Comments on: The US In Need of Perestroika?

By: sam ogilvie

sam ogilvie — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:30:36 +0000

Anna, when you have a chance, could you please translate the last few comments? I hope you are having a good break.

By: Dimmka

Dimmka — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:56:16 +0000

Оценка 5, базару ноль

By: Yorikk

Yorikk — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:39:24 +0000

Согласен, что пост получился удачным. Хорошая работа!

By: Avertedd

Avertedd — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:00:11 +0000

Сорри за оффтоп, кто-нить смотрел ролики на ютьюбе про конец света? Ну, про андронный колайдер Ваще страшно!

By: Ferinannnd

Ferinannnd — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:38:03 +0000

Занимательная интересная статья Да и в отличие от большинства других подобных советов воду в уши не льешь

By: Anna Ershova

Anna Ershova — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:15:59 +0000

Apologies for replying late — it’s crunch time for me, as I have to finish off my school year and prepare for study abroad at the same time.

Your comment actually highlights one of the reasons behind the gap between the economic North and the economic South; when a state is in a position of power, it finds it very difficult to be emphatic towards the less lucky ones. It only starts realizing what it feels like to be less privileged when it loses that position, yet this is when it cannot do much to change the world. Same applies to individuals, of course.

I myself have learned much more about the less fortunate parts of the worlds from actually being there and getting first-hand experience, not from listening to our renowned professors in class…

By: sam ogilvie

sam ogilvie — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:42:53 +0000

Actually, I am using the term “position” in a much broader way. For instance, for the first twenty-nine and one half years of my life, I enjoyed perfect health. Physically, I could pretty much do anything I wanted; just as most young people are able to. Unfortunately, one month before my 30th birthday I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Since that time, I have experienced quite a bit of pain on a regular basis, and I often find myself looking for the nearest available bathroom. Though I am still physically active and on the go, I am much more sympathetic and well-versed on our health care issues than I would have been if I had remained completely healthy. Another example would be my postion on race and racial issues. Despite being a child of the South, I have a very different, more liberal perspective/postion than most of my neighbors because of the influence of my Mom and Dad. As the years have passed, I have been privileged to see the world through the experiences of my friends of color, and that has had a profound effect on me. Of course, one’s economic postion seems to have the strongest influence on attitudes, opinions, and beliefs. As you have observed, it truly influences the behavior of our world’s leaders. Thanks for your response. Please keep up the good work.

By: Anna Ershova

Anna Ershova — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:19:53 +0000

Sam, not at all. I meant to reply earlier, but my laptop was being serviced, and my phone is not convenient enough for that (it’s funny, but the first part of that comment actually mentions that the real perestroika in the US took place in the 80s, and it was carried out independently of the state by the businesses. Dell was cited as an example of that perestroika; e.g., they shortened their laptop order processing time from 32 days to 3. Well, they might have succeeded at that, but they could sure use being faster and nicer with their warranty services, especially to their college student customers who need to write term papers).

You are absolutely right; there are plenty of conservative people around here, but living in New England and going to my college, I mostly get to meet to more liberal ones. Yet there was a huge poster on one of the dorms a few weeks before the elections last year that read: “John McCain – battle-tested,” which I had to pass five times a week on the way to my Chinese class. It gave me shivers. Thankfully, someone complained, and it was taken down.

Russian conservative viewpoint is actually very interesting, and I am planning on doing some research in it this summer. It is an interesting mix of ‘regular’ conservative values (you know, family matters-abortion sucks-Slavs are better than the non-Slavs, and whatnot) and years of power politics bolstered by the love-hate relationship with the US.

By your ‘position,’ do you mean a socioeconomic one? I do believe that it is so much easier for the nation to be ‘selfish’ in politics when it is a superpower. But then again, some nations seem to have a never ending appetite for power.

By: sam ogilvie

sam ogilvie — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:59:22 +0000

Thanks again, Anna, for taking the time to respond. The typical conservative Russian viewpoint is as frightening as its counterpart here in the States. Considering our self-centeredness, and selfishness, I don’t guess it’s surprising that our viewpoints are so strongly influenced, or molded even, by our current position. I have observed that when my position changes, my viewpoint typically changes as well.

By: Anna Ershova

Anna Ershova — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:05:46 +0000

Sam, it’s kind of all over the place, but the gist of the second paragraph is that the US needs to get rid of the “Socialist plaque,” namely what I believe is supposed to be “No child left behind” and other similarly intended policies, minority (and other) quotas in colleges, and all the policies that promote what the French revolutionaries called “Fraternité” and “Egalité.” I think the idea of the comment is that once all these policies are gone, social Darwinism will prevail, and survival of the fittest will somehow improve the economy. I also think that there was a reference to Leviathan, at least to what appears to be a Russian translation of that term, which symbolizes the US economy.

Interestingly enough, it is a very typical conservative Russian viewpoint; the idea what there is no need for state support of, say, ethnic minorities, is predominant among many. Somehow Russians like to connect it to the stereotype that all Americans are stupid, and the US would do so much better if, once again, social Darwinism prevailed. Then the smart ones (street-smart, I am guessing) will make the US even stronger. Which goes against Russian’s interests, but who cares; it’s fun enough to make fun of those “fat stupid Americans” who “artificially accomodate ethnic diversity.”

Needless to say, I disagree with that statement completely.