“patriotic syphilis”
WTH does that even mean?
it’s translated from Russian. Herzen means a diseased form of patriotism that ultimately undermines the people’s best interests. Much was made by observers about the toxic, social state of Russia before the 1917 Revolution - a revolution which many predicted. (But the way the Revolution played out only made things worse.)
In today’s Russia, the toxic atmosphere transpires because people are more interested in crafting “self-serving mythologies” around their national narrative, while avoiding the necessary soul searching from darker aspects of the past. There has never been a collective repentance as post-Nazi Germany has had to undergo (and continues to in many ways.)
So while Russia is no longer the Soviet Union (or Russian Empire) outright, the quest to idealize the past in the name of preserving pride, allows for the ills of the past to be reappear unchallenged in various forms. Unlearned lessons lead to history being repeated.
Gulag historians note that Russia’s past lies in wait for the next generation.
‘’’’“patriotic syphilis”
WTH does that even mean?’’’’
That is a term Russian leftists used in 19th century to describe ‘backward’ people unwilling to betray their country and give up on Christian values for ‘progressive’ new ways and proto Globalism of that era.
I’d say it is pretty much the same condition modern liberals might allege in red state Americans.
The way author uses leftist newspeak to condemn alleged re-Sovietization of Russia says a lot and destroys his credibility.