Posted on 01/24/2019 5:50:56 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Anya Fedotova is a 31-year-old Russian photo editor. She works in GUM, a state department store on the Red Square in Moscow. Every day she goes to work in what was once a prime example of democratized enterprise—an attempt to boost Communism through consumerism. On her way to the office, she passes by grandparents pointing out Soviet-era toys, accessories and tableware to their grandchildren, showing them what life was like back in the USSR. “It’s one of the centres of Soviet-era nostalgia,” she tells me. “Entire families come here to enjoy the atmosphere and eat Soviet ice-cream.”
In a recent survey by The Levada Center, 66% of Russians said they regretted the breakup of the Soviet Union. That means two thirds of the population would rather live under the USSR than in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The last time public reminiscence swelled to this size was in 2005, when Putin picked up the reigns of Russia for a second time.
Fedotova thinks Soviet nostalgia is thanks to the uncertainty surrounding the current political climate. The mental retreat into bygone times, she says, goes hand in hand with Russia’s recession. Economic decline began in 2014, and while the recession officially ended in 2017, a weak ruble and decreased household spending are signs that Russians are still feeling the pinch. “People were in a difficult situation in Soviet Russia, but they believed in the bright future of the USSR..."
Nowhere is pinning for the past more prevalent than on Nostalgia TV; a channel devoted to the music, movies, and state TV shows of the 70s and 80s. Nostalgia TV has now expanded to a YouTube channel and online radio stream. But it’s more than just a trip down memory lane—it’s a unique space for people to talk about their fondness for the past...
(Excerpt) Read more at documentjournal.com ...
People in Russia also are not happy about the rise of mafia style capitalism in Russia.
All those things were true of the Soviet Union too, but it was covered up, or citizens were manipulated into denial via propaganda. Everyday joes had to lie, cheat, and steal their way through life just to survive sometimes...as their communist overlords basked in piggish decadence behind the scenes. George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' alegory hits it on the nail.
The fall of communism merely brought these pre-exisring realities into the open.
‘’ There was very little freedom there, but neither was there much freedom to fail. They were terrified living in the West with the possibility of being out of work or having medical problems that sucked up all their money.
If you were raised never knowing any better, capitalism and self-reliance could be a real crap shoot.’’
To be fair Soviet propaganda regarding the West was quite factually correct. It was biased in conclusions based on these facts though. The rest is history along with the Soviet bloc which didn’t prove to be a working system.
You need to start a mercenary army and get over to the Ukraine, Georgia, or Crimea. Remember if you get your legs “blown off”, prosthetics have never been better.
“to celebrate things like space travel and ice cream while also acknowledging the terror, atheism, bloodshed, and brutality”
To be fair Soviet propaganda regarding the West was quite factually correct. It was biased in conclusions based on these facts though
One of the books was titled “British Foreign Policy in WWII.” The book had facts undoubtedly cherry-picked (but that’s what writing is about) and the facts were, well, factual.
But the spin they put on the facts was merciless. You’d think Russia won the war single-handedly despite having to put up with allies.
Of course, Russia did take the brunt of civilian loss in the war and I understand why if reverberates with them as it does. But the interpretation of facts by the Soviets was completely self serving. I don’t remember if they mentioned the non-aggression pact with Hitler before he invaded them, but I doubt they did.
The bookstore, of course, was purely a Soviet propaganda outlet that made a few bucks on the side. They would probably have given the stuff away if asked.
“” “” One of the books was titled “British Foreign Policy in WWII.” The book had facts undoubtedly cherry-picked (but that’s what writing is about) and the facts were, well, factual.
But the spin they put on the facts was merciless. “” “”
That’s Pravda journalism. Their main commandment was never to lie. But the devil is in the spin. In fact US media has picked on it quite masterfully nowadays.
As countrary to the Brits you mentioned. BBC propaganda is around factual lies. They are operating via creating myths.
During WWII, the Brits dropped a massive load of propaganda leaflets. On one occasion, some leaflets made their way back to England where the government confiscated and suppressed them. When a member of Parliament stood and objected to the censorship, the reply was that it was to keep the information from falling into the hands of the Germans.
Face it, personal freedom and self reliance is tough. It’s not for everyone. I think a lot of Ruskies want to be taken care of cradle to grave even by a brutal dictator.
I was deployed to Uzbekistan in 2003. Young Uzbek women were very nostalgic about Soviet days where “there was plenty of food (?) and everyone had a job with thirty days vacation a year”. They would have been children in 1991.
One Uzbek lovely who resembled Crystal Gayle told me in perfect English that she admired Josef Stalin and that he ruled with an iron fist as the Soviet Union was so huge.
We G.I.’s agreeed that under communism she would be some Russian general’s b!tch.
As for Russians, a lot on us thought the fall of communism would somehow change their character for the better. It hasn’t; they are still suspicious & resentful of the West and blame us for their problems.
Russians don’t even have the comfort of Imperial days; “If only we could tell the Czar our problems, everything would be all right!”
Enjoy their pirogies & vodka, but steer clear of Russians. Even Stolichnaya is distilled in Latvia now.
“” “” As for Russians, a lot on us thought the fall of communism would somehow change their character for the better. It hasn’t; they are still suspicious & resentful of the West and blame us for their problems.”” “”
How do you know? :)
I hope you didn't give them money or matches. And did they drink your battery fluid? Uzbeks! They are the weak link in the Great Chain of Socialism.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
And sometimes people are nostalgic just because they have good personal memories about the past.
I was a kid in the 70’s. A decade that absolutely sucked for this country. Losing a war, runaway inflation, energy shortages, Iran flipping us the bird, Jimmy Carter, etc.
Yet I have good personal memories from that time because of things in my personal life, music and TV that I enjoyed, etc. Perhaps we need not read more into it than that.
Bingo. And 1970s weren’t particularly bad in USSR comparing to the rest of its history.
I found the Uzbeks to be ordinary folks like us. They are the least Islamic of all Muslims in my opinion; we didn’t get any “sensitivity” training pre-deployment. The men liked their vodka and were ready to trade a liter for the latest Playboy (both highly illegal on base). Learning a little Russian went a long way when working together (I ran a welding & machine shop).
Many of the women were very attractive and did not dress according to Sharia. Bare midriff tops & hip hugger jeans were very practical in the furnace heat of Uzbekistan in summer. They spoke excellent English and there was none of the simmering hostility I have heard about in Arab countries.
We made two trips to Samarqand which was 100 miles away & felt perfectly safe; the terrain was like driving through Idaho.
It was only recently I saw the 1981 spoof about money & matches; comments from Uzbeks were quite angry. They told me they were a modern urbanized people, not riding ponies & living in yurtas in the desert.
One officer said, “In 1966 my Uzbek grandmother was wearing miniskirts, drinking vodka, and listening to the Rolling Stones”.
The Central Asian ‘Stans ironically benefit from 70 years of secular rule under the Soviets. It’s creeping Islam that will endanger their slow march to modernity.
We Americans agreed that Uzbekistan was a far milder place to be deployed in than Iraq or Afghanistan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.