Amen! “We are the ones trapped in the past, not Russia.” I see this every time I speak with a neighbor, who still sees Russia as The Boogeyman.
Today’s Russia is another incarnation of Russia, as totalitarian as Tsarist Russia, but vastly better for everyone, Russian or elsewhere, than Soviet Russia—capitalist, trade-oriented, allowing free movement of its citizens and trade, prosperity driven. Russian government is oriented toward furthering those goals.
The US has a greater need for good will and cooperation with Russia than it does with Europe, although there is no reason we cannot all three coexist and prosper together.
Tsarist Russia was not totalitarian. It was authoritarian, which is not at all the same thing. The first totalitarian system was the Bolshevik government under Lenin, though the term itself was coined by Italian fascists to describe Mussolini’s government in Italy.
No, not at all like that. They are fundamentally different political systems as Hannah Arendt lays out in her book The Origins of Totalitarianism. In short, authoritarian governments care what you do; totalitarian governments care what you think.
Well, this solidified my thinking, such as it is, and confirms my hunch about Russia and Trump’s expressed attitudes. I thought the piece was exactly the right length. Thank you.
Our weakness is shown to be only too apparent to all those Muslim men strolling across Europe unchecked, floating over the Channel to be accommodated in hotels with free food, health care, money, phones. Who can see our King bowing down to their religion, our police facilitating their way of life, our churches apologising for being "wrong".
Apparently we are so weak we will not even rise up to shake off our corrupt politicians and remove the illegals who threaten our very existence. Putin doesn't need to invade Europe to protect Russia, he can just watch as it becomes a shabby, poor, Islamic 3rd world country with the natives cowering in corners. Most young Europeans don't know their own histories and believe the lies they have been told about how all Englishmen are colonial racists and all Germans are closet Nazis - what is there in that worth fighting for? It's only the old Boomers who look back to WWII glories (mostly based on long-dead men's stories and old movies) and Cold War heroics (or John Le Carre stories).
Thanks. I’m increasingly worried that the UK is completely finished. We just can’t survive a full term of this Labour Progressive Marxist, Muslim Brotherhood, Globalist Net Zero carnival of horrors.
That pulled a lot of threads together for me, thanks.
Why is it that we can see the EU/UK emperors have no clothes, but they insist they are dressed in the purple raiment of The Chosen and The Incorruptibly Correct? And we can't get rid of them or shock them back to reality.
I'm frightened now. If we can't turn the tide within this decade - of war, of illness, of hunger, of encroaching infidels - Europe is overrun, bankrupt and finished.
But we have no real heroes to follow, no obvious future, no sense of the history we're betraying.
Maybe only a war will wake enough of us up to start the trek back to sanity.
No worries, I appreciate the feedback and the criticism has some justice. I indulged myself a little on this one. At times a writer wants to be poetic the way a child wants to run. Not necessarily wisely.
Such an all-around brilliant essay. You’ve expressed so many of my thoughts on our present situation so very, very well. My sincere thanks for writing it. I will be sharing it as much as possible to help understand reality rather than living in the fantasies of the past.
Wonderful essay...and so sad. Left me pondering ..... laments etc. David the psalmist knew a think or two about despair. As did Jesus. Even Wilfred Owen's Anthem for a Doomed Youth, not much thought about since school days so many years ago, seems relevant.
Well said, even if I despair of getting the key observations through the heads of those who most need them. Heck, I have trouble convincing people of what Lord Palmerston said about nations having permanent interests, not permanent allies.
Thanks for a great essay. The Russians are realists. America is becoming so. Still slaves to the propaganda. Not willing to defend our borders just someone else’s.
Amen! “We are the ones trapped in the past, not Russia.” I see this every time I speak with a neighbor, who still sees Russia as The Boogeyman.
Today’s Russia is another incarnation of Russia, as totalitarian as Tsarist Russia, but vastly better for everyone, Russian or elsewhere, than Soviet Russia—capitalist, trade-oriented, allowing free movement of its citizens and trade, prosperity driven. Russian government is oriented toward furthering those goals.
The US has a greater need for good will and cooperation with Russia than it does with Europe, although there is no reason we cannot all three coexist and prosper together.
A great essay! Thanks!
Thanks very much. I think Russia has some obvious problems, but delusion isn’t one of them. Our leaders may well be mad, and Putin isn’t.
No "well may be", Daniel. Batshit crazy. Look at Starmer. Man should be in an asylum. Not out on the streets!
Tsarist Russia was not totalitarian. It was authoritarian, which is not at all the same thing. The first totalitarian system was the Bolshevik government under Lenin, though the term itself was coined by Italian fascists to describe Mussolini’s government in Italy.
Ok. Kinda paTAYta paTAHto ish. 😁
No, not at all like that. They are fundamentally different political systems as Hannah Arendt lays out in her book The Origins of Totalitarianism. In short, authoritarian governments care what you do; totalitarian governments care what you think.
Well, this solidified my thinking, such as it is, and confirms my hunch about Russia and Trump’s expressed attitudes. I thought the piece was exactly the right length. Thank you.
Thanks James 😀
Utter brilliance.
Thanks 😀😀
Explaining the demise of a good size portion of the formerly free world chronically is not something one does with brevity. Well done.
Another excellent article!
Our weakness is shown to be only too apparent to all those Muslim men strolling across Europe unchecked, floating over the Channel to be accommodated in hotels with free food, health care, money, phones. Who can see our King bowing down to their religion, our police facilitating their way of life, our churches apologising for being "wrong".
Apparently we are so weak we will not even rise up to shake off our corrupt politicians and remove the illegals who threaten our very existence. Putin doesn't need to invade Europe to protect Russia, he can just watch as it becomes a shabby, poor, Islamic 3rd world country with the natives cowering in corners. Most young Europeans don't know their own histories and believe the lies they have been told about how all Englishmen are colonial racists and all Germans are closet Nazis - what is there in that worth fighting for? It's only the old Boomers who look back to WWII glories (mostly based on long-dead men's stories and old movies) and Cold War heroics (or John Le Carre stories).
Thanks. I’m increasingly worried that the UK is completely finished. We just can’t survive a full term of this Labour Progressive Marxist, Muslim Brotherhood, Globalist Net Zero carnival of horrors.
Again, so well done!
Thank you 😀😀
Well said again. A good explanation of what we are seeing.
That pulled a lot of threads together for me, thanks.
Why is it that we can see the EU/UK emperors have no clothes, but they insist they are dressed in the purple raiment of The Chosen and The Incorruptibly Correct? And we can't get rid of them or shock them back to reality.
I'm frightened now. If we can't turn the tide within this decade - of war, of illness, of hunger, of encroaching infidels - Europe is overrun, bankrupt and finished.
But we have no real heroes to follow, no obvious future, no sense of the history we're betraying.
Maybe only a war will wake enough of us up to start the trek back to sanity.
It’s looking incredibly bad for the UK and Europe. If I was younger I would move to the US now.
Trump must annex the UK.
Sorted.
Same - but it's too late for me, too
Something is happening, but you don't what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?
10/10. Few understand that the various countries of Europe have much more in common with each other, than any have with Russia.
The Russian soul is entirely other. Their history manifests that.
A tad long and a bit verbose. But yes
Thank you for the grudging endorsement. 😂😉
That’s why I do it. Not to criticise but because I want your messaging and others like you to get thru.
We need to wake people up.
Sorry, but some people need a bit more simple and less time consuming. Otherwise their eyes start to glaze over as saying goes.
No worries, I appreciate the feedback and the criticism has some justice. I indulged myself a little on this one. At times a writer wants to be poetic the way a child wants to run. Not necessarily wisely.
Everyone’s a critic! 😁
Not criticising just trying to improve the reach of the article
If you put all your comments together, it'd be almost as long as this essay!
Such an all-around brilliant essay. You’ve expressed so many of my thoughts on our present situation so very, very well. My sincere thanks for writing it. I will be sharing it as much as possible to help understand reality rather than living in the fantasies of the past.
Thanks very much. 😀😀
Wonderful essay...and so sad. Left me pondering ..... laments etc. David the psalmist knew a think or two about despair. As did Jesus. Even Wilfred Owen's Anthem for a Doomed Youth, not much thought about since school days so many years ago, seems relevant.
Thank you very much Sandra. 😀😀
Well said, even if I despair of getting the key observations through the heads of those who most need them. Heck, I have trouble convincing people of what Lord Palmerston said about nations having permanent interests, not permanent allies.
Brilliant essay!
Thanks Siobhan 😀
Thanks for a great essay. The Russians are realists. America is becoming so. Still slaves to the propaganda. Not willing to defend our borders just someone else’s.
Thanks. I think that’s the great divide now, between realists and fanatics who do not even know they are fanatics.
Interesting. Funny, True.
Thanks 😀😀