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> I've found it interesting that nearly every anti-protestor comments about the Ukraine situation here have been Russians (as per their profiles). A solid 75%+

by Mikeb85 13y ago

> I've found it interesting that nearly every anti-protestor comments about the Ukraine situation here have been Russians (as per their profiles). A solid 75%+ anyway, for the last three threads. Why is that? Because they can read primary sources... Most of the supporters of the protesters know nothing of the situation except what the English-speaking media filters to them, and what some protester writes on a blog (because that wouldn't be biased at all...).

PavlovsCat 13y ago
Surely you don't mean to say Russians couldn't possibly be biased as well?
- Mikeb85 13y ago
  Everyone has their biases. It's not as if Russians in the US are particularly pro-Putin.
  - PavlovsCat 13y ago
    > Everyone has their biases. True. But that also means to say certain opinions are flawed because of bias is kind of pointless, isn't it? what some protester writes on a blog (because that wouldn't be biased at all...) At least it's first-hand bias. Those people put their lives on the line, literally, so while I agree one shouldn't just take a handful opinions and believe them, I think you can't just easily dismiss them for being protesters, either. It takes a lot of material to come even to a tentative conclusion, but it's possible. Then you'll still be biased but I guess that's the price of being human.
mtrimpe 13y ago
And Russian media is likewise heavily propagandized. The truth is that it's simply a complex issue about a country with a deep ideological divide which is being pulled on by the two super-powers it's wedged between. There's a lot of power-play going on here, especially with Putin's desire to have Sochi (the winter games) look good, which is evidenced by things such as the massive discount on natural gas offered by Russia in exchange for not signing the treaty with the EU (which sparked the protests originally.) That's why Russian media focuses mostly on the fact that the majority of people on the street are extremists (i.e. people who love to fight,) conveniently ignoring the fact that a large amount are also just normal citizens truly representing the movement and a much, much larger amount of people are expressing their support on social media.
- Mikeb85 13y ago
  > And Russian media is likewise heavily propagandized. More 'propagandised' than our media? Every single news item we get concerning Russia and Ukraine is filtered through the 'Putin is an evil dictator lens', we get nothing even remotely close to the truth... Source: friends from Russia and Ukraine.
  - mtrimpe 13y ago
    Likewise (adverb): 1. in the same way; also 2. in a like manner; similarly
    - Mikeb85 13y ago
      My bad, missed part of that.
- colin_jack 13y ago
  > Sochi (the winter games) look good What with the homophobia and corruption scandals I doubt that's even possible anymore.
  - mtrimpe 13y ago
    All the more reason for him not to lose Ukraine to Europe at the same time.

by Mikeb85 13y ago

PavlovsCat 13y ago

Surely you don't mean to say Russians couldn't possibly be biased as well?

Mikeb85 13y ago
Everyone has their biases. It's not as if Russians in the US are particularly pro-Putin.
- PavlovsCat 13y ago
  > Everyone has their biases. True. But that also means to say certain opinions are flawed because of bias is kind of pointless, isn't it? what some protester writes on a blog (because that wouldn't be biased at all...) At least it's first-hand bias. Those people put their lives on the line, literally, so while I agree one shouldn't just take a handful opinions and believe them, I think you can't just easily dismiss them for being protesters, either. It takes a lot of material to come even to a tentative conclusion, but it's possible. Then you'll still be biased but I guess that's the price of being human.

mtrimpe 13y ago

And Russian media is likewise heavily propagandized. The truth is that it's simply a complex issue about a country with a deep ideological divide which is being pulled on by the two super-powers it's wedged between. There's a lot of power-play going on here, especially with Putin's desire to have Sochi (the winter games) look good, which is evidenced by things such as the massive discount on natural gas offered by Russia in exchange for not signing the treaty with the EU (which sparked the protests originally.) That's why Russian media focuses mostly on the fact that the majority of people on the street are extremists (i.e. people who love to fight,) conveniently ignoring the fact that a large amount are also just normal citizens truly representing the movement and a much, much larger amount of people are expressing their support on social media.

Mikeb85 13y ago
> And Russian media is likewise heavily propagandized. More 'propagandised' than our media? Every single news item we get concerning Russia and Ukraine is filtered through the 'Putin is an evil dictator lens', we get nothing even remotely close to the truth... Source: friends from Russia and Ukraine.
- mtrimpe 13y ago
  Likewise (adverb): 1. in the same way; also 2. in a like manner; similarly
  - Mikeb85 13y ago
    My bad, missed part of that.
colin_jack 13y ago
> Sochi (the winter games) look good What with the homophobia and corruption scandals I doubt that's even possible anymore.
- mtrimpe 13y ago
  All the more reason for him not to lose Ukraine to Europe at the same time.