mi_t%C3%B... tl;dr: I financed a micro reform school for five long, long years, 2015-2020. And the hopelessness is no longer valid because you can leave. Also: you should.

torginus 5y ago
Regardless of the particular merits of Socialism/Capitalism, I think we agree on the main point - the replacement of the Soviet system didn't significantly (if at all) improve the lives of it's former citizens - the main advantage seems to be it's easier to emigrate from it.
- chx 5y ago
  I vehemently disagree with this. Yes, life still sucks to an extent but not living under the boot, velvet wrapped or not, still matters quite a bit. And there are quite a few comforts of life now available which you couldn't even dream of back then. It's really not even comparable. I needed to re-learn what sort of foods I like or not because I was eating such crap for the first half of my life. You can buy much higher quality food and in much bigger selection. There are restaurants worth going to. Life really did get better.

by _ugfj 5y ago

torginus 5y ago

Regardless of the particular merits of Socialism/Capitalism, I think we agree on the main point - the replacement of the Soviet system didn't significantly (if at all) improve the lives of it's former citizens - the main advantage seems to be it's easier to emigrate from it.

chx 5y ago
I vehemently disagree with this. Yes, life still sucks to an extent but not living under the boot, velvet wrapped or not, still matters quite a bit. And there are quite a few comforts of life now available which you couldn't even dream of back then. It's really not even comparable. I needed to re-learn what sort of foods I like or not because I was eating such crap for the first half of my life. You can buy much higher quality food and in much bigger selection. There are restaurants worth going to. Life really did get better.