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That's a smart take I have not fully thought through. Beyond just economically, perhaps potential big gains politically by using money & leverage to become the

That's a smart take I have not fully thought through. Beyond just economically, perhaps potential big gains politically by using money & leverage to become the controlling mother that Russia is to Belarus, making russia the dependent & ruled child.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago
I feel this is the real selling point of democracy and free media, its hard for a foreign nation to buy an entire electorate. Several nations seem to be setting themselves up for irrelevence by undermining democracy, usually at the behest of powerful groups within the country, but to do so they basically need to pay a bunch of people to tell lies. They've then created a network that external corporations and government actors can take advantage of. If the Russian news suddenly started telling the truth mixed with 30% Chinese propaganda, then to the average Russian that would be noticeably more true than what they are getting now. Would the presenters tell blatant Chinese lies to decieve their people? Well apart from the chinese bit they obviously do, so you basically hope they're all actually insane true-believers, because if theyre just ordinary Russians spreading obvious BS in return for a decent paycheck then thats an obvious weak point for the nation. And Russia knows this is viable, as they do it to other nations.
- erichocean 5y ago
  > its hard for a foreign nation to buy an entire electorate You sure? According to the US government, a few hundred thousand dollars on Facebook ads was enough to buy a US President (c.f Trump, Donald J).
  - ZeroGravitas 5y ago
    The US was one of the countries I was talking about that intentionally undermined their own democracy. Did Trump win the popular vote? Would he have had any chance in a proportional voting system? Or if you had to vote? (He himself says no Republican could be elected if people could easily vote). Who made that possible and why?
    - dillondoyle 5y ago
      No. No. No. The constitution, state, and county voting laws.
threeseed 5y ago
This would make Russia the second child after North Korea.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago

I feel this is the real selling point of democracy and free media, its hard for a foreign nation to buy an entire electorate. Several nations seem to be setting themselves up for irrelevence by undermining democracy, usually at the behest of powerful groups within the country, but to do so they basically need to pay a bunch of people to tell lies. They've then created a network that external corporations and government actors can take advantage of. If the Russian news suddenly started telling the truth mixed with 30% Chinese propaganda, then to the average Russian that would be noticeably more true than what they are getting now. Would the presenters tell blatant Chinese lies to decieve their people? Well apart from the chinese bit they obviously do, so you basically hope they're all actually insane true-believers, because if theyre just ordinary Russians spreading obvious BS in return for a decent paycheck then thats an obvious weak point for the nation. And Russia knows this is viable, as they do it to other nations.

erichocean 5y ago
> its hard for a foreign nation to buy an entire electorate You sure? According to the US government, a few hundred thousand dollars on Facebook ads was enough to buy a US President (c.f Trump, Donald J).
- ZeroGravitas 5y ago
  The US was one of the countries I was talking about that intentionally undermined their own democracy. Did Trump win the popular vote? Would he have had any chance in a proportional voting system? Or if you had to vote? (He himself says no Republican could be elected if people could easily vote). Who made that possible and why?
  - dillondoyle 5y ago
    No. No. No. The constitution, state, and county voting laws.

threeseed 5y ago

This would make Russia the second child after North Korea.