I share your frustration. My only conclusion in dealing with my very reasonable and bright family members and US-based friends is - while they acknowledge US meddling and interference and badness abroad they see the world as expressed by Oliver Stone’s Platoon line, ‘the rich always screw the poor.’ And, for some reason they are convinced Putin is THE worst. I have lived abroad for the last 33 years (in Europe) so was somewhat spared the hose-fire level of anti-Russian propaganda (I’ve never sensed the delusional level of hatred and suspicion toward Russia in Europe as I do in the US). Having said that, even in Europe, too many seem to think Putin woke one morning and said I think I’ll invade Ukraine today (and no doubt there is huge sympathy for Ukrainians who were minding their own business - I acknowledge the bad elements - I get Ukraine is the most corrupt state in Europe). Many Americans still believe ‘Russiagate’ and are convinced Russia is a serious power threat (as opposed to economic competitor). Others seem to cling to the theory that Putin wants to ‘re-create the glory days of the USSR’ rationalisation. Everyone is backward looking and no one seems to be forward looking. While I’m no historian, I have spent time trying to understand the history since the fall of the Soviet Union; I have also come to understand the private agendas of the industrialist class, the preponderance of psychopathic personality types and the depths of depravity they will go if they can for wealth and power. As Lenny Cohen penned, ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin’ and the world.
I share your frustration. My only conclusion in dealing with my very reasonable and bright family members and US-based friends is - while they acknowledge US meddling and interference and badness abroad they see the world as expressed by Oliver Stone’s Platoon line, ‘the rich always screw the poor.’ And, for some reason they are convinced Putin is THE worst. I have lived abroad for the last 33 years (in Europe) so was somewhat spared the hose-fire level of anti-Russian propaganda (I’ve never sensed the delusional level of hatred and suspicion toward Russia in Europe as I do in the US). Having said that, even in Europe, too many seem to think Putin woke one morning and said I think I’ll invade Ukraine today (and no doubt there is huge sympathy for Ukrainians who were minding their own business - I acknowledge the bad elements - I get Ukraine is the most corrupt state in Europe). Many Americans still believe ‘Russiagate’ and are convinced Russia is a serious power threat (as opposed to economic competitor). Others seem to cling to the theory that Putin wants to ‘re-create the glory days of the USSR’ rationalisation. Everyone is backward looking and no one seems to be forward looking. While I’m no historian, I have spent time trying to understand the history since the fall of the Soviet Union; I have also come to understand the private agendas of the industrialist class, the preponderance of psychopathic personality types and the depths of depravity they will go if they can for wealth and power. As Lenny Cohen penned, ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin’ and the world.
Did you see that the State Department has created an AI to identify "Russian Disinformation?" Good interview about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuTM_SRVOEY
Holy cow that's hilarious. Thanks for sharing