7 ms·

I'm just curious why does everyone (a lot of westerners) not like Russia?

by longlivegnu 12y ago

atlantic 12y ago
Mostly for propaganda reasons. Russia is Designated Enemy #1, outside of the Axis of Evil.
- Jgrubb 12y ago
  Bingo - propaganda. I'm sure it's propaganda inside Russia that westerners, especially Americans, don't like Russia.
  - virmundi 12y ago
    I dated a Russian for a while. We discussed their propaganda. It was child's play compared to the US. Their posters and literature were obviously propaganda. The US had Hollywood. Slick veneered movies where the Reds attack and plucky bunch of kids help slow and dismantle their war machine. So many 70s and 80sfilms revolve around that core concept. That has to stick. Fortunately we've moved on. Sure there are throwbacks. Excluding those, we've focused our hatred on the Muslims alla 24.
bhouston 12y ago
I don't find that Westerners don't like Russia in general -- at least not the circles I run in. But the Ukraine invasion/liberation/annexation was perceived widely in the West as an aggressive and unnecessary move. So I think it is mostly Russia's recent actions that have caused the negative perception. Here is some polling numbers that show that Russia has gained a lot of negative perception: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/country-rating-poll.pdf http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/country-rating-poll.p... EDIT: I do think that Russia is viewed as having a corruption/mobster issue in the West, even before the Ukraine issue.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- throwaway90446 12y ago
  was perceived widely in the West Because of our propaganda. We heard all kinds of things about Russian military mobilization, conspiracy theories about who shot down the airliner, how much Putin hates gays, how horrible living conditions were at the Sochi olympic village, how "rigged" the Crimean referendum was, etc. But we have heard nothing about NATO breaking its post-wall promise, of the enormous rise of nazism on Russia's borders( actual nazism, not the soft nationalism you see in France ), the outrageous corruption and duplicity of the players responsible for the ouster of Yanukovych, the ethnic and political divisions between the Crimea and Ukraine proper, etc. I continue to be astounded that HN is so virulently anti-russia, mainly because I thought this group would be the most immune to propaganda and most likely to question the official narrative.
  - bhouston 12y ago
    > Russian military mobilization The military mobilization on Ukraine's borders did happen. > conspiracy theories about who shot down the airliner It was likely the rebels with Russian technology. > how much Putin hates gays He did that to himself. > how horrible living conditions were at the Sochi olympic village I don't think that is a major factor. > nazism on Russia's borders Please explain. > outrageous corruption and duplicity of the players responsible for the ouster of Yanukovych Please explain. > the ethnic and political divisions between the Crimea and Ukraine proper I am aware of that. But doing an invasion first and then asking for permission or doing a referendum is not usually how these things are done in the modern era. That was an aggressive move. Usually there is an independence movement and votes are held and permission is sought, it is a long process but a doable one if it is peaceful.
gdrulia 12y ago
Personally I see them as a bullying classmate that you must face everyday and you never entirely sure how it will end. Russia likes to be seen as aggressor and not many likes that.
Jongseong 12y ago
I would like to think that most people would be able to distinguish between the Russian people and culture on the one hand and their current government on the other. But let's use the shorthand of saying "Russia" for the geopolitical entity. "Russia" still generates a lot of fear based on recent history, where Russians were the privileged nationality in the Soviet empire, which surrounded itself with satellite states controlled by the Red Army. It was until a few decades ago one of two superpowers vying for global domination. Many neighbouring peoples have memories of being denied statehood (Ukrainians, Tatars), being invaded (Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians) and even occupied (Balts), or being deported wholesale (Chechens, Crimean Tatars) by Russia within the last century, so there is an underlying part of their psychology that sees Russia as a potential existential threat. Russia is by no means unique in this respect. This applies to most global and regional hegemons. There are many that do not like the U.S. or China. Britain and Germany in recent memory, or France earlier in early modern Europe, inspired similar fear. But what is particularly worrying about Russia now is that the narrative being privileged within the country only portrays Russia as the victim of recent history. This makes it difficult for Russians and their neighbours to come to a common historical understanding.
jsmcgd 12y ago
I think most westerners do like Russians and Russia, but don't like Putin and his growing anti-democratic tendencies.
kovrik 12y ago
Russian here. I don't like Russia too.
smileysteve 12y ago
I think that the nationalism and counter-nationalism is a cold war remnant. Everybody older than 25 watched a good number of movies where Russians were the threat. Mostly James Bond style movies, but you've got a few others in there as well.
hcarvalhoalves 12y ago
Most of the world has mixed opinions about Russia, and the younger have a more favorable one. http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/03/global-opinion-of-russia-mixed/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/03/global-opinion-of-russia...
tokenadult 12y ago
I studied Russian years ago in high school and university, before settling on Chinese language as my university major subject. I know a lot of Russian emigres in my town. Most American people admire the Russian common people, and sympathize with their long history of being ruled by dictators. I think the current dictator of Russia, Putin, is doing badly by his country and reducing the freedom of the common people under his rule. I oppose Putin because I like Russians. The sooner Putin is out of power, the better. Лучше поздно, чем никогда.
danmaz74 12y ago
I like Russia. I despise Putin, who is bringing Russia back to autocracy and aggressive expansionism.
useerup 12y ago
We don't like treaty-breakers. We don't like imperialistic ambitions. We don't like bullies that believe they have the right suppress weaker nations, simply because they are stronger. We don't like liars and deceivers. We don't like people that willingly welcome nationalistic propaganda. Right now Russia is all of the above. For a while we believed that Russia would honor agreements and treaties, such as the one where Russia guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian nuclear disarmament. For a while we believed that Russia had given up the old dream of dominating its neighboring countries. For a while we believed that Russia was growing more democratic and respectful of international law, norms and standards. For a while we (naively) believed what Russian leaders told us. For a while we believed that the Russian people had learned from the Soviet era and truly wanted a free society with meaningful democratic institutions. For a while we believed that the Russian people could see through nationalistic propaganda and resist being riled up by lies and misrepresentations (such as Ukrainians being "fascists"). We were let down. We are now massively disappointed. By Russia, by Russian leaders and - yes - by the Russian people who are demonstrating a staggering deliberate ignorance. Personally I am so disappointing that I am willing to endure hardship and lower economic growth just to draw a line now and take a stand. Turn this around. Throw out Putin. Allow free, critical press. Negotiate a deal with Ukraine on Crimea (I am sure one could be worked out as long as it is not at gunpoint). It will cost you, but it is obvious that a deal with gas in exchange for territory would be possible. But above all, I need to see realization from the Russian public that they cannot act as bullies, that Russia does not have "more right" than others simply because they are stronger. That's the irony: The doctrine that a stronger state has the right to suppress weaker states is the core principle of fascism. I am sorry to say, but you, the Russian people who believe that "Crimea is ours", it is you who have become the fascists! It do not dislike Russians. But I have become extremely suspicious as to the intentions of the Russian leaders and how far the Russian people will allow them to go.
- tomp 12y ago
  > We don't like treaty-breakers. > We don't like imperialistic ambitions. > We don't like bullies that believe they have the right suppress weaker nations, simply because they are stronger. > We don't like liars and deceivers. > We don't like people that willingly welcome nationalistic propaganda. This actually describes the USA really really well.
flatline 12y ago
I like Russia just fine, though their current aggressive stance in the region is off-putting. My question is, why do so many Russians like Putin? I'd think they would have had enough of the autocratic dictators from generations past, but he seems quite popular at home and abroad among the Russian expats I know.
- mgz 12y ago
  Why do Russians like Putin? Look at Ukraine. Ukraine is Russia without Putin. Poor, ruled by american agents and going to disappear as a state, just like Russia in 90s.
  - Grue3 12y ago
    This has to be a joke. Economically, Russia performed worse than Ukraine even with Putin invading Ukraine. Literally anyone would do better than Putin. A random person from the street would do better.
skylan_q 12y ago
Because westerners tend to be easily programmable via media broadcasting. Somehow, Russia is evil even though the west has launched a war on a method, continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people and tries to conquer or co-opt countries surrounding Russia to its side at any cost.
JulianMorrison 12y ago
Putin has presided over the transformation of Russia from Yeltsin's incompetent, incontinent state at the mercy of oligarchs (that was still relatively democratic) into a crude fake democracy wrapping a fascist system in the most literal sense - one leader, rule by force, politically controlled media and courts, brownshirts, unification of commerce and government via cronies and the assassination or frame-ups of competition, religion as a prop of the state, scapegoating of minorities, and ethnic expansionism.
celticninja 12y ago
as a brit i dont think this is accurate, no one has a particular dislike of russians, well perhaps oligarchs in london driving up property prices but which rich foreign nationals dont do that?
bliker 12y ago
I am from Slovakia and I do not hate Russia. I am afraid.

I'm just curious why does everyone (a lot of westerners) not like Russia?

atlantic 12y ago

Mostly for propaganda reasons. Russia is Designated Enemy #1, outside of the Axis of Evil.

Jgrubb 12y ago
Bingo - propaganda. I'm sure it's propaganda inside Russia that westerners, especially Americans, don't like Russia.
- virmundi 12y ago
  I dated a Russian for a while. We discussed their propaganda. It was child's play compared to the US. Their posters and literature were obviously propaganda. The US had Hollywood. Slick veneered movies where the Reds attack and plucky bunch of kids help slow and dismantle their war machine. So many 70s and 80sfilms revolve around that core concept. That has to stick. Fortunately we've moved on. Sure there are throwbacks. Excluding those, we've focused our hatred on the Muslims alla 24.

bhouston 12y ago

I don't find that Westerners don't like Russia in general -- at least not the circles I run in. But the Ukraine invasion/liberation/annexation was perceived widely in the West as an aggressive and unnecessary move. So I think it is mostly Russia's recent actions that have caused the negative perception. Here is some polling numbers that show that Russia has gained a lot of negative perception: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/country-rating-poll.pdf http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/country-rating-poll.p... EDIT: I do think that Russia is viewed as having a corruption/mobster issue in the West, even before the Ukraine issue.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
throwaway90446 12y ago
was perceived widely in the West Because of our propaganda. We heard all kinds of things about Russian military mobilization, conspiracy theories about who shot down the airliner, how much Putin hates gays, how horrible living conditions were at the Sochi olympic village, how "rigged" the Crimean referendum was, etc. But we have heard nothing about NATO breaking its post-wall promise, of the enormous rise of nazism on Russia's borders( actual nazism, not the soft nationalism you see in France ), the outrageous corruption and duplicity of the players responsible for the ouster of Yanukovych, the ethnic and political divisions between the Crimea and Ukraine proper, etc. I continue to be astounded that HN is so virulently anti-russia, mainly because I thought this group would be the most immune to propaganda and most likely to question the official narrative.
- bhouston 12y ago
  > Russian military mobilization The military mobilization on Ukraine's borders did happen. > conspiracy theories about who shot down the airliner It was likely the rebels with Russian technology. > how much Putin hates gays He did that to himself. > how horrible living conditions were at the Sochi olympic village I don't think that is a major factor. > nazism on Russia's borders Please explain. > outrageous corruption and duplicity of the players responsible for the ouster of Yanukovych Please explain. > the ethnic and political divisions between the Crimea and Ukraine proper I am aware of that. But doing an invasion first and then asking for permission or doing a referendum is not usually how these things are done in the modern era. That was an aggressive move. Usually there is an independence movement and votes are held and permission is sought, it is a long process but a doable one if it is peaceful.

gdrulia 12y ago

Personally I see them as a bullying classmate that you must face everyday and you never entirely sure how it will end. Russia likes to be seen as aggressor and not many likes that.

Jongseong 12y ago

I would like to think that most people would be able to distinguish between the Russian people and culture on the one hand and their current government on the other. But let's use the shorthand of saying "Russia" for the geopolitical entity. "Russia" still generates a lot of fear based on recent history, where Russians were the privileged nationality in the Soviet empire, which surrounded itself with satellite states controlled by the Red Army. It was until a few decades ago one of two superpowers vying for global domination. Many neighbouring peoples have memories of being denied statehood (Ukrainians, Tatars), being invaded (Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians) and even occupied (Balts), or being deported wholesale (Chechens, Crimean Tatars) by Russia within the last century, so there is an underlying part of their psychology that sees Russia as a potential existential threat. Russia is by no means unique in this respect. This applies to most global and regional hegemons. There are many that do not like the U.S. or China. Britain and Germany in recent memory, or France earlier in early modern Europe, inspired similar fear. But what is particularly worrying about Russia now is that the narrative being privileged within the country only portrays Russia as the victim of recent history. This makes it difficult for Russians and their neighbours to come to a common historical understanding.

jsmcgd 12y ago

I think most westerners do like Russians and Russia, but don't like Putin and his growing anti-democratic tendencies.

kovrik 12y ago

Russian here. I don't like Russia too.

smileysteve 12y ago

I think that the nationalism and counter-nationalism is a cold war remnant. Everybody older than 25 watched a good number of movies where Russians were the threat. Mostly James Bond style movies, but you've got a few others in there as well.

hcarvalhoalves 12y ago

Most of the world has mixed opinions about Russia, and the younger have a more favorable one. http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/03/global-opinion-of-russia-mixed/ http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/03/global-opinion-of-russia...

tokenadult 12y ago

I studied Russian years ago in high school and university, before settling on Chinese language as my university major subject. I know a lot of Russian emigres in my town. Most American people admire the Russian common people, and sympathize with their long history of being ruled by dictators. I think the current dictator of Russia, Putin, is doing badly by his country and reducing the freedom of the common people under his rule. I oppose Putin because I like Russians. The sooner Putin is out of power, the better. Лучше поздно, чем никогда.

danmaz74 12y ago

I like Russia. I despise Putin, who is bringing Russia back to autocracy and aggressive expansionism.

useerup 12y ago

We don't like treaty-breakers. We don't like imperialistic ambitions. We don't like bullies that believe they have the right suppress weaker nations, simply because they are stronger. We don't like liars and deceivers. We don't like people that willingly welcome nationalistic propaganda. Right now Russia is all of the above. For a while we believed that Russia would honor agreements and treaties, such as the one where Russia guaranteed the sovereignty of Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian nuclear disarmament. For a while we believed that Russia had given up the old dream of dominating its neighboring countries. For a while we believed that Russia was growing more democratic and respectful of international law, norms and standards. For a while we (naively) believed what Russian leaders told us. For a while we believed that the Russian people had learned from the Soviet era and truly wanted a free society with meaningful democratic institutions. For a while we believed that the Russian people could see through nationalistic propaganda and resist being riled up by lies and misrepresentations (such as Ukrainians being "fascists"). We were let down. We are now massively disappointed. By Russia, by Russian leaders and - yes - by the Russian people who are demonstrating a staggering deliberate ignorance. Personally I am so disappointing that I am willing to endure hardship and lower economic growth just to draw a line now and take a stand. Turn this around. Throw out Putin. Allow free, critical press. Negotiate a deal with Ukraine on Crimea (I am sure one could be worked out as long as it is not at gunpoint). It will cost you, but it is obvious that a deal with gas in exchange for territory would be possible. But above all, I need to see realization from the Russian public that they cannot act as bullies, that Russia does not have "more right" than others simply because they are stronger. That's the irony: The doctrine that a stronger state has the right to suppress weaker states is the core principle of fascism. I am sorry to say, but you, the Russian people who believe that "Crimea is ours", it is you who have become the fascists! It do not dislike Russians. But I have become extremely suspicious as to the intentions of the Russian leaders and how far the Russian people will allow them to go.

tomp 12y ago
> We don't like treaty-breakers. > We don't like imperialistic ambitions. > We don't like bullies that believe they have the right suppress weaker nations, simply because they are stronger. > We don't like liars and deceivers. > We don't like people that willingly welcome nationalistic propaganda. This actually describes the USA really really well.

flatline 12y ago

I like Russia just fine, though their current aggressive stance in the region is off-putting. My question is, why do so many Russians like Putin? I'd think they would have had enough of the autocratic dictators from generations past, but he seems quite popular at home and abroad among the Russian expats I know.

mgz 12y ago
Why do Russians like Putin? Look at Ukraine. Ukraine is Russia without Putin. Poor, ruled by american agents and going to disappear as a state, just like Russia in 90s.
- Grue3 12y ago
  This has to be a joke. Economically, Russia performed worse than Ukraine even with Putin invading Ukraine. Literally anyone would do better than Putin. A random person from the street would do better.

skylan_q 12y ago

Because westerners tend to be easily programmable via media broadcasting. Somehow, Russia is evil even though the west has launched a war on a method, continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people and tries to conquer or co-opt countries surrounding Russia to its side at any cost.

JulianMorrison 12y ago

Putin has presided over the transformation of Russia from Yeltsin's incompetent, incontinent state at the mercy of oligarchs (that was still relatively democratic) into a crude fake democracy wrapping a fascist system in the most literal sense - one leader, rule by force, politically controlled media and courts, brownshirts, unification of commerce and government via cronies and the assassination or frame-ups of competition, religion as a prop of the state, scapegoating of minorities, and ethnic expansionism.

celticninja 12y ago

as a brit i dont think this is accurate, no one has a particular dislike of russians, well perhaps oligarchs in london driving up property prices but which rich foreign nationals dont do that?

bliker 12y ago

I am from Slovakia and I do not hate Russia. I am afraid.