Excellent. .... Reading this gives me some new thoughts about why Americans have so much difficulty seeing fascism in Ukraine. The fictionalized versions of World War 2 that we all watched in movies over the last few decades gave a narrow view of fascism. Mostly, the movies said that "we" are full of sympathetic characters, always ready to have a good time, even if it is during a snatched moment between difficult times, whereas "they" are dour, unsympathetic characters who will kill prisoners at the least provocation. That's the whole difference between "us" and "them." Don't worry about boring things like government, or omitted context. Now, we know that Russians are dour and unsympathetic, as that's how they've been portrayed in the movies and tv shows for decades; most of them are in the Bratva and have huge muscles. But Ukraine is great -- look at Zelenskyy's television appearances, always full of smiles. What more could we need to know?
Not a Ze or NATO fan as you know though would add that Russia has a nice dose of fascism...Eric Draitser interviewed Jason Stanley on that some months ago; it was interesting. I should have added that studying and knowing history helps folks understand not only what is old but what is new and unprecedented.
Excellent. .... Reading this gives me some new thoughts about why Americans have so much difficulty seeing fascism in Ukraine. The fictionalized versions of World War 2 that we all watched in movies over the last few decades gave a narrow view of fascism. Mostly, the movies said that "we" are full of sympathetic characters, always ready to have a good time, even if it is during a snatched moment between difficult times, whereas "they" are dour, unsympathetic characters who will kill prisoners at the least provocation. That's the whole difference between "us" and "them." Don't worry about boring things like government, or omitted context. Now, we know that Russians are dour and unsympathetic, as that's how they've been portrayed in the movies and tv shows for decades; most of them are in the Bratva and have huge muscles. But Ukraine is great -- look at Zelenskyy's television appearances, always full of smiles. What more could we need to know?
Not a Ze or NATO fan as you know though would add that Russia has a nice dose of fascism...Eric Draitser interviewed Jason Stanley on that some months ago; it was interesting. I should have added that studying and knowing history helps folks understand not only what is old but what is new and unprecedented.