tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164556861454970487.post5370627166549025361..comments2023-10-08T05:00:23.559-04:00Comments on Clarissa's Blog: Who Caused the Collapse of the Soviet Union? Part IIClarissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164556861454970487.post-48178314104970708412011-03-10T10:48:45.598-05:002011-03-10T10:48:45.598-05:00I grew up behind the iron curtain. :-) So my narra...I grew up behind the iron curtain. :-) So my narrative has been shaped by other forces.<br /><br />I think this is partly why people like my blog. What I say sounds fresh and different to them because I know how to speak from a different vantage point.Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164556861454970487.post-79438792172320112262011-03-10T09:34:08.448-05:002011-03-10T09:34:08.448-05:00Let's face it, Clarissa, there comes a time fo...Let's face it, Clarissa, there comes a time for every power, and culturally, it's the US's time now. It's economy might've been shaky for the last few decades, it's military a bully's tool, but it's cultural expots succeed even with those that criticise it most vehemently. For example, in my own country we grew up believining fiscal conservatives were the old-fashioned people who wanted to maintain state regulations on private organisations (especial food tech, health service providers and the financial sector). The progressives/modern people were those who wanted to keep the state out and welcome the deregulated market, otherwise known as the free market. Within a year of coming to the US, without my realising it, I've switched the meanings even inside my own head. If an Indian person identifies himself as a fiscal conservative to me, I know I will immediately classify him as I would an American 'conservative', or at least clarify. I'd never do the same if a non-Indian made the same claim. I'd accept the American definition by default.<br /><br />So I don't quite think we can fee ourselves of the American paradigm even in our hindsight narratives. Our very narrative vocabulary has been shaped by that culture's consciousness.Rimihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04344200811838569151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164556861454970487.post-20321974050496430262011-03-09T23:38:41.848-05:002011-03-09T23:38:41.848-05:00I'd agree with most points except k. It will t...I'd agree with most points except k. It will take me several posts, though, to present my vision of the entire story.Clarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11027134365260069910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164556861454970487.post-6494868885009285662011-03-09T22:30:41.258-05:002011-03-09T22:30:41.258-05:00I, who do not pay attention and just surmised, fil...I, who do not pay attention and just surmised, filling in with my imagination basically, thought this:<br /><br />a) there was all this dissatisfaction.<br />b) there had been Gdansk and all.<br />c) Gorbachev thought reform was in order.<br />d) that opened the floodgates.<br />e) Yeltsin et al were opportunists from way back.<br />f) corruption was ingrained and stayed that way.<br />g) pissed off SSRs broke off and there was no power to hold them back.<br />h) some of these ex SSRs and people running them are mega conservative, not more progressive than USSR.<br />i) the whole place traumatized from the Czarist structure and then all the 20th century mega events.<br />j) as in DDR, better shopping is desired, as is cash for this purpose.<br />k) all of this opens wild west style space in which Mafia and Putin and others like them can move in to take advantage of the situation.<br /><br />So how close/far am I?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com