Since the collapse of the USSR, the central complaint of the people of Russia (but not of other Soviet republics that I know of) was “Nobody fears us any longer!”
I can’t tell you how many times I heard or read this phrase in discussions of whether the end of the USSR was a good thing.
“We can now travel! And buy anything we want! And read all the books we like!”
“Yes, but nobody is afraid of us any longer!”
“We can start businesses! Be in control of our lives! Listen to music! Express ourselves freely! Use contraception! Buy tampons!”
“Yes, but who cares about all that if NOBODY FEARS US ANY LONGER!!!”
Today, the people of Russia are happy because although the economy is in the toilet, they can’t express themselves freely, contraception is under attack, and traveling or starting a business is more and more out of reach, Russians feel feared by the world, and that’s somehow more important. Why this is so crucial to them is a total mystery to me. I mean, it’s fun to be feared but how much of your economic well-being would you give up for that?
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