You’d think that the number of pouty Eastern Europeans upset that the West didn’t make them all instantly rich in 1991 would diminish with time. But it’s not true. Those who were small and barely remember socialism and those who were born after 1991 and don’t remember it at all are just as angry as 70-year-old babushkas.
Obviously, I’m not talking about all Eastern Europeans. Many are not like that. I’m not like that. But enough are. Enough to start wars that will go on and on because you don’t need to have a memory of socialism to feel nostalgic for it.
Capitalism actually did make Lea Ypi rich. The property expropriated from her family before Albania became Stalinist was returned to her. She became a professor at a fancy place. Her life is that of extraordinary luxury. Capitalism gave her everything. Compared to the terror and misery of her socialist childhood in a repressed family of political undesirables, she’s living in paradise.
Yet Ypi is as angry as any unemployed pro-Putin drunk somewhere in Kaluga. She became an ultra-woke professor of Marxism and teaches about “capitalist oppressions.” She’s a fanatic of open borders, an idea she says she discovered at a Soros class in Albania in the early 1990s. My personal hatred of Soros dates back to that time because he was doing this in every formerly socialist country. He was poisoning the minds of these stupid teenagers or even pre-teens. They had no place to go, and the Soros organizations would bribe them with fun activities and food. Then they’d be brainwashed. And now they are bombing Ukrainians at worst or advancing the woke revolution at best.
We are in for a lot of upheaval brought to us by the pouty Eastern Europeans like Ypi. This is the second book in as many weeks that I randomly come across where an ultra privileged woman from Eastern Europe throws a tantrum about “bad capitalism.” Both books are very popular. Ypi’s collected every award imaginable because the endless repetition of the word “Marxism” soothes the sore brains of award committees.
Still, I recommend the book because you can find out a lot about the horror show that socialist Albania was. Ypi learned nothing from her experience there but we can. Most importantly, we can prepare ourselves for the future designed for us by the hordes of angry, rich Ypis.
Clarissa's Blog 
“Ypi learned nothing from her experience”
Do think she’s always been sincere about that or she just quickly learned that westerners (especially in academics) were very much not interested in stories of socialist or communist hardship. They were, however, dying to hear about how misunderstood communist governments were or how they were unfairly sabotaged or what a terrible toll capitalism took on the poor simple people who’d thrived… thrived I tell you! under communism.
She wouldn’t be the first to make a career in academia by telling gullible westerners what they want to hear…..
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It’s weird because she describes the socialist Albania as an absolute hell hole. I had no idea it was that bad. And she despises the Western socialists who chirp about how Albania, Cuba, USSR, etc are “not real socialism.” She thinks they are stupid.
But at the same time, capitalism is evil because not everybody is completely free at all times, specifically there are still borders and governments. And that’s very oppressive.
This is typical Soros stuff, and I”m glad she mentions Soros because his impact keeps getting silenced.
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“socialist Albania as an absolute hell hole”
Basically it was Europe’s North Korea…. I used to collect Albania stories and wanted to visit when it wasn’t possible (no US allowed in at all).
Now it’s developing as a tourist destination and I could easily go (and might). I love Albanian folk-pop so it’s very tempting….
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“Albanian folk-pop ”
Since I brought it up… a pretty typical entry… I love the thump thump rhythm and clarinets… vaguely reminds me of my favorite Latin music – cumbia….
Albanian music videos all feature: folklore, weddings, nationalist symbols and horses (not necessarily all at the same time, here you have three I think…
The two men dancing are traditionally homosocial (muslim sex segregation also means its probably partly erotic though not openly so).
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There is a great scene in the book where a group of friendly Albanians almost end up murdering a Dutch guy by feeding him tons of local food and making him dance a Napoloni. It’s really funny.
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Sigh.
(mild jealousy of cultures where clarinets are actually cool)
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Dear Clarissa, I love you so!
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💖💖💕💕
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Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve heard a bit about how awful Albania was through one of my husband’s best friends. He immigrated in the 90s. He is one of the most staunch pro-America people I know, and he is also one of the most successful. He has built up from nothing and owns a restaurant, a farm, a few other businesses, and is high up in a local union for his day job. His sons all got licensed in a trade and are also very successful for being in their early 20s. This whole family works like crazy, actually. The family is actually a wonderful breath of fresh air because they are always so extremely happy, grateful, and quick to share the benefits of their hard work.
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Those of us who didn’t choose the path of facile anti-Americanism tend to do very well. The rest are still seething with rage and envy.
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