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[Knit tie]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.


@UR: I don't talk about Ukraine's economic problems here because this thread is not about Ukraine and also because I think that taking joy in other people's troubles is not a nice thing to do, even though I am guilty of doing this in the third Ukraine thread.

[Guardian G.I.]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.

Russia's continuing existence has always made a lot of civilized Western folks really mad. Many of these folks tried to put an end to it, but they perished.

[Knit tie]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.

Russia's continuing existence has always made a lot of civilized Western folks really mad. Many of these folks tried to put an end to it, but they perished.

We even have a saying: "whoever comes to us with a sword, shall perish by it." So far it has been true.

[MonkeyHead]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.

Russia's continuing existence has always made a lot of civilized Western folks really mad. Many of these folks tried to put an end to it, but they perished.

This is point I see raised a lot. Most "civilized western folk" have held no such attitude since the fall of the USSR. Even then, it was not Russia or the Russians that were "hated" - it was Communism. Most of us "nothing" Russia - no love, no hate, just beige ambivalence which we have for most other nations, and more recently a sense of disdain for the actions of your current leader, and mistrust for some of the attitudes displayed by your state influenced media and by proxy your society. In any sense, no anger. No being mad. A few leaders may have made Russia (or Russia's leaders) an enemy in the past, but no more often than they made enemies of any other nation, or Russia themselves made enemies. I suspect a lot of Russia's populace is shovelled news/propaganda telling them how much we in the west apparently hate them, and shovel it up with glee.

[Erkki]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.

Russia's continuing existence has always made a lot of civilized Western folks really mad. Many of these folks tried to put an end to it, but they perished.

Rather, Russia's continued failed attempts at competing with the rest of the world are driving many Russians so mad they will rather dig up some past successes(or rather events perceived as such) than concentrate on what should be done and who's responsible for the situation at hand(if the last is done, it cant be themselves, ever). This is no mystery, as saber rattling and yelling is always easier than looking at the mirror.

See?

As MonkeyHead says above, the perception of West being Russia's enemy and hating you all is just that, a self built perception. Get over your glorious Russian selves.

[Descan]

It's basically a persecution complex. "The West hates us! That's why we have to defend ourselves [by invading our neighbors and sabre-rattling.]"

[Knit tie]

Has anyone ever mentioned that this thread could probably do with some fire retardant sometimes?

All discussions about Russia are always high on vitriol and low on civility. Why this happens - science is puzzled, but this phenomenon has been observed as far back as in the early years of the Russian Empire.

Now you know.

Russia's continuing existence has always made a lot of civilized Western folks really mad. Many of these folks tried to put an end to it, but they perished.

This is point I see raised a lot. Most "civilized western folk" have held no such attitude since the fall of the USSR. Even then, it was not Russia or the Russians that were "hated" - it was Communism. Most of us "nothing" Russia - no love, no hate, just beige ambivalence which we have for most other nations, and more recently a sense of disdain for the actions of your current leader, and mistrust for some of the attitudes displayed by your state influenced media and by proxy your society. In any sense, no anger. No being mad. A few leaders may have made Russia (or Russia's leaders) an enemy in the past, but no more often than they made enemies of any other nation, or Russia themselves made enemies. I suspect a lot of Russia's populace is shovelled news/propaganda telling them how much we in the west apparently hate them, and shovel it up with glee.

Guardian is obviously exaggerating in an attempt to make a joke. Please don't take everything us pro-Russians say so seriously, we like to post deliberately over-the-top things as well as everybody else does.

@Descan and Erkki: Most Russians aren't as crazy as you think they are. They are just fatalistic and apathetic, and thus appear to be crazy by not protesting against skeevy stuff our politicians do.

[Helgoland]

Why should we hate Russia? Its economy is fairly unimportant and its only significant contributions to ours are imports of raw materials and hydrocarbons. It no longer opresses our people, it no longer is a deadly threat - the most significant emotion Russia will evoke is slight annoyance and a certain nostalgic fear, an old reflex, only still around because nobody quite internalized yet that Russia was but one part of the USSR.

[Knit tie]

Why should we hate Russia? Its economy is fairly unimportant and its only significant contributions to ours are imports of raw materials and hydrocarbons. It no longer opresses our people, it no longer is a deadly threat - the most significant emotion Russia will evoke is slight annoyance and a certain nostalgic fear, an old reflex, only still around because nobody quite internalized yet that Russia was but one part of the USSR.

Nobody is saying you hate Russia. Guardian was making a joke, for Christ's sake.

Guardian, please tell them you were making a joke. They appear to have taken your remark personally.

[Sergarr]

It was the biggest part, however. And the core one, seeing as the Russian Empire was named, well, Russian.

Even if Russia looks comparatively weak today, it needs remembering that it wasn't simply granted all these territory it has now. It conquered them.

It's certainly too early for you to declare us completely irrelevant, Helgoland. You speak as if history moves in only one direction, but this is untrue. History moves in a spiral, and events tend to reoccur, even if in a different way than before.

[Knit tie]

Sergarr - our answer to UR, nationalism included.

Once again, I'd like to mention that I, Guardian and most Russians do not agree with his views.

[Guardian G.I.]

Why should we hate Russia? Its economy is fairly unimportant and its only significant contributions to ours are imports of raw materials and hydrocarbons. It no longer opresses our people, it no longer is a deadly threat - the most significant emotion Russia will evoke is slight annoyance and a certain nostalgic fear, an old reflex, only still around because nobody quite internalized yet that Russia was but one part of the USSR.

Nobody is saying you hate Russia. Guardian was making a joke, for Christ's sake.

Guardian, please tell them you were making a joke. They appear to have taken your remark personally.

I was kinda serious there, I'm afraid. But anyway, the past can't be changed.

[Sergarr]

Guardian G.I.: 1 Knit tie: 0

moral: don't put your words into the mouth of others

[Knit tie]

Why should we hate Russia? Its economy is fairly unimportant and its only significant contributions to ours are imports of raw materials and hydrocarbons. It no longer opresses our people, it no longer is a deadly threat - the most significant emotion Russia will evoke is slight annoyance and a certain nostalgic fear, an old reflex, only still around because nobody quite internalized yet that Russia was but one part of the USSR.

Nobody is saying you hate Russia. Guardian was making a joke, for Christ's sake.

Guardian, please tell them you were making a joke. They appear to have taken your remark personally.

I was kinda serious there, I'm afraid. But anyway, the past can't be changed.

Well, comrade, I think that you shouldn't incite flamewars by saying things like that in full seriousness. There is a lot of anti-Russian myths and prejudices going around (I recommend reading Da Russophile to learn more about them), sure, but saying that all westerners hate Russia is as misguided as saying that all Russians are pro-Putin fanatics - a stupid stereotype that we shouldn't propagate.

[Guardian G.I.]

happy new year, everyone!