Posted on 03/19/2018 5:27:50 PM PDT by GoldenState_Rose
Moscow commentator Ivan Davydov provides what may be an even more useful approach in his post “the genealogy of morality of contemporary Russia” which focuses on “how the current rulers are distinguished from the criminal world of the 1990s."
The recent scandal involving Russian diplomats and cocaine shipments from Argentina renewed talks in Russia that the current Russian leadership are just like the criminals of the 1990s, Davydov says. There is some truth in this but it is not the whole truth – and recognizing the difference between the two related species is important.
Critics often point to Putin’s use of criminal slang in his speeches or his origins in the streets of Leningrad as evidence that he was a criminal from the beginning, but that again is only part but not the whole truth. Had he or his colleagues been criminals from the outset, they would never have been recruited for work in the KGB or other siloviki organs.
Having become part of the Soviet organs, Putin and his like acquired “a special view on reality and became part of a special ethos,” but it was not a criminal one in the usual sense. However, when the Soviet system collapsed, their reality and even raison d’etre did as well – “and this was a serious trauma.”
According to Davydov, “an impressionable man with a hypertrophied ego was thus completely capable of declaring such a personal collapse as the greatest geopolitical catastrophe” and viewing the life that followed “a psychological trauma” which required striking back at the new order, something that made those who felt the same psychologically close to criminals.
“The siloviki had lost their world and could not but feel it,” the commentator says; and they cast about for ways to take their revenge. Those did not include simply seeking to restore the past but rather making the best for themselves in the new circumstances, having convinced themselves as criminals do that any means to that end are permissible.
These former KGB officers became the new feudals in Russia and everything came to them as a result, Davydov says. “It is difficult not to recognize the traces of this hybrid worldview, a combination of criminal understandings with the honor code of officers of the special services literally in all of them.”
For them, like the criminals, law is the enemy, something only for others; but for them unlike the criminals, they want others to recognize what they have as legitimate and not as the theft it in fact typically is. These two goals don’t fit together well, but those who hold both at one and the same time aren’t going to change. And Russia will continue to suffer as a result.
If you ask skeptics in Russia why they aren't religious. The response I often received was: "I believe in God, but so many priests here are just ex-KGB."
“KGB” and “Honor”-oxymoron
pluz
this is yet another pack of lies & misinformation created by the neocons who are very unhappy they didn’t get to loot the Russian people
Well Russians agree with you and thats why everyone has a bit of KGB Putin in them now too. Ready to play by the rules and honor “the code.”
The people chose oc Russia Crimean territory over more freedom. The people chose “stability” and the predictability of stagnation over economic innovation.
They people believe Americans have done more damage to them in the 20th Century than even Stalin or Lenin did. So waving an American flag on the streets of Moscow is more offensive than Stalin’s bust or Lenin’s still open grave. Even though those men were responsible for the mass murder of millions of Russians.
The Soviet flag is treated with reverence.
The people are being looted now by the oligarchs —just differently and not in one fell swoop...
Rusaians have sold their souls, but in increments.
Some think they can trust Putin for now and the system will magically change “gradually”...they are mistaken.
And the “opposition” is a joke.
Well at least they have the World Cup to look forward to.
Sorry typo in above post: I meant to say, “the people of Russia chose Crimean territory over having more freedom and rights.”
This 100%.
Check back in 2024. We will see where evil America is at.
And we will see where great Russia is at.
Personally, I am happy here with Trump. Even with all the resistance and obstacles.
Exactly which rights are those of us currently in Russia are missing, that we had pre-Crimea-annexation?
...
Some think they can trust Putin for now and the system will magically change “gradually”...they are mistaken.
The system IS changing gradually, right before our eyes. It is easy to miss it if you're not in Russia, and are getting your information via the US media filter, but those of us here feel it getting better and better. "Putin strengthening his grip on society" is BS propaganda.
As originally planned, I will probably return to the US by the end of this year. It will be in a lot better shape than when I left.
I was there between 2015 and 2017. As I said: check back in 2024.
I was there between 2015 and 2017 just as the Yarovaya Law went into effect against missionaries, cults, terrorists, and whoever else falls under category of “extremists.” And several Evangelicals have been punished or fined for their activities.
There are Russian expats here in Los Angeles who miss home but know their dreams and professional aspirations have no place in today’s Russia.
A modest 20 year old I know who showed up at a Navalny protest used his phone to tape another young innocent bystander who wasn’t doing anything being beaten and dragged by riot police.
Playwright Kirill Seribrennikov is under house arrest for stupid, trumped up charges. Not saying he is a saint or even a good artist...but the fact is only government approved art is safe...the movie “Death of Stalin” is banned from theatres.
2017 had one of the lowest birthrates on record.
HIV is an epidemic.
Gulag historians are blocked from archives and records.
Among mannnyyyy other things...
Again: We will see where Russia is in 2024.
And by sanctioning Putin’s oligarchs...who are the REAL looters of the Russian people...its Trump and AMERICA doing more to help Russia than any Russian.
Russia should thank America and quit bashing it.
thanks Bill - it’s always good to see someone else recognizes the paw prints of the neocons on this article
Putin is the Neo-connest of the Neocons.
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