Will Russia Become a New Superpower?

[soulman]

Must admit I agree with this been here 2 months so far this year and its easy to see why people are pessimistic. Yesterday someone for the first time here actually smiled back at me (was a baby in a pram that I was waving at and generally playing the clown for), even the mother just scowled at me as if I was teaching the kid bad habits.

What do you think is the reason for the pessimism?

 

[DotCommunist]

What do you think is the reason for the pessimism?

 

[soulman]

That looks a bit dodgy. What's it meant to represent?

 

[DotCommunist]

That looks a bit dodgy. What's it meant to represent?

it's a poster from the worryingly popular NazBol group who are basically nazis. They have found it handy and useful to appropriate soviet realist iconography.

 

[Dillinger4]

 

[soulman]

it's a poster from the worryingly popular NazBol group who are basically nazis. They have found it handy and useful to appropriate soviet realist iconography.

When you say popular what do you mean exactly? You think people are turning to this weird idea of national bolshevism because the CP no longer offers a future for the people?

 

[peterkro]

Rolf's not looking too well.

 

[DotCommunist]

When you say popular what do you mean exactly? You think people are turning to this weird idea of national bolshevism because the CP no longer offers a future for the people?

I am no expert on the subject, but from my casual viewing the neo-nazi NazBol party are drawing support and power from people too young to remember the horrors of stalinist era cp and thoroughly dissatisfied with the ruinous and entirely corrupt non-power of the current cp.

 

[frogwoman]

i like the way all of the swastikas are cleverly disguised ...

 

[soulman]

I'm no expert either. There may well be a growth in right wing / fascist / neo nazi activity but I'm not sure if that really has an impact on the stats about population growth, or explains why Russian women appear to be so depressed.

 

[DotCommunist]

i like the way all of the swastikas are cleverly disguised ...

I thought they were glaringl obvious


but then I was looking for them

 

[DotCommunist]

I'm no expert either. There may well be a growth in right wing / fascist / neo nazi activity but I'm not sure if that really has an impact on the stats about population growth, or explains why Russian women appear to be so depressed.

what is the 20th century social history of russia? overwhelmingly rape, murder and state sponsored murders.

That may go some way to explaining the prevailing pessimism imo

 

[frogwoman]

I thought they were glaringl obvious


but then I was looking for them

and i love the way they are all backwards or otherwise distorted, it add a certain "sophistication" to what would otherwise be a really tacky fascit poster ...

 

[soulman]

what is the 20th century social history of russia? overwhelmingly rape, murder and state sponsored murders.

That may go some way to explaining the prevailing pessimism imo

And on that cheery note...

 

[DotCommunist]

And on that cheery note...

if you want happiness contact hallmark inc

 

[lobster]

if you want happiness contact hallmark inc

or go to Denmark

 

[david dissadent]

The bitter irony is that the statue is a tribute to the dead in the great patriotic war.

 

[Fuchs66]

What do you think is the reason for the pessimism?

From what I gather the difference they see in the media and the realism when they open the door.

They hear from PM/president Putin/Medvedev how Russia is great and a world power and how they're dragging in billions through oil and gas sales and then they step outside to thick mud on the streets and pre-89 busses and trams that still have hammer and sickles on the front, no job or extremely low paid job and the struggle of merely exisiting.

 

[gorski]

True - but loadsa Amercians are in seriously shitty condition, too. Over 20% are in dire poverty and that's flooring...

Compare with Sweden...

 

[kyser_soze]

Russia's birthrate was low during the Soviet era, and it's not improved since, so you have to look at longer term factors than the robber baron model of capitalism they've got.

 

[Fuchs66]

True - but loadsa Amercians are in seriously shitty condition, too. Over 20% are in dire poverty and that's flooring...

Thats true there may be poverty in the States BUT seeing as I tend to shuttle between these 2 countries at the moment I get some kind of comparison and there is at least a sense of hope in the States which seems to be missing here. Over here society itself seems to have to a large extent given up its as if everyone is waiting for someone else to make things better rather than doing something themselves, you see people sweeping the streets here and the bits theyve swept are just as dirty as those they haven't got to but they go through the motions because someone has told them to.

Russia tends to depress me even though I'm only here for 6 weeks at a time, I can really understand the high alcoholism and suicide rates here.

E2A dont get me wrong the USA has some pretty major problems too and you wont find me cheerleading for them as a society but at least the people (or at least those I meet) seem to have more get up and go and optimism about them.