>I have always been disturbed by the dehumanizing portrayal of Russians in the >West. Now with the war in Ukraine, that popular tendency has exploded into a >vicious mania. Russia is full of people who love their family and are just >trying to get through life. If 80% support Putin even with all that is going >on, something is going on with them that Westerners clearly don't appreciate.
The West is a conglomerate of more than 30 to 40 countries, with free and independent press in most of them, and open and fierce debate in multiple forums. There is no "dehumanizing portrayal of Russians" in the West, other than the one, caused by the open reporting of the unspeakable actions done in Russia's name in Ukraine.
So far, most of the West, has given the majority of the Russian population the benefit of the doubt under the argument that they live under a totalitarian regime. However it is also a common consensus in the West, that even if Russia had free and fair elections, Putin would probably be elected again.
Several independent Russian sources, reported that during the first days of the Ukraine invasion the common sentiment on the street was one of jubilation. A small minority, at great personal risk, protested on the streets but the core foundations of the state still look pretty stable.
Russia is not North Korea, and it's not an African underdeveloped country. It has a great educational tradition and most Russians have access to the Internet
even if strongly controlled. This Internet control is nowhere near levels like China or North Korea.
We have also heard of multiple stories of divided families. Mixed families in Ukraine with blood relatives in Russia, being called Nazis, while calling their Russian relatives under the noise of the shells of the Russian army.
Despite all the control, news have a way of spreading. I have strong doubts that the majority of the Russian population by now, has not heard of the the massive casualties of the Russian army and their horrifying actions in Ukraine.
If 80% still support Putin, then I think its fair to start talking about collective responsibility.
> There is no "dehumanizing portrayal of Russians" in the West
This is such a big topic, I'll stick to one narrow example, the accepted tone of discussion here on HN. Consider for a moment the plight of the Arabs in Palestine. They clearly have something to complain about in their treatment by Israel. However, we recognize a difference between complaining about Israel and expressions of anti-Semitism. One is accepted on HN and the other is not. Returning to the case of Russians, for a few years now, there has been a regular stream of Russo-phobic commenting on HN that doesn't get called out. When you see people making these kinds of comments about Russians, try replacing "Russians" with "Jews" and see how it sounds.
> Russian sources, reported that...the common sentiment on the street was one of jubilation.
So, what formed the outlook of Russians to make this the case? The trend here and around the West is to attribute it to some combination of economic factors and disinformation. Again, I'll point to one factor that is ignored. Since the independence of Ukraine, ethnic Russians there have suffered considerable abuse from the state and at local level. There is a 2008 article in The International Journal of Human Rights that gives some horrific details.[1] Consider that Russians have been hearing stories like this about the Ukraine for 30 years. With that perspective, you can see how someone could think this war is genuinely a fight for justice.
The West is a conglomerate of more than 30 to 40 countries, with free and independent press in most of them, and open and fierce debate in multiple forums. There is no "dehumanizing portrayal of Russians" in the West, other than the one, caused by the open reporting of the unspeakable actions done in Russia's name in Ukraine.
So far, most of the West, has given the majority of the Russian population the benefit of the doubt under the argument that they live under a totalitarian regime. However it is also a common consensus in the West, that even if Russia had free and fair elections, Putin would probably be elected again.
Several independent Russian sources, reported that during the first days of the Ukraine invasion the common sentiment on the street was one of jubilation. A small minority, at great personal risk, protested on the streets but the core foundations of the state still look pretty stable.
Russia is not North Korea, and it's not an African underdeveloped country. It has a great educational tradition and most Russians have access to the Internet even if strongly controlled. This Internet control is nowhere near levels like China or North Korea.
We have also heard of multiple stories of divided families. Mixed families in Ukraine with blood relatives in Russia, being called Nazis, while calling their Russian relatives under the noise of the shells of the Russian army.
Despite all the control, news have a way of spreading. I have strong doubts that the majority of the Russian population by now, has not heard of the the massive casualties of the Russian army and their horrifying actions in Ukraine.
If 80% still support Putin, then I think its fair to start talking about collective responsibility.