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[mainiac]

As per tradition the germans shall remain the only ones to apologize for their geopolitics.

[FearfulJesuit]

As per tradition the germans shall remain the only ones to apologize for their geopolitics.

don't mention the war

[Sheb]

Mainiac, it's not so much that the Russians think their foreign policy is good, its just that they don't really care any more.

[Knit tie]

Mainiac, it's not so much that the Russians think their foreign policy is good, its just that they don't really care any more.

I think now you are beginning to understand the "mysterious" Russian mindset: "Why love, why suffer? I'll better go eat something and take a nap." (Notice the parallels with dorf psychology.)

And there's also a much more ruder and sexist version of that, told to me by a construction worker:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Why should I love? Why should I suffer? I'll better find your mom and stuff 'er!"

But how did you come to this conclusion, Sheb?

[Knit tie]

So the thing about Russians is less that they're mysterious, more they just don't really care?

As far as politics go, no they don't.

[Sheb]

Well, it's not exactly a mystery. Look at how every defense of Putin here is "He sucks, but everyone else is at least that bad" or "At least it's not the 90's".

Or at the RT-led propaganda effort directed at the West, which boils down to "Yeah, Russia ain't great, but why oppose it, the West is just as bad."

The political cynicism of Russians is both famous and self-evident. It's just that most of the time I'm debating Putin's actions rather than the Russian's opinion of his actions.

[Knit tie]

Well, it's not exactly a mystery. Look at how every defense of Putin here is "He sucks, but everyone else is at least that bad" or "At least it's not the 90's".

Or at the RT-led propaganda effort directed at the West, which boils down to "Yeah, Russia ain't great, but why oppose it, the West is just as bad."

The political cynicism of Russians is both famous and self-evident. It's just that most of the time I'm debating Putin's actions rather than the Russian's opinion of his actions.

But you are the first English-speaking guy I've seen who makes this connection between the Russians' lack of protests and lack of care! Everybody else (I know and talk to in the University of Edinburgh as well as all the British media I read) just assumes that we do not protest agains Putin because we actively condone his actions.

[Sheb]

Well, I've been following Russia quite closely ever since the Russian Army bombed my dad in Georgia (Well, bombed the general country he was in at least  ), I lik Russian litterature (Life and Fate is probably my favourtie novel), and I've read a lot of Soviet history too, because I love the period.

So I guess I just know a tiny little bit more about the Russian psyche than your average Westerner (Stress on the tiny bit part: I've yet to even set foot in Russia, if you don't count South Ossetia).

[Frumple]

Maybe they were just trying to be charitable? I've met many people that hold that apathy is worse than malice.

[Sheb]

Also, I just love that quote from Knit Tie's article.

“When there are potatoes, it’s a good day,” she says. “When there are no potatoes, it’s a bad day.”

Somehow, I can totally picture you saying that Frumple.

[Darvi]

Maybe they were just trying to be charitable? I've met many people that hold that apathy is worse than malice.

That realization that I might be an even worse person than I previously thought.

[LordSlowpoke]

Maybe they were just trying to be charitable? I've met many people that hold that apathy is worse than malice.

That realization that I might be an even worse person than I previously thought.

you do realize that it's bullshit right

how does not caring about something be worse than caring about something but in the context of fucking it up

[Frumple]

Think the sentiment goes something along the lines of, "At least you consider it important enough to fuck up." Implication being you're a terrible person for considering the subject not even worthy of notice... better to care and do ill than not care at all, et al. At least you think the issue matters. Better than both to care and do well, but *shrugs*

In relation to the geopolitical actions of one's nation, it's not an entirely unfounded sentiment. Apathy has almost certainly done more damage to the political landscape world round over the years than malignant self interest, after all...

Don't entirely agree, myself, but I see the sentiment fairly often and I don't entirely disagree, either. Not the full truth, but perhaps part of it.

“When there are potatoes, it’s a good day,” she says. “When there are no potatoes, it’s a bad day.”

Somehow, I can totally picture you saying that Frumple.

Is good saying, really. I don't entirely base my day to day happiness on potatoes, but that might change if I didn't have casual access to them. They're a... how's it go, hygiene need, something like that. Possession of potatoes does not bring happiness, but lack of them brings unhappiness.

E: Actually, possession of potatoes does bring happiness. They're just neither a necessary nor sufficient cause for a good day. Not being able to get them if desired is arguably a sufficient (if not necessary) cause for a bad day, though.

[Knit tie]

Well, I've been following Russia quite closely ever since the Russian Army bombed my dad in Georgia (Well, bombed the general country he was in at least  ), I lik Russian litterature (Life and Fate is probably my favourtie novel), and I've read a lot of Soviet history too, because I love the period.

So I guess I just know a tiny little bit more about the Russian psyche than your average Westerner (Stress on the tiny bit part: I've yet to even set foot in Russia, if you don't count South Ossetia).

Ah yes, the Russia-Georiga conflict, where Saakashvili powertripped the hell out and decided to invade South Ossetia, and then fed the western media a huge plate of baloney.

In terms of wartime writers, my favorite one (and a personal role model concurrently) is Nikolai Obrynba, who wrote an excellent book "Fate of a militiaman" which has a rather inferior English translation named "Red Partisan", which I nevertheless highly recommend even though it leaves out a fair amount of the author's excellent internal monologue.

[mainiac]

So your accusation is that he did to the poor Russians what you applaud the Russians for doing in Ukraine?