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I'd like to say its complex but it isn't. The prevailing view of Russia by not only Americans but the majority of the world is that she simply cannot be entrusted to uphold her treaties, agreements and basic democratic values. Basically, Russia always does something to lose her credibility and because of this no one trusts her. There is little judicial separation and financial and political corruption is rife at every level... literally engrained into Russian culture.
Russia has a VERY long history of paranoid and brutal leaders, male chauvinism, gain through oppression and intimidation (bullying), and a system of unequal opportunity stubbornly imposed on her people. She doesn't tend to think long-term about her actions but tends to react swiftly and violently with a hammer to kill a fly. Most recently, she broke her treaty and stole Crimea away from Ukraine and then punished her further by nearly doubling gas prices so she couldn't fight back. Hitler did the same thing with the Sudetenland agreement when he said that most of the people living in said area of Czech were of German blood so it should belong to Germany. Of course, this will backfire on Russia because now Ukraine will enter EU and NATO thereby putting the USA right on her border... something she was trying to prevent. Seems like a major miscalculation.
If you were to try to compare her general infrastructure to that of Western Europe and USA you would find it, not only very lacking in the majority of the country but also poorly updated. Every Russian I have ever spoken with in the USA said they were thrilled to get out and would never move back under any circumstance... so that's gotta say something. Russia does have some nice things like architecture and city subway transportation infrastructure but much of the money intended for public growth never makes it down to the needs of society due to corruption so she could definitely do better.
Some aspects of Russian life are improving but she has a very long way to go before she can match the standards of Western Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and even Brazil and Argentina. Yes, Brazil is rated higher in economics, safety, transparency, democracy, and quality of life than Russia.
To answer the question, Americans largely think what our government largely thinks so understand what our international political stance is and that's what Americans think. There may be those who hold a different view (god bless freedom of speech) but when I speak with them they tend to not know objective details leading up to situations and when I tell them they seem to become less interested in supporting their views. As for how we see the Russian people... well, I'd say that most Americans would joke in the same way Kate McKinnon played "Olya Pavlotsky" on Saturday Night Live's interview about the meteor and the Sochi Games.
Of course, these are exaggerations but generally, we think Russia is a hard and depressing life with little in the way of choice and opportunity. We think Russians lack trust of each other and faith in their government. We think that people there are unhappy with their lives.
What I don't understand is why there are those Russians in Russia who actually think that the things I've stated above are untrue?
I don't have many favorable opinions about Russia, but I have met many Russians and they are some of the sweetest people I've ever met in my life. I've carried this love for them with me for many years and I feel bad that they have to put up with their government.
It's funny to hear that Russia does not comply with the contract. You know that the United States violates them is almost always in the attitude of Russia and not only.U.S. breached the obligations in such agreements on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and arms control as the Treaty on the START-1 Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Nuclear Forces (INF), the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, as well as in international export control regimes..
25 years, NATO claimed that we are friends. But behind all these years increased in volume by 2 times and extended eastward to the borders of Russia. While occupying Russia. If I would have been your friend and neighbor. At the same time I installed a machine gun in his backyard turned in your direction as you would react?
In Russia, there was paranoia rulers, he was more than smart.
West is always looking for weaknesses in Russia and attempts to exaggerate or invent.
a simple example of the Sochi Olympic destroyed literally at your feet! This is the basic idea that foreign media tend to convey to their viewers and readers. And this at a time when these countries athletes write in their blogs that they all like Sochi Games and organization level. For example, the defender of Canadian Hockey Pee Kay Subban said the Olympic Village in Sochi surpassed all his expectations. It just shows what can the media. And this trend is always the same when it comes to Russia. But silent about their real problems. Olympic Games in Sochi were very well prepared and many have confirmed that these are the best games in the history of the Winter Games. But Western journalists are always looking for flaws (which was never found). When they were not they come up with. To show that Russia miserable country. Now let us remember the Olympics in the United States Salt Lake City. every fourth Olympic medal can be questioned. But the most interesting athletes where they lived and when built objects. We even can not imagine that we settled our guests at the Olympics in the former prison, as it was in the United States. Objects were built more than 50 years ago.
On this level of life is it?
West sees and act unilaterally without consulting Russia. But business and friendship do not exist.
In the 90s you plundered and destroyed Russian industry with corrupt politicians.
50 percent of the U.S. Atomic Energy works on Russian uranium do you know?
You know how much it costs just brought from Russia plutonium? 8 trillion dollars, but we get it at Yeltsin only 11 billion. Since all power consisted of American advisers CIA.
So do not be surprised about the standard of living in Russia survived so many wars, revolutions and traitors in our territory. The standard of living in the United States rests on a debts and bloody war that unleash around the world and do not give these countries to live and prosper. U.S. rob them, destroy their economy by imposing large loans, install a puppet government and take away the entire industry in their hands.
Can you survive it?
(What I don't understand is why there are those Russians in Russia who actually think that the things I've stated above are untrue?)
This is so because we know more about geopolitics and U.S. catastrophe 90s in Russia. We are educated people and trust your head unlike you. You think narrowly, as your education is narrow (who it is). And you trust your media. In Russia, people trust each other and do not trust the news. We do not trust the government as well.
People in Russia are friendly and we can protect their friends and family when needed.
It's all politics. As for ordinary people. Many smart enough and good people daily activities in the world including the United States. And we always know what is true, what is false.
Last edited by GreyKarast; 04-02-2014 at 07:52 AM..
Wooden shoes? You are talking about Bast? You should understand that it is not wooden shoes, but in any case in many countries in the Middle Age had wooden shoes. For example - Japan. In Europe also wore wooden shoes. For example, in Rome. We had the boots - they are not wood and bast.
This main saying which characterizes almost all Russia: )
Funny how the same characterize Ukraine achieved after a total collapse?
Everything happens in your country, as I told you before.So who in this case have seen the truth. You or I?But that's another topic.
Last edited by GreyKarast; 04-02-2014 at 08:16 AM..
Funny how the same characterize Ukraine achieved after a total collapse?
Everything happens in your country, as I told you before.So who in this case have seen the truth. You or I?But that's another topic.
the forum has a new subject - and it is good for you.
Maybe there will be people who doesn't know you and will answer your posts with a great tolerance: )
I'd like to say its complex but it isn't. The prevailing view of Russia by not only Americans but the majority of the world is that she simply cannot be entrusted to uphold her treaties, agreements and basic democratic values. Basically, Russia always does something to lose her credibility and because of this no one trusts her. There is little judicial separation and financial and political corruption is rife at every level... literally engrained into Russian culture.
Russia has a VERY long history of paranoid and brutal leaders, male chauvinism, gain through oppression and intimidation (bullying), and a system of unequal opportunity stubbornly imposed on her people. She doesn't tend to think long-term about her actions but tends to react swiftly and violently with a hammer to kill a fly. Most recently, she broke her treaty and stole Crimea away from Ukraine and then punished her further by nearly doubling gas prices so she couldn't fight back. Hitler did the same thing with the Sudetenland agreement when he said that most of the people living in said area of Czech were of German blood so it should belong to Germany. Of course, this will backfire on Russia because now Ukraine will enter EU and NATO thereby putting the USA right on her border... something she was trying to prevent. Seems like a major miscalculation.
If you were to try to compare her general infrastructure to that of Western Europe and USA you would find it, not only very lacking in the majority of the country but also poorly updated. Every Russian I have ever spoken with in the USA said they were thrilled to get out and would never move back under any circumstance... so that's gotta say something. Russia does have some nice things like architecture and city subway transportation infrastructure but much of the money intended for public growth never makes it down to the needs of society due to corruption so she could definitely do better.
Some aspects of Russian life are improving but she has a very long way to go before she can match the standards of Western Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and even Brazil and Argentina. Yes, Brazil is rated higher in economics, safety, transparency, democracy, and quality of life than Russia.
To answer the question, Americans largely think what our government largely thinks so understand what our international political stance is and that's what Americans think. There may be those who hold a different view (god bless freedom of speech) but when I speak with them they tend to not know objective details leading up to situations and when I tell them they seem to become less interested in supporting their views. As for how we see the Russian people... well, I'd say that most Americans would joke in the same way Kate McKinnon played "Olya Pavlotsky" on Saturday Night Live's interview about the meteor and the Sochi Games.
Of course, these are exaggerations but generally, we think Russia is a hard and depressing life with little in the way of choice and opportunity. We think Russians lack trust of each other and faith in their government. We think that people there are unhappy with their lives.
What I don't understand is why there are those Russians in Russia who actually think that the things I've stated above are untrue?
All civilizations, past and present, have experienced their share of brutality and paranoia.
I think the western Europeans invented firearms, circumnavigation of the globe and industrialization, and they genocided and/or enslaved, but also "civilized", the stone age people whom they encountered on virtually every other continent on earth over a period of 400-500 years all the while fighting civil wars amongst themselves from time to time, actually more often than not, and the Russians were more or less at the periphery of this movement and they more or less carried out the same work of "civilization" throughout the northern portion of Asia, and then some, over roughly the same period of time, at times fighting wars with their western European counterparts, at times defending themselves, at times on the offensive, but mostly defending themselves, I think. Anyway, the last 70-90 years or so of history are too few to draw any long-term conclusions.
I think it's worth pointing out that the Russians were the first to achieve manned flight into outer space and that currently Russian rockets carry US astronauts to the international space station and back.
As a lucky common person who enjoys all the conveniences of modern industrial life, and I am satisfied to be a US citizen and I gladly pay taxes, even though I don't agree with every policy domestic and foreign. But if I were born Russia, I'd probably make the best of what that society has to offer as well, or at least try.
Finally, during the Cold War both sides had the opportunity to destroy one another, but, in the end, they behaved responsibly and professionally.
The current conflict in Ukraine is about, in ascending order, agribusiness, gas pipelines, military industry facilities, and naval bases.
I think it is worth repeating that currently Russian rockets carry US astronauts to the international space station and back.
By and large, we'll get over this, maybe a bit more jaded, if that's possible, a bit more bruised, but we'll get over it.
Personally, I do feel sorry for average Ukrainians caught up and used as pawns in a power struggle between two of the world's major power blocs.
Good Luck!
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