all 10 comments

[–][deleted] 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

It's called hypernormalization, and it also arose in the Soviet Union in the decades before its collapse.

The word hypernormalization was coined by Alexei Yurchak, a professor of anthropology who was born in Leningrad and later went to teach in the United States. He introduced the word in his book Everything Was Forever, Until It Was No More: The Last Soviet Generation (2006), which describes paradoxes of Soviet life during the 1970s and 1980s.[3][4] He says that everyone in the Soviet Union knew the system was failing, but no one could imagine an alternative to the status quo, and politicians and citizens alike were resigned to maintaining the pretense of a functioning society.[5] Over time, this delusion became a self-fulfilling prophecy and the fakeness was accepted by everyone as real, an effect that Yurchak termed hypernormalisation.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperNormalisation

[–]lastborn 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I approve. This was a fascinating documentary to watch just a few years ago, and it seems to be the most poignant analysis on this topic that I've observed. Unfortunately it appears to be even more complicated, on some levels.

[–]StillLessons[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I look forward to examining this information. I have referred already in previous posts to the similarities in my mind between Biden and Brezhnev. I was politically aware at the end of the Soviet Union, and I never imagined the same pattern would be replayed in the west. It makes me far less judgemental of the Russians for having fallen into the system they did...

[–]Tarrock 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

"Do not forget that these people want you broke, dead, your kids raped and brainwashed, and they think it's funny." -Sam Hyde.

Subscribe to s/mediapunchback. We're going to be going after the MSM's advertisers for this shit once the political money is out of their pockets in January.

[–]goatmeal 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

it's designed to humiliate you. the more it deviates from reality, the better.

[–]jet199 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I think you'll find people have definitely been killed by Russian poisoning plotxls. A few of themb just ordinary people who just happened to be in the area.

[–]StillLessons[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

There are a variety of stories. I kept it general in my post, but the specific two I was referring to are the Skripals (both of whom survived and disappeared from view into the English system) and Navalny, who is also alive and well. According to the "scary Novichok" story, this should be impossible. Do I believe Putin's government is capable of poisoning dissidents and has done so in the past? I think that's entirely possible, and some of the earlier cases (the polonium case) seem to hold up. But these cases - on their individual merits - fall apart on examination. I actually think that's part of what has happened in the Skripal/Navalny cases. Because there is a link (in the public consciousness) between "Putin" and "poison", all the propaganda folks in the west have to do is awaken that link in people's minds. Magic - people poisoned! - no proof required. But for those who do check into each case as it happens, the more recent accusations are getting rather thin.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

It's not always poison, they like using car bombs and good old fashioned bullets too.

[–]StillLessons[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I am open to the likelihood that the Russian power structure engages in evil. They are a large institution. I have no loyalty to them any more than any other large institution.

But perhaps especially if what you and jet199 are focusing on is true, my original post comes even more into focus. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the Russian government does do these things, why not call them out on things that can be solidly proven? Why choose to focus on events with so many inescapable logical contradictions at the foundation of the story?

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

When someone critical of the Russian government is disappeared or something happens to them, the chief suspect is naturally who stands to benefit from it. I don't think that some of the assassinations being botched makes it illogical that Russia was behind it. Not all of the US assassinations have gone swimmingly.