Foreign Affairs
Related: About this forumRussian woman breaks down crying. "I just can't understand why everybody hates us Russians."
Link to tweet
She's living in Mexico and she just can't understand why everybody in the world hates Russians.
"We never did anything overly aggressive, like, for example, pull out a knife or shoot."
At the end of the video, she just cries, because she cannot stand the discrimination and hatred anymore.
This mindset has developed along the following steps:
Step 1: Russia still hasn't come to terms with the collapse of the Soviet Union. They still feel as under attack by the West.
Step 2: Why would the West attack us? Because we are so good and pure and they are so evil.
Step 3: Because Russia is so good and pure, Russia is incapable of doing bad things.
Step 4: Because Russia is incapable of doing bad things, accusing Russia of doing bad things is nothing more than yet another attack by the West on Russia.
Step 5: Because Russia is incapable of doing bad things, there is no valid reason to dislike Russia.
Step 6: THEY HATE US FOR NO REASON!
The russian woman in the video describes Russians as "strong", "patient" and "sincere". That is the image they have of themselves in their minds. Because contemporary Russia as a country has so little else to be proud of, the Russians desperately cling to their own stereotype that they are strong, patient and sincere.
It's a coping-mechanism for a national trauma.
And whenever you try to talk about this topic with a Russian, the conversation goes like this:
- "They hate us for no reason!"
- "Well, Russia has done lots of bad things in its history and lots of countries and people have reason to dislike Russia."
- "No, they don't have a reason to hate us! Because all those things Russia did weren't that bad or don't count!"
To the Russians, EVERYTHING is based on the presumption that Russia has never made any mistakes or done bad things. Consequently, they never take responsibility for what they have done. Because there is nothing to take responsibility for.
"Russia is bombing civilians in Ukraine? Those things happen in war! That's normal! How can you be mad at Russia for that? Civilians get bombed all the time during wars! Why are you singling out Russia?"
And if you try to tell them that they are wrong, they take your criticism of Russia as yet another attack on Russia, because you dared to insinuate that Russia has done something bad.
"The russian government assassinates people? Lies! Lies! All of it! It cannot possibly be true! It's all lies, concocted by the West to make Russia look bad!"
And the result is mental breakdowns like the one above. Because the Russians refuse to understand, that other people could have a valid reason to dislike Russia. Because that would destroy their self-image of Russia being inherently good.
tanyev
(42,564 posts)brush
(53,785 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(4,465 posts)why leave?
LakeArenal
(28,820 posts)Governments and religions. Both suck.
brush
(53,785 posts)Last edited Mon Jan 9, 2023, 04:37 PM - Edit history (1)
even Gorbachev who tried reform, and now Putin, they've yet to wean themselves from strongmen in total command and develop a democracy with elections and a peaceful transfer of power.
Plus, they have a penchant for poisoning protestors and invading neighboring countries. What's to hate?
barbtries
(28,798 posts)i have worked with Russians in a clinical trial and the people I worked with were lovely, professional people. I don't hate Russians; i hate putin, and i hate propaganda.
Karadeniz
(22,531 posts)claudette
(3,578 posts)Putin
pwb
(11,276 posts)She sounds like whining 101.
thucythucy
(8,069 posts)It's late 1939, and he's talking to a German woman.
"The French and the British, why do they make war on us?"
"Maybe because you invaded Poland."
"But the French and the British, they're human beings!"
"But the Poles, maybe they're human beings too."
"Hmmmm."
MaryMagdaline
(6,855 posts)Mexicans not buying her white privilege.
BWdem4life
(1,672 posts)Is that I know many people dislike Americans and I know their reasons are valid.
That woman needs a reality check.