The Vagaries of Putinism: A Riddle

What is the purpose of this portrait of Putin? Who is supposed to use it and how?

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The correct answer is under the fold.

This was created for blind people so that they are not deprived of familiarity with Putin’s face. Because that would be simply tragic.

15 thoughts on “The Vagaries of Putinism: A Riddle

  1. Tricky question! You couldn’t throw darts at it, they might glance off and injure somebody. I’d like to imagine the thing is some kind of post-surrealist comment on iconography, but regrettably it probably isn’t.

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  2. It’s just to give some 3-D effect when you look at the portrait straight on.
    Personally, it looks like some Putin fan is also a Terminator fan because the plastic looks ready to morph out of the frame.

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      1. \ Yes, a 3-D effect is created. But for what purpose? There is a very specific utilitarian purpose here.

        Utilitarian purpose? I am surprised. Can’t think of one except for beauty’s sake. 🙂

        My first thought was “it’s an icon in a prayer corner, where Lenin once stood.”

        I looked at a German site cliff linked recently and saw this post on immigrants’ education. Do you agree with it? I find it hard to believe that “Asylum-seekers who have university degrees show IQs in mathematical and pattern-sorting tasks of 93 — the level shown by mid-level German high school [Realschule] students.” Surely, even in third world countries universities must mean something at least?

        http://www.germanimmigration.eu/2015/10/does-this-study-about-asylum-seekers-exist.html

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        1. Given how abysmally low my IQ in mathematical and pattern-sorting tasks is, maybe I should abstain from comment. 🙂

          These IQ tests are meaningless, they say nothing about one’s intellect. And the educational system in the country of origin is no indicator of anything either. All of my best students are always immigrants from 3rd world countries. Students from Western Europe, on the other hand, are not that good. They are spoiled, coddled, don’t like to work a whole lot.

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          1. “These IQ tests are meaningless, they say nothing about one’s intellect.”

            -Not to mention the regional bias inherent in the tests.

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            1. “Not to mention the regional bias inherent in the tests.”

              • Oh, absolutely. One of the tests offered by the Russian authorities to the migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan who come to Russia to work as janitors and snow cleaners asked the following question, “Imagine that you are staying at the Ritz Carlton hotel and need to ask for room service. . .”

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    1. Wow, man, you are GOOD. You have plumbed the depths of the Putinoid mind and understood how it works.

      Yes, this was created for blind people so that they are not deprived of familiarity with Putin’s face.

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      1. \ Yes, this was created for blind people so that they are not deprived of familiarity with Putin’s face.

        Surprised again. As far as I know, even Lenin and Stalin didn’t get such and Putin is less important and loved (by some of population) than they were.

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