Sundance channels GB
https://x.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/2064718539823653165 US vs Russia (today)
yes, he’s been traveling there lately
https://x.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/2064718539823653165 US vs Russia (today)
yes, he’s been traveling there lately
(Sundance) I first travelled to Russia in 2024 because I wanted to see for myself what it was about, with specific focus on the sanction regime and how it was impacting life for an ordinary Russian.
I revisited twice since then, just to ensure my understanding was not misplaced.
What I write below is not from a guided tour, not from an organized visit through contact with anyone of significance in Russia.
This is simply an American who figures out a way how to get a visa when it was exceptionally complicated during the Biden administration and returned twice thereafter – the latter when Trump took office.
Warning to readers. This will be a long thread, because I will take you on the full journey – beginning in 2024.
https://x.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/2064708471728345395
moving along
7/
On one hand, there are too many grey people, not enough independent thinkers, and that appears to be part of the problem in Russia. Hence, the government has all kinds of financial and economic incentives for innovative Western tech people and businesses to emigrate. However, on the other hand the government likes the domineering social compliance aspect, and they want to control communication networks, so they face recruitment problems.
Socially, the extreme compliance creates unity, cohesion and lawfulness. However, that same permeating mindset chokes out innovation and independent critical thinking. The lack of home-grown innovation, the people who actually think independently, means the industrial and tech business sectors must steal their ideas from other places. It is not accidentally the same in China. I think this is also why Russian hacking is so advanced.
The current/modern Russian government seems to hate the social wokeism stuff, within the “West,” more than they like innovation in a free-thinking capitalist society. As a consequence, Dear Mother is not willing to allow her apples to fall away from the tree.
Interesting …thanks pedro
and I’ve sent links of GB’s Russian smugmug collections on to Mark and the team at CTH, including your recount of the 1990 balloon visit at Diomedes.
Great…I bet they will be impressed. GB is still out there living that incredible life….no inkling he’ll be back here …but he has always come and gone ….so i wouldnt rule it out