“Many Russians, even among those who oppose Russia’s war against Ukraine, still hesitate to take responsibility, blaming the invasion on NATO provocation or conspiracy theories about US meddling and a coup.”
The author dismisses these ideas as though NATO isn’t a challenge to their interests, and as through the US has never meddled or assisted with a coup. The entire affair is more convincingly explained if you consider that these fears might be warranted, rather than having to resort to some kind of unfalsifiable group psychoanalysis.
>We both observed a common thread among Russian intellectuals, society, and the regime: the idea of Russian imperial goodness. This is the belief that Russia brings benevolence and doesn’t understand why others are not grateful. As you know, Catherine the Great justified the colonization of the Caucasus as a Christian mission of kindness. Such liberal Russian historians, ardent critics of Vladimir Putin, as Yuri Pivovarov claim that Russian colonialism was beneficial or even crucial for the survival of the colonized. He recently suggested that non-Russian benefited from the Russian empire because its authors were translated into Russian language and became known to more people, suggesting that otherwise the “savages” were not even known to the world.
Yes, this idea of russian innocence is one that has been peddled by the russian author ivan illyn in his works and has been adopted by putin for his own fascism of today.
Guess thats not what people mean when talking about reading theory though. As fascist literature is often forgotten and academically understanding it could give us a more thourough understanding of the thought process behind fascism in the modern day as a means to combat its influence.
3 comments
“Many Russians, even among those who oppose Russia’s war against Ukraine, still hesitate to take responsibility, blaming the invasion on NATO provocation or conspiracy theories about US meddling and a coup.”
The author dismisses these ideas as though NATO isn’t a challenge to their interests, and as through the US has never meddled or assisted with a coup. The entire affair is more convincingly explained if you consider that these fears might be warranted, rather than having to resort to some kind of unfalsifiable group psychoanalysis.
>We both observed a common thread among Russian intellectuals, society, and the regime: the idea of Russian imperial goodness. This is the belief that Russia brings benevolence and doesn’t understand why others are not grateful. As you know, Catherine the Great justified the colonization of the Caucasus as a Christian mission of kindness. Such liberal Russian historians, ardent critics of Vladimir Putin, as Yuri Pivovarov claim that Russian colonialism was beneficial or even crucial for the survival of the colonized. He recently suggested that non-Russian benefited from the Russian empire because its authors were translated into Russian language and became known to more people, suggesting that otherwise the “savages” were not even known to the world.
Where did I heard this before..?
Oh yes.
The [Empire of Liberty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Liberty)
And the [Civilizing of Barbarians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua%E2%80%93Yi_distinction)
Typical imperialist shticks to justify behavior…
Yes, this idea of russian innocence is one that has been peddled by the russian author ivan illyn in his works and has been adopted by putin for his own fascism of today.
Guess thats not what people mean when talking about reading theory though. As fascist literature is often forgotten and academically understanding it could give us a more thourough understanding of the thought process behind fascism in the modern day as a means to combat its influence.