5 ms·

You can both be right at the same time. It is true Russia was invaded several times over the last few centuries. It is also true that Russia have invaded and an

You can both be right at the same time. It is true Russia was invaded several times over the last few centuries. It is also true that Russia have invaded and annexed many countries over the last few centuries. Evil empires also get invaded once in a while. Sometimes, when everyone else is hostile to you, it can make sense to consider that maybe... just maybe... you might be doing something that triggers their anger. Like, what possible reason might the countries of Eastern Europe have to hate Russia? What possible reason might Ukraine specifically have to hate Russia? Does "Holodomor" ring a bell? It is ironic that the countries of Warsaw Pact were more likely to be invaded by Warsaw Pact than by NATO. > trying to understand what those motivations are, why their culture has evolved the way it has and how it is likely to react to your actions But when we do exactly this, you call it "parroting the news".

Aerbil313 3y ago
> Sometimes, when everyone else is hostile to you Anthromorphizing, just another symptom of the human mind’s inability to really comprehend things as complex as geopolitics. We’re not meant for this, people! Technology has complexified our simple and beautiful world.
- genman 3y ago
  We understand the "geopolitics" very well. We also understand that pretender, that Russia is, always has been and always will be.
  - Aerbil313 3y ago
    We’re not meant to understand any of that. It doesn’t mean a few people devoting their lifes to it can be familiar with a fraction of the actual depth of such complex subjects. https://youtu.be/o1vX03h7w9c https://youtu.be/o1vX03h7w9c
    - candiodari 3y ago
      It's much simpler. People in Ukraine, and everwhere in Eastern Europe compare the future that Russia offers them, and the future the West offers them. I'm sure some are swayed by high minded theoretical ideas, but not many. They choose the West. We all know why. Money you could say, but it's more something like "a better life". And yes, the Holodomor is part of this. That came from the east. Something else starting with "Holo" also came, but from the West. But if Maidan proved anything, it's that the West offers Ukrane a better life, in the mind of Ukranians, a better Future. It's not really about history. And, of course, this government will not let that go. You can say the same about everyone from Estonia to, really, even Turkey (I mean, at this point they're seriously insulted by the West ... but not nearly insulted enough to choose Russia's side). And Russia is afraid. They're "locked in" with impossible to defend borders. They're not friends with the West ... and they're not quite insane enough to imagine China is their friend either. So the idea that Putin initially defended, that without a "buffer zone": countries that will fight or at least obstruct the west, Russia cannot avoid losing large amounts of territory very quickly if it comes to an open conflict, from either side. And they cannot really project power over the sea, without approval from either Europe or China either (or if the Arctic melts, with US agreement). They're fucked, or at least, you have to admit there's a logic there.

Aerbil313 3y ago

> Sometimes, when everyone else is hostile to you Anthromorphizing, just another symptom of the human mind’s inability to really comprehend things as complex as geopolitics. We’re not meant for this, people! Technology has complexified our simple and beautiful world.

genman 3y ago
We understand the "geopolitics" very well. We also understand that pretender, that Russia is, always has been and always will be.
- Aerbil313 3y ago
  We’re not meant to understand any of that. It doesn’t mean a few people devoting their lifes to it can be familiar with a fraction of the actual depth of such complex subjects. https://youtu.be/o1vX03h7w9c https://youtu.be/o1vX03h7w9c
  - candiodari 3y ago
    It's much simpler. People in Ukraine, and everwhere in Eastern Europe compare the future that Russia offers them, and the future the West offers them. I'm sure some are swayed by high minded theoretical ideas, but not many. They choose the West. We all know why. Money you could say, but it's more something like "a better life". And yes, the Holodomor is part of this. That came from the east. Something else starting with "Holo" also came, but from the West. But if Maidan proved anything, it's that the West offers Ukrane a better life, in the mind of Ukranians, a better Future. It's not really about history. And, of course, this government will not let that go. You can say the same about everyone from Estonia to, really, even Turkey (I mean, at this point they're seriously insulted by the West ... but not nearly insulted enough to choose Russia's side). And Russia is afraid. They're "locked in" with impossible to defend borders. They're not friends with the West ... and they're not quite insane enough to imagine China is their friend either. So the idea that Putin initially defended, that without a "buffer zone": countries that will fight or at least obstruct the west, Russia cannot avoid losing large amounts of territory very quickly if it comes to an open conflict, from either side. And they cannot really project power over the sea, without approval from either Europe or China either (or if the Arctic melts, with US agreement). They're fucked, or at least, you have to admit there's a logic there.