Posted on 02/05/2019 8:05:22 AM PST by NRx
Hal Freeman is an American who relocated to Russia with his Russian-born wife, and their children — this, in part to take a Benedict Option of their own. He writes a blog about his experiences there. Recently, he wrote about a post I’d made here, about people who have decided to leave America to live abroad. In his response, Freeman talked about his experience, and about a new book by University of Chicago political theorist John Mearsheimer. Excerpts:
Others, not writing from a Christian perspective, have also noted major changes in American culture and the inability of much of “the public” to change those trends. In his recent book, “The Great Delusion,” noted political scientist John Mearsheimer discusses how difficult, nay impossible, it is for people in a liberal culture to agree on what “the good life” is. Mearsheimer is not using the word “liberal” in the way we often do to describe someone who holds to a certain set of political perspectives, e.g., women rights, gay rights, pro-choice, etc. He is using “liberal” to refer to belief in the importance of the individual and individual rights as opposed to, say, a monarchy or some other system that devalues the place of the individual in the political and economic destiny of a nation.
Despite the emphasis on individual rights, Mearsheimer contends we are profoundly communal in nature. We are born and raised “in community.” Society and culture are essential factors in our self-definition. He defines a major dilemma the liberal state faces: “For a society to hold together, there must be substantial overlap in how its members think about the good life, and they must respect each other when, inevitably, serious disagreements arise.” I doubt anyone reading or watching the debates about our cultural values in America would conclude there is a whole lot of respectful debate going on over our deep divisions in defining “the good life.”
In the sense that Mearsheimer defines “liberal,” the Constitution of the United States outlines a liberal nation. America was founded on individual rights, e.g., freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to engage in business without governmental controls. That would be what Mearsheimer calls “modus vivendi” freedom. That is the kind of “liberal” thinking that characterizes the views of more traditional, usually Republican, Americans.
[Read the rest at the linked website.]
We have no idea what possible oligarch connections his wife may have in Russia. This may have been a simple decision to join the family business...
Yes, we have a negative change in culture, no doubt about it. But bailing out is not the answer. It is time for the silent majority, the traditionalists, to dig in their heels to resist and roll back the liberal tide. It can be done and will be done. The question is will the resistance to socialism/communism take effect soon enough. By that I mean before blood is shed. The time to stand up and be counted is now!!
No promised land but if you have a fixed passive income it makes sense to get some sort of visa allowing to stay for a few months and look around. It is not as sweet for a price as three years ago but certainly worth a look.
The Russian-born wife angle does sort of undermine the ideological aspects of the decision.
My wife moved to Tennessee with me cause that’s where I was born, but she didn’t undertake any ideological gymnastics in explaining her decision to leave Massachusetts.
I bet Russia doesn’t punish you for having stealing water by having rain barrels on your property, or regulate your small garden. A good hardy individual could live quite well in the Russian countryside.
Check out ‘Survival Russia’ on YouTube by a Western guy homesteading in Southeast Siberia.
Russia appears to be mayhem at least on the highways.
On the other hand, they appear to have some relief from our constant bickering of race and sexual orientation etc.
The other draw is space. The US is becoming far too crowded and far too crowded with undesirables.
Other than that it is a semi benevolent dictatorship.
We then need to look at the many Russian tourist births in USA...
https://www.france24.com/en/20190125-rich-russians-flock-florida-deliver-american-babies
That's just one reason, and it's thoughtful. I would guess most expats have economic reasons or are just somewhat adventurous.
It depends on where he moved from to where he moved to
American cities are failng. They are old and simply worn out. They lack the vibrancy and growth of the past.
In short, the future is not appealingly great. The future is decaying cities and growth elsewhere.
Strongly recommend Victor Herman’s COMING OUT OF THE ICE. It is the most extraordinary read.
“Nay impossible”?
He wrote “nay impossible”?
I’m glad he moved to Russia.
He’s one of them Nay Sayers.
He goes around saying “nay” all the time.
Now, he’ll have to start saying “Nyet”.
...For Dreher, the days of depending on changing America’s moral and spiritual values through electing a new slate of politicians are over. Dreher’s call to arms is not about resurrecting the “Moral Majority” of Jerry Falwell. The ballot box is no longer an effective means of cultural transformation...
some other system that devalues the place of the individual in the political and economic destiny of a nation.
Read no further. For these roaches, the term 'communal' justifies anything and everything, so long as they call all the shots.
I believe Mearsheimer’s point is that neocon foreign and defense policy employed since the end of the Cold War is doomed to fail in favor of nationalism.
My Grand Father and my parents in their life times saw a lot of people leave America for whatever reasons.
They said that was a good thing for America. If they were unhappy here, then they should go to another country. However, they could not come back as citizens. They could only visit with strict time lines, like no more than 30 days.
When so many losers were leaving during the Nam War and going to Canada, my parents said that they and their spawn would destroy Canada with their liberalism. That seems to be happening.
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