occasional reflections on culture & politics
I wrote this in November 2016 and never put it on my blog back then. Somehow, it is strange how this may still be relevant — after EIGHT (!) years. I have just changed 2-3 references — otherwise, this is as I wrote it 11/02/2016. Here we go again… With just a few months before… Continue reading #247: Politics After Resentment
Now Putin has done it. He has finally murdered his main competitor. Last Friday, we received news of Navalny’s death. There is no doubt that Putin is responsible — he has done everything he can to set in motion a murderous machine, which finally achieved its result. Putin is and always has been a killer.… Continue reading #246: Navalny’s Killing Exposes Putin’s Weakness
Intentional or not, Tucker Carlson just did the world a strange favor: He showed how deluded and dangerous Putin really is. Typically, I do not agree with Tucker Carlson’s politics. This is immaterial – different people have different ideas. That’s the beauty of freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and it is what makes… Continue reading #245: Tucker Carlson Reveals Putin’s Fear and Delusion
We cannot afford to wait with supporting Ukraine. Our current hesitancy is not just endangering our friends and allies, but will work against us in the future as well. Aliens attack Earth. They land in the country of Somewhereistan and are starting to establish a stronghold in a part of the country. The country is… Continue reading #244: When Aliens Attack, What Will We Do? Reflections on Western Hesitancy in the Face of Russian Aggression
Government always needs criticism and opposition. But criticism doesn't just mean affect-driven rejection, resentment or even dismissal of democracy and democratic rules and norms. Every criticism must be justified, ideally with a suggestion for how to do things differently and better. This distinguishes critical from uncritical, political from non-political thinking. Simply saying “that’s stupid” or… Continue reading #242: On the Difference between Opposition and an Anti-Democratic Stance
Something strange is happening. On October 7, organized rape, kidnap and murder squads from Hamas invaded Israeli territory – following their organization’s genocidal charter – and committed the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. Hamas declared war, with their allies – similarly genocidally minded Hezbollah, directed probably by Iran in happy cooperation with Russia and… Continue reading #241: The War Against Israel
https://youtu.be/eFScWB54X4Q (This is a bit different in style – it is an unscripted video transcript, so it reflects oral more than written speech.) What is the use of history when you want to solve a big problem? There are all kinds of big conflicts on the planet. Right now, what's top of our minds probably… Continue reading #239: Is History Helpful for Solving Conflicts?
Dmitri Peskov says that the rumors are wrong, Putin is not dead. Fascinating. When you have to deny a rumor like this, there is already a problem. If you feel that you have to respond to such a rumor at all, it means that there is a realistic chance that people are actually believing something… Continue reading #235: Rumors of Putin’s Death
https://youtu.be/AasjWiIFu_g If you see yourself as a believer in justice, as dedicated to the fight against oppression and exploitation, ask yourself: What is the biggest justice? What is the purpose of the fight against oppression and exploitation? The answer can probably only be as follows: The preservation of human life, ideally of all life, in… Continue reading #229: Fighting for Love in Times of War
https://youtu.be/t7RFlIlUwqM I. If you see yourself on the political left or a progressive, you should not support Putin. You are against racism? Putin’s Russia promotes Russian chauvinism. Not even Russia First, but Russia Only. As Vladimir Putin himself has said, what is the point of a world without Russia? You are against violence against women?… Continue reading #227: Whatever Your Politics, There is No Reason to Support Putin
We are living at a time where democracy is challenged on a variety of levels, domestically and internationally. There exist several attempts to actively discourage people from seeking democracy, to use internal contradictions within democratic countries in order to legitimatize democracy itself, or to even undermine and destroy democracy where it exists. We cannot be… Continue reading #226: We Must Not Give Up on Global Democracy
Frequently, we can read that Ukraine “demands” something, and some criticize the country and its representatives as not being thankful and diplomatic enough. Some Ukrainian officials have indeed be a bit pushy, a bit forceful in their asks, and their tone has been a bit demanding. But – can you blame them? Ukraine is fighting… Continue reading #223: Should Ukraine Be More Thankful and Less Demanding?
Occasionally, we read news headlines like “Putin offers to negotiate” etc. Is that true? Could it possibly be that he has changed his mind, realized he made a mistake in wanting to either capture or destroy Ukraine? No. Putin may say he wants to “negotiate”, but at the same time, he has always made clear… Continue reading #221: Does Putin Want to Negotiate?
It has become clear by now that Russia cannot win any of the aims of their “Special Military Operation.” They cannot “denazify” Ukraine, simply because Ukraine is not run by Nazis, they cannot “demilitarize” it, because Ukraine is not just supported by its allies but also determined to produce weapons itself. They protect the separatist… Continue reading #220: Russia’s Only Interests Are Terror and Destruction. It Must Be Defeated
I: 1989 In the summer of 1989, an article by famous political theorist Francis Fukuyama seemed to capture the spirit of the times and reflected on “The End of History?”, followed by his 1992 book “The End of History and the Last Man.” Frequently, and maybe with some justification, it was and continues to be… Continue reading #219: Some Reflections on Fukuyama and the End of History
There is a wide-spread and pernicious argument which has been circling for quite some time, saying that the Western World is in decline, that it is in crisis, and that new challengers have arisen to dethrone the West. Okay, let’s unpack this a bit. First, we need to ignore the real question within – what… Continue reading #218: The West Is Not in Decline
Just now, I am listening to Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony, named after the iconic moment in time that Leningrad survived German aggression. Germany, in its quest to eradicate what was considered “unworthy life” inside and outside its borders, pushing an aggressive nationalist agenda, determined to gain “living space” for its “ethnically cleansed” “purely German” population, set… Continue reading #208: The Perversion of Everything Russian: From Leningrad to Mariupol
What is Democracy? The typical answer would be the “Rule of the People.” While this is the direct translation of the Greek term, it is instructive that the original term used for Athenian democracy was Isonomy – “same rights for everyone.” The word “democracy” was used alternatively with “ochlocracy” as meaning “mob rule.” Why is… Continue reading #207: Democracy Only Works with a Strong Separation of Powers
I believe in peace. Nothing violates the dignity and existence of life like war. This is certainly clear, and there is not much controversial in such a statement. And yet, not everyone agrees. There are those who believe that war steels character, that it is a necessary cataclysm to bring about a clarifying and cleansing… Continue reading #205: If You Want Peace: Why We Must Help Ukraine
ПУТИН, ИДИОТ(PUTIN, YOU IDIOT) Путин, идиот,когда сам идёт,когда прочь идёш? тыпреступники надзиратель за преступниками:твои приказы - твои дела:убийца, насильник, поджигатель, мучитель,мелкий воришка и только бандит,убийца Чечни, Сирии, Грузии, Украины,угнетатель русских, белорусов и других народов,реабилитолог Сталина,головорез КГБ,воскреситель темницы народов,воскреситель гулага,воскреситель стукачества,воскреситель фашизма,разрушитель гласности,разрушитель перестройки,разрушитель демократии,разрушитель справедливостиразрушитель мира,уличный хулиган,лжец и детоубийца,тебе не стыдно? ты похититель фьючерсовразвратитель людейкак… Continue reading #204: Poem: Путин, идиот (Putin, You Idiot)
Erratic Attempts 