A Russian person could not visit New York, Chicago and Los Angeles and then say they visited The United States and have an understanding of Americans. They might think they understand, but any American would giggle at the notion.
Conversely, the same is true in Russia. You cannot visit Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan and think you have an understanding of Russians. However, if you give yourself time, join in the daily tasks and challenges of ordinary Russians, you can easily discover some of the deeper stuff that really puts context on life in the Russian Federation.
Perhaps what follows is a different perspective.
It took a while, but I finally figured out what this phrase “the fatherland” is all about.
Let me start by sharing another phrase that almost every American will find familiar, yet virtually every Russian asked has no reference to comprehend: “you work for us.”
When talking to a federal, state or local government official in the United States and saying, “you work for us,” everyone listening would completely understand your sentiment. However, in Russia that phrase is akin to asking a Martian for a canoe. This is the way to understand “the fatherland.”
Within Russia the social compact is organized around the premise (key word “premise“), that government is the father figure within a family – and all of the citizens are children. The government knows best. The state engages in all facets, systems and structures as if they are the omnipotent father who cares about the children.
The people of Russia generally accept this system. Generations and generations of compliant, well behaved, very structured and regimented ideology still permeates. The muscle memory is deepest in the psychological muscles that run through generations.
Oddly, this social compact is understood, but only understood insofar as the Russian people do not have any other reference point, or alternative system that would enable them to see the deficit in the oppressive system that surrounds them.
The average Russian knows the “West” is different but doesn’t really know why the social system they see outside their window seemingly operates with well-organized randomness. What is this efficiency within unbridled capitalism you speak of, and why would Americans be willing to give it up?
Karelia Russia, early spring ’24
♦ As stated previously, the level of social compliance within the fatherland compact is stunning. Some observers might brush off extreme lawfulness as a remnant of strict authoritarianism – decades of hardcore soviet influence. From that perspective, yes being an invisible “grey man” is safe; drawing attention to yourself can only bring the glare of Father. It is safer to be a generic sardine in a school of sardines.
Live within that system long enough, and it just becomes the natural way it is. It doesn’t matter what the uniform rule is, generally Russians act with extreme compliance.
Standing in line, waiting for the light at a crosswalk, standing on the right side of the escalator, remaining stoic, “cultured” and “not vulgar” in a subway or public venue, putting your trash in an often-changed public receptacle, appropriate (quiet) use of the cell phone, the odd lack of talking in just about any venue, all the way to accepting ridiculous outcomes as a matter of engagement with the fatherland bureaucracy.
The customs and norms circle around ordinary compliance and social acceptances, learned behaviors over time, and so they do. Note, in part this behavior pattern makes it very easy to spot a non-Russian. [That is also one of the reasons why I was careful about taking ordinary photographs, especially considering there are literally no tourists.]
From the 30,000 ft level, generally speaking, somewhere above 85% of the Russian population are compliant children, very well behaved with low expectations of anything in life that is not ordinary. That larger part of Russia accepts their malaise as just “life,” and they move along. The other 15% are part of the social strata (government worker or connected to a higher status), that affords them additional benefits.
St Petersburg, Russia – Spring ’24
Yes, there are definitely two castes or classes within the population, and this is a self-fulfilling prophecy, something the intellectual left in the United States will always deny. Totalitarianism is on the far-left side of the political continuum. Within that leftist system, a process the USA is working toward, there are ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ – or what is more familiarly called “elites.”
Have you ever visited Disney or a theme park in the USA where you can purchase a higher priced ticket to go into a “fast lane” at each attraction? The average price visitor stands in one long line, those who pay a much higher price get to skip to a much shorter line. In Russia, that’s the analogy for the general population engaging in everything; literally everything in their life from shopping to where they live, the better system experience is based on wealth & status.
♦ There is no part of this social system that an average American would enjoy in the long-term. Do not romanticize Russia. Edward Snowden gave up his best life when he made his hard choices.
Put simply, ordinary life as an ordinary Russian is just not easy. The concept of a social system structured around liberty and self-determination is unknown. Russians are not “free” people, not even close.
It is not uncommon to see police on foot, regular beat cops, on crowded streets stopping people and asking for “their papers.” I am told the people being stopped are clearly not native Russians; but honestly, I watched this take place several times, and they all look Russian to me.
As I walked in the crowd with my friends, I asked them, “Do I look Russian”, because I was not being asked for my papers.
The response was generally that I look “white”, and the people being stopped by the police were not white. However, again I repeat, everyone being stopped looked like a white Russian to me, so what do I know.
There were also a few seemingly random road checkpoints where you are stopped by police and asked for your papers when driving, or a passenger. This always made me nervous (and my friends, although they were embarrassed to admit it), and with my passport I was always questioned and checked closely (but never detained – except as previously noted in the airport).
On the overall social oppression aspect, yes there are signs the Russian government is trying to change, to figure out a middle ground. However, the default position of the social mechanism is set to strict control, oppressive govt and authoritarianism.
Step out of the sardine line, and you will end up regretting it – big time. Ordinary Russians do not want to step out of line.
The problem for the Russian government is the generational compliance system does not create forward-thinking, independent thinking or entrepreneurship at the scale needed (Western scale) to rapidly advance modern society or keep up with technological changes and advancements. The DNA of Russia is static, lacking innovation, and built on this system of compliance.
On one hand, too many grey people, not enough independent thinkers…. 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, 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, meaning 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 Father is not willing to allow his apples to fall away from the tree.
♦ The Western financial sanction regime against Russia has driven the Russian economy into a very close relationship with China, South Korea and larger Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). The new automobiles in Russia are almost all Kia, Hyundai and then Chinese models. The Russians notably do not have many EVs; they are mostly standard internal combustion engines. There are some newer USA and EU import vehicles, but those carry the cost of the 3rd party brokers (super high prices afforded only by the elites).
The odd thing about the sanction regime is the invisibility of it, unless you are looking deeply. Sure, many western retail companies were forced to leave by Western political demand, but their products are still mostly available. I cannot visibly see any segment of the Russian economy where the sanctions are having a strong impact. Quite the opposite is true, and all outward appearances of the Russian economy look strong.
Again, in a general sense, because Russia lacks innovative capitalism, their infrastructure innovation is archaic and outdated. This does not mean the old infrastructure is necessarily broken or doesn’t work; it only means it is old and very odd to see. Russia spends a lot of time cleaning and maintaining its infrastructure, but large sections of housing developments and apartments are very old and look well past their use-by dates.
Analog is still everywhere; digital systems have yet to become mainstream. If you step outside the center-city tourist perspective, you enter the 1970’s or 1980’s system in the suburbs dominated by the sardine cans where people live. As a person who was born/raised like Huck Finn in Florida on the beaches, islands and backwater bayous, the stacked-up rows and rows of sardine can apartments is seriously wild and simultaneously “yikes.”
The sardine Russians enjoy their parks, and to be fair they have some really nice spring and summer parks to enjoy, provided and maintained by Dear Father. On nice weather days, the benches are full of people quietly talking to one another, enjoying the fellowship outdoors and generally being well cultured and exceptionally civil.
Random park in center city, St Petersburg, Russia
The well-mannered expectations of social rules, within the suburban and city park system, were explained to me, and I did not see a single reference of non-compliance or crude behavior anywhere – not even once. NOT ONCE.
Truthfully, it’s really weird how quiet and stoic the Russian people are when they are enjoying their recreation time. It’s like something out of a 1950’s pod-people movie, and after a while I found it to be very disconcerting, almost bordering on annoying for some reason.
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) May 21, 2024
I woke up early and hiked up to that specific and beautiful hilltop in Kareila, Russia, just so I could record that train video. No one else was on the mountain. It was a cold and beautiful morning.
♦ Food and Diets – Russian people eat well, and generally you would say they eat healthy fresh food. Because he was apparently concerned about it at some point, Dear Father banned Canola oil in Russia as a food additive. Fresh foods are what the average American would consider “organic foods.” For those of you who grow in your own gardens, you understand what the food markets are like in Russia.
This is not to say Russians are “healthy,” because overall they might not be. Smoking cigarettes and heavy alcohol drinking are very visible, and the difference in appearance between a 20-year-old and a 40-year-old is striking; perhaps that’s why.
Good quality food is cheap in Russia. Everything you see on the counter in this picture (left) was purchased for less than $70. I transposed the prices that I would pay at my local grocery store in the USA, and I came up with around $150-$175.
Processed food prices in Russia (crackers, chips, candies, cereals) generally are about half of what you would pay in the U.S. However, on the fresh foods side (produce, fish, meats, dairy), the Russian prices are a fraction of the U.S.A costs.
[10 eggs for $0.50, bread $1, bananas $0.05/lb, salmon $2.00, head lettuce $0.50, berries less than $1, apples $0.45/lb, steak $2/lb, ground chuck $1.50/lb, etc]
A 30-mile cab ride is around $5 to $8, and gasoline costs less than $2/gal.
A typical “nice” restaurant meal for 2 people is around $15.00, and you can easily grab a burger and fries for $3/$4 at any fast-food place. The average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment (city or suburb) is around $300/mo. The average income of a middle class (blue collar) worker is around $1,000/month.
Those grab-n-go electric scooters and electric bicycles are well used in the Russian cities and cost around $1 for an hour (kinda cool, and yeah I used them).
Keep in mind, during the soviet era religion was essentially forbidden. As a consequence, the Christian calendar within economic life (something you don’t think about in the USA) was erased.
In the USA the typical work week, Monday to Friday 9-5 weekends off, was an outcome of Christianity in the economy. In Russia you can get a dental appointment at 8:00pm on Sunday, or a haircut at any random time of day. All of the private sector businesses operate based on paying customer needs, not the social economic history of church attendance or worship schedules.
You can open a bank account in Russia using a passport, you do not need to live in Russia to open a bank account. Almost everything in “modern Russia” is done through your phone number and apps. On the downside, I have no doubt Dear Father monitors all of the connected activity on the phone number.
FYI, there are no sanctions on telecommunications, and USA issued cell carriers operate reciprocity systems in Russia.
Instagram, Facebook, Rumble and all pornography sites are blocked on Russian internet, but people use VPN’s. However, before you think it’s big government remember, the number of sites blocked by Russia is less than the number of Russian web sites and domain IDs blocked by the USA govt.
If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) carries a Russian identifier, about half the USA websites will block it, including President Trump’s Truth Social platform. This happens in cell phone networks and targeted apps also. I find this to be very troublesome, because communication is critical to avoiding conflict. The “West” and Russia are building walls around their internet protocols making it harder for Americans and Russians to talk to each other. I do not think this is good.
♦ Healthcare – Russian healthcare is very cost efficient, and the system of healthcare itself is really cool. This is one element where you could say Russian outcomes easily exceed the USA. Healthcare for the average Russian is free; essentially, socialized medicine paid via taxes. However, yes there is a private sector healthcare system available for those who want to pay for extra stuff.
Dental is a good example to give you an idea of costs. You can get braces in Russia for less than $1,000 (generally $500). Standard dentists visit for cleaning around $20. That cost ratio carries throughout the general healthcare system that is remarkably modern, although if you need a specialized test like a CAT scan ($75), PET scan ($200) or MRI ($100/$150) you need an appointment at a govt institution (although, super-efficient timelines there too).
Within private sector healthcare, I’m told medical tourism used to be a big thing with people traveling to Russia for low-cost high-quality healthcare. I can see why. I went on several visits to healthcare providers, and the in/out efficiency within both the govt and private sector was impressive. You can also purchase just about all prescription medications (except narcotics classed meds) without a prescription at pharmacies (that are seemingly everywhere like convenience stores).
♦ The Russian Federation, at least through the prism of life as an ordinary Russian (generally middle class/worker class), is not really close to the portrayal that we see about it through Western media.
Russia is a beautiful country; it is massive and filled with natural resources. From the landscape beauty and natural resource perspective, it is similar to the United States in many ways, but the USA is better. Culturally, there is a big difference between the USA and Russia, some of the differences may be considered good, some of them not good depending on what point exactly we were discussing.
I can see how a very specific type of rugged individualist person may enjoy living in Russia more than the USA. In a place where you are disconnected from the modern world and far away from the urban city centers; you can do just about anything you want in Russia – yes, even beyond what is possible in the United States. However, on the aggregate, the ordinary life of the average MAGA American is far superior in quality than the ordinary life of the average Russian.
The opportunities to improve your independent life in the USA are present and within reach. Those same opportunities are not easily found as an independent person in Russia.
When the innovative DNA is triggered in a Russian person, they are inherently compelled by disposition and expressive need to leave the federation. That dynamic is the irony you will find buried deep under the surface, and for very obvious reasons it is the one dynamic the Russian government will not discuss.
If you were to ask me what is the “one thing” I think that will culturally change Russia, you just read what I think it will be in that prior paragraph.
Feel free to use this discussion thread as an ‘Ask Me Anything’ about my time visiting Russia, and I will try to answer as best possible.
Love to all….
SD – I find reading your descriptions of life in Russia fascinating. In some respects, public decorum and civility, the scenes you describe seem reminiscent of 1940s – 1950s America.
I’m certainly no fan of Vladimir Putin – but I am convinced that we made huge mistakes and squandered great opportunities in 1990s – 2000s after the Berlin Wall and USSR both fell.
There was opportunity for a Russian Federation that could have been modestly westernized, prosperous and a strong ally of the United States. ( think Japan after WW II )
I’ve been waiting for this article to pop for-ever, and it did not disappoint. Thank you for taking the time and doing all this Sundance! Canola Oil is poison, it makes me incredibly sick so I check ingredients on everything, and it IS IN everything. You have to go out of your way to avoid it. Big Brother Russian Government was on point with that decision. It does make food taste better though. All those pictures, the infrastructure looks Soviet and Cold because it is Soviet and Cold. The Communist hangover isn’t over yet. Again, thank you for everything. Really great information and analysis!
Thank you, Sundance. Great perspective.
Thank you. Very interesting and I really enjoyed the photos.
I thought that fatherland was German and motherland was Russian?
As in “Mother Russia” and “Holy Russia”. Ireland and France are feminine, Germany masculine. Éiru was actually a goddess, after all. Don’t know about the other countries.
Great pictures and article. Comments too.
So… what you’re saying is that the banksters haven’t financialized every facet of life in Russia.
Sundance;
Thank you for the highly informative first person narrative on our eastern neighbor, Russia. I would like to ask this:
Can the average citizen buy, own, and use rifles and handguns without proving special need for them?
You can purchase a handgun and rifle in Russia. It is registered.
Why Europe banned Canola oil.
https://techcritix.com/guides/why-is-canola-oil-banned-in-europe/
Excerpt
June 2, 2023
The truth is, canola oil isn’t as healthy as you’ve been led to believe. In fact, canola oil is banned for human consumption in many European countries due to some alarming findings:
Canola oil comes from the rapeseed plant, which is part of the mustard family. Rapeseed oil contains high amounts of erucic acid, a fatty acid that can be toxic in large amounts. While canola oil was created by modifying rapeseed oil to have lower erucic acid, some studies show it still may have negative health effects, especially when heated.Canola oil goes through an intense processing method that involves high heat, deodorization and the toxic solvent hexane.
This process creates trans fats and reduces omega-3 fatty acids. Numerous studies link consumption of trans fats and reduced omega-3s to health issues like heart disease, obesity, and cognitive decline.Canola oil is often genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides. GMOs have been linked to inflammation, organ damage, and cancer in some animal studies.
Due to lack of long term testing, GMOs remain controversial and are banned or strictly regulated in many countries.When canola oil is heated to high temperatures during cooking, it releases compounds called aldehydes that may be carcinogenic and cause cell damage. This is a concern since canola oil is commonly used for frying foods.
The arguments for canola oil being “heart healthy” were based on flawed studies funded by the canola industry itself. The truth is, canola oil is not banned in Europe without reason. For your health and your family’s health, it may be worth avoiding canola oil when possible. There are safer, more natural alternatives like olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil.
Europe has banned a lot of food items that are still sold in the US. They ban stuff bad for humans but yet want to control the people. Interesting dichotomy.
I have queried the internet several times over the past few years regarding “canola” oil. Most times, the responses are not stellar. The most recent queries have shown nothing good about canola oil. The “can” in canola oil comes from its inception, Canada.
I personally will never knowingly consume it.
It is soybean oil with an alias.
Like Nimrata Handwara and Frank Marshall Davis III.
Aren’t most seed oils bad?
Absolutely. They are the major cause of the diabetes epidemic in the US. The effect is the need for high fat low carb diets to treat the symptoms. But the cause is vegetable seed oils. Check out doc Joseph Mercola web sight. He is a protégé of Ray Peat and author of ‘Fat For Fuel’.
Thank you for a very enlightening article. I knew nothing about canola oil (I married an Italian so we use olive oil), but now can steer clear of it just in case.
While not opposed to olive oil necessarily , there are some things I cook that I don’t want tainted with it’s strong flavor.
Many thanks. Terrific article and photos…
.
Hey Kate318. I spent 2 1/2 weeks there, in St. Petersburg at the home (state-run high rise apartment on the “outskirts” of St Petersburg of the friend of a relative of my Russian teacher. This was in late October 1996 – early November 1996. On the evening of turning 45 years old, I was at the Kirov Ballet Theatre in St Petersburg (it – the Kirov ballet co – no longer exists) watching the ballet “Swan Lake.”
It was a beautiful and humbling experience I will never forget.
IMO, it does nobody any good to cut off Russia, to disrespect Russia. They have many beautiful people, beautiful minds there.
Here is Russian folk group Beloe Zlato singing “Young Cossack Girl”
My Favorite, Otyken
Much gratitude to you, Sundance, for the interpretation of Russian society you’ve provided, and the risks you’ve taken. There are so many conflicting voices and so much confusion regarding Russia due to the censorship on both sides. I have a 13 year old son, and it is clearly not my desire to see him be thrust into a future war in which Christians kill Christians. Yet, I am buoyed to feel there is something left to fight for here, that while we have lost so much of our social fabric to cultural Marxism, the ideals of our nation’s founders are still worth struggling for here at home in comparison to the alternatives the rest of the world has to offer.
Every leftist in the USA should visit Russia just to get the leftism out of their bloodstream.
Surround yourself with joy and playfulness, that’s the difference…. and without it, you will miss it.
Sounds like you had an excellent adventure! I could spend the day in those parks. Thank you for sharing this. It’s very interesting to learn all of this about Russia.
I have often ruminated on our American heritage as compared to the European heritage many of us have.
What made our ancestors resist the feudal yoke and strike out to an unsettled land, forsaking any security? What gave them the strength to pursue it?
They did it so successfully that I fear we’ve forgotten exactly how extraordinary the risks and feat were. I
can only liken it to living on another planet.
Something not taught to current and even previous generations is that the settlers’ relied on God and God’s ability provide. They were willing to work for it but knew He would provide.
When my German grandfather immigrated to this nation, his family never spoke German again. They were proud to do this as it demonstrated their allegiance to their new home.
His father brought their family because he was tired of generations of the children being ” cannon fodder for the princes of Europe”.
Sadly, our military industrial complex is hellbent to make that the norm for American kids too.
Bingo, hoosiertruth fan!
“What made our ancestors resist the feudal yoke and strike out to an unsettled land, forsaking any security? What gave them the strength to pursue it?
They did it so successfully that I fear we’ve forgotten exactly how extraordinary the risks and feat were. ”
None of us Patriots have forgotten the risks and sacrifices our Founders fought for. I pray we will continue their fight for America today.
Thank you, Rita. I completely agree.
I’ll go back to something I harp on a lot here.
They have stripped Civics and our history from our children’s education by design. They create a far more compliant populace if we are unaware of our unalienable rights. That is why it is up to us to preserve that until sanity returns to the education system.
Of course, if they feel we are influencing our children too much, they can always import a populace that is totally unaware of our God given rights. Like they are now.
Although we were still getting a good enough education in school when I was a kid, believe it or not I have learned a whole lot more through my hobby of genealogy. Some of my ancestors trace back to Jamestown and one of them was even in the original House of Burgess. Another ancestor was helpful in saving the Liberty Bell. I don’t share this to brag, but just to explain why I’m proud to be American, an push back against those who would like to take that pride away.
I had two uncles by marriage, both Italians. The one and his family never spoke Italian whereas the other and his family never let it go. (Both seved in WWII. They spoke different dialects and couldn’t speak to each other.)
Meanwhile, a few German farmers in my rural Ohio area still spoke German after generations but only if they belonged to one of the local Lutheran church denominations.
And my mother taught me Irish. So, I seem to have had a multi-lingual upbringing in rural Ohio. 🙂
Fascinating. Thank you, Sundance. Your way with words never fails to impress.
~ EM
Thank you for a most insightful essay, Sundance!
What are your thoughts on how the Russian people kept their religion through the Soviet era?
I do not know what they did with their religion then, but they are very proud of their Christianity now.
Maybe being Christian is popular now, almost like pop culture, but whatever the reason it is embraced openly.
The orthodox churches are stunning and beautiful.
My Russia Professor used to say suffering is a major component of being Russian. Suffering is in the DNA. Overly simplistic…perhaps.
Sometime simplistic expresses what is so.
Simplistic is not inhterently “bad” any more than reality-based cynicism is.
The Russian people can endure suffering far beyond Americans and most western Europeans. Over the last 400 years, much of their national history has been very tough.
The Russians I know find their happiness from their families, or the bottle. They do not take pride in the system, as we Americans do with our Constitution, but rather endure the bureaucracy.
They do also enjoy the stability a strong government can deliver. That’s why Putin remains very popular outside the cities, and the narod enjoying the increased freedoms (modern infrastructure, travel, more goods) they have under the present government. The Soviet system was simply inefficient for personal needs, like good quality consumer goods and plentiful food..
I was surprised to learn that the serfs were granted freedom during the 19th Century. In a biography of Catherine the Great, I learned that she wanted to grant them their freedom during her reign, but her reign was tenuous for quite some time and the nobility would have revolted…couldn’t have that. (This biography indicated she loved Russia and her people although German or Prussian (?) by birth.)
Anyway, a couple of centuries is not very long to get over the habit of subservience/compliance. The nobility gauged their wealth by how many serfs they had on their estates; the performing arts were populated by serfs – a noble might have an entire company in their “employment.” It’s no wonder the revolts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries occurred. The Soviet system didn’t help at all in getting over this societal habit. I truly and dearly hope we Americans never get over our fierce independence.
Why shouldn’t Americans who can afford it just get Russian bank acounts, telephones, etc and use them to do the things the American analogs make impossible?
Certainly, it is a beautiful country, but it is not well understood by most Americans, particularly the current misadministration. Still, as long as we have a Republic, I’ll stay right here, thank you very much.
Id like to have been in any of those pictures with a fly rod in hand.
OK. That hits on my questions to Sundance, Jc1974. I saw those lakes and rivers and… no recreational fishermen.
I’m sure Sundance grew up fishing saltwater and maybe some freshwater in the lakes. I’m an avid salt and fresh fisherman.
Soooo… is non-commercial fishing, i.e. for some fun or maybe primarily for food + some fun, much of a thing in Russia?
And is fishing licensed (A TAX!) like it is in all 50 States or is it just if you like to fish, go fishing?
Ah, I see it was asked and answered on page 1., so thanks for the info, Sundance.
(I did not realize I was on page four when I wrote! I’m used to earlier days on CTH where there was page 1 and sometimes page 2. Woohoo! My mistake is good news for CTH.)
I saw a Nat Geo docu on the last Tsar years ago, and in one scene these Russian folks were out on a frozen river, fishing thru holes in the ice. And a kid was telling the interviewer that, “When the Tsar was alive, the fish were bigger.”
You do not need a fishing license, and yes fishing is popular.
I see people fishing everywhere, except in the parks. It is apparently not cultured to fish in lakes and streams that run through parks.
Russians love to hunt and fish. Although most live in apartments, most have dachas, or small cabins with gardens. This was a key aspect in their ability to survive during the Soviet collapse. They are much closer to the land than Americans. And their love for their lands is part of their souls. Everywhere you go you see people fishing, and ice fishing in winter.
This was an excellent summary.
I wish the US would ban Canola Oil. Seed oils are causing major health
issues for people.
If something that is available from the grocery store is bad for my health, I don’t need the government to make it unavailable.
I don’t need the government to protect me from every day things.
When I was a child (late 1940s/early 1950s), my mother never allowed candy or pop in our house. Ever. She didn’t need the government to impose that.
When I was a teen, I already knew smoking was not a good idea–long before cigarettes were banned by the government…funny how alcohol still isn’t banned….government had nothing to do with my decision.
….oh, well….no problem. I figured out all on on in my late 20s that alcohol wouldn’t even be on my “list for consideration” (and that only when I discovered how good strawberry margueritas were).
I recently cut out all of my normal breakfast menu and, in its place, begin my day with raw carrots, grapes, strawberries, apples, etc. Government didn’t tell me to do that or make those things unavailable to me.
Are there other things that you wish the US would ban?
Obviously I “know what you meant” but I have no absolutely NO desire to encourage the government in THEIR profound desire to be in charge of what people may or may not do with regard to their food intake. No, thank you.
You also don’t need the government to lie to you either.
Yes they are!
Did you attend any worship services? If so what was that like? Do you speak any Russian?
I speak the basic Russian words. Hello or Hi, thank you, goodbye, that kind of stuff.
I did attend Russian orthodox service, although I did not understand all that took place during the service.
Very interesting to read and to understand how we are different…. and the same.
What did your friends and those you met ask you about life in the US and how did their perspective differ from the reality you explained?
And thank you for showing us a part of the world we seem to know little about, intentionally….
My friends did not understand what makes the USA different from what they see in Hollywood versions of the USA.
Oddly, my friends think of drug use, crime and violence as if “hollywood movies” just makes that stuff up. As if it is fiction. They are stunned that capital crimes are real. They cannot comprehend lawlessness at that scale.
“They cannot comprehend lawlessness at that scale.”! Neither can l, it’s a phenomenon that seems so random and is growing the more secular the country has become. I now go with my wife when she goes shopping to the grocery store or Walmart since I conceal carry. There have random shootings at both. I’ve become sort of a bodyguard in my retirement which I never thought would happen! I do pray I’m never in a situation where I need a gun! Godspeed Sundance!
Such a great ‘boots on the ground’ report! Thank you Sundance.
Awesome pictures too. Loved that old time locomotive video.
Interesting that the train in Sundance’s video is running on coal, if I’m not mistaken.
Coal for power is still everywhere in Russia.
Thank you, Sundance, very informative!
I’m told Africans travel there for cheap university education. True? Did you see many Mongolian Russians?
A few minor points:
– don’t forget the Russian engineers and scientists. They have superior integrated air defense, and still have an active space program.
– Russia does adapt for war: look at how they partnered w Iran to get cheap, quick drones; and their rapid deployment of new effective, deadly glide bombs
– Russia did have a ‘brain drain’ when Russian Jews left in the 80s and 90s
– Putin just inked a new cooperation agreement with North Korea – big implications. NK has extensive rare earth metals and minerals.
– imagine Russian military technology in NK
– some European countries (pre invasion) are known for being less expressive than LOUD Americans
Mongol Russians are visible and they kinda stand out to me, but not to other Russians.
Thank you so much Sundance – I’ve always been fascinated by Russia and have been wondering what you have seen while there. I read Dostoevsky as a kid and was struck by the difference in attitude – they just didn’t have the “get er done” optimism that we Americans expect, they were filled with angst. At least that’s what I gathered from my teenage years and I’ve always wondered how true that was.
I know Putin has been used as the excuse to loot our treasury. Do you think there is any merit in Putin really wanting to “march across Europe” the way the thieves are claiming? I consider their claims about Putin about as valid as Algore bellowing about “boiling oceans” but I’m open other valued opinions…such as yours.
If the war between Russia and the USA can be fought with 500,000 soldiers or less, Russia would win. However, if war with Russia meant you needed 5 million soldiers to do battle, Russia would lose.
Russia has a formidable military and very strong group. In hand to hand combat their troops could likely hold their own or win against any small military group. However, they are not a large army at scale. Remember that.
The ordinary Russian people have as much desire for war as the ordinary American people….. which is to say, none. Remember that also.
I really appreciated this article. I follow a YouTube channel (Luna the Panther) with a couple of Russians, a black panther and a Rottweiler. Normal people living normal lives somewhere east of Moscow. Just decent people I would like to have as neighbors.
For the train video, was that the Trans Siberian?
That train (there are 4 on that track) runs all day. I saw it the day before from another place, and looked up the schedule for when it runs, then choose a hilltop nearby where I figured it would be a good view. Was cool. I’m super glad you enjoyed it also.
I’ve seen Luna the panther. Didn’t know her parents are Russian.
TY Sundance team! Great article. As I reflected on the earlier yrs of life, I find the 40’s- early 60’s or so, lifestyle similar to “Father” in Russia, but didn’t hv the the “stifle” side. (Maybe “Father” is a key word 4 us all). There was respect, enlarge (where I grew up) then for others & ourselves.
Hi. Question: Great info! In the couple of pics of Russian cities, I did not see any children. I have read that the average woman in Russia has 7 abortions. Did you see a lot of happy families? Is abortion not controversial as it is in the USA? Many thanks.
There are lots of children, all of them very well behaved.
Young modern women do not want children in Russia because men leave them. That is the sentiment amid most young women. I do not know if abortion is widespread, but I have no reason to doubt it might be a problem because of the fear that I heard from a lot of younger women.
Families are supported strongly by the state and there are lots of children in general that are visible.
I did not like taking pictures of children or families because it looks weird. Stuff like that stands out in Russia. There are a lot of children in Russia, far more than you see in the average USA neighborhoods.
My view of children in Russia comes from adopting our daughter from one of the many state supported orphanages found throughout Russia.
There are hundreds of orphanages all over Russia.
The orphanage she was in housed around 250 kids from babies up to about 7-8 years old, all grouped in separate units by age. The building was supposedly fairly new, but it reminded me of what a 1950’s asylum might look like.
Our daughter was in the 1-2 year group. It was so saddening because it was survival of the fittest from a very early age. Hepatitis and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effect were common.
Food was mashed potatoes with some kind of ground meat mixed in, with a cookie in a tin cup of milk. Mealtime was usually 4-5 at a time. Nurses would shovel in food as they could swallow. Then the milk cup was pressed against their face until the cup was empty.
Next came potty time. 5-8 at a time sat on what looked like a bowl until they went. They could slide themselves around on the floor to be with others. After potty time, it was play time for whoever was first on the potty until all were finished. When all were done, it was nap time. All put in a room with cribs or mattresses with the door shut.
Repeat three to four times a day.
Her mother lived with her mother in a small house in the same small city where the orphanage was just outside of Moscow. Her father died violently at a young age.
I don’t know/recall how much any state support of poor people in Russia mandates whether additional children are forced into orphanages.
There were many adoptions of Russian children by foreigners until Putin put additional restrictions on it intending to try keep Russian children in Russia. He was just coming to power when we were there.
There were about 30 other couples adopting children at the embassy in Moscow when we were there. Each adoption took about 10 days to 2 weeks.
It was common during the Communist era to use abortion as the primary method of birth control. That statistic you cite was also common throughout the Slavic Communist nations as well.
It may have changed due to the availability of good-quality Western contraceptives in Russia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe.
They still have a big problem with family-aged men and vodka. Drinking socially at that age like the Brits and French is one thing, but Russians get hammered.
Distilling potatoes and grain into 140 proof+ liquor has been the death of that society. It would have been far better for them to stick with just beer and wine.
Biden’s limp attempt to link PDJT to the January 6th attacks falls flat with a shallow senseless message.
The best roast following his tweet, Biden got from Greg J. Marchand MD
Quote:
“This is the first tweet on this account I might actually believe is from Joe Biden, since they don’t seem to know who they are.”
https://x.com/JoeBiden/status/1803856342790111380
God, Bless our Russian sisters and brothers; in Jesus’ name.
Amen!
I know I have an extremely biased point of view on Russians. Most of my interactions were in the Navy on my little turd submarine when we’d finally have a month or so in port between deployments and those doggone Russians would stir the pot around Pearl Harbor again and instead of being home every 2 out of 3 evenings, we had to scramble the boats to chase them off.
And then seeing typical gopniks in Korea pimping girls, pushing drugs, and basically just being thugs.
I never had a high opinion of them. And as bad as it sounds, never thought it was a bad idea to go to war with those pigs.
I’m older now. Wiser is questionable, but at least I no longer care much about Russia or Ukraine or whatever the heck any of those people are doing. Not our problem and we shouldn’t be giving billions to any of it. Let them sort it out. The best we Americans can do is to completely eradicate the CIA and the so-called “intel community” from the face of the Earth as recognize it as being the scourge against humanity it is.
There is a segment of Russian men that are very loud, arrogant, obnoxious and rude. The military encourages this sentiment and it is the first place where I would say “toxic masculinity” might be considered a real issue.
Men in Russia are praised for their strength and silence or quiet resolve.
There is a lot of testosterone in Russia.
So you’re a “railfan?”
Your description of the Russian social structure and its meaning is a good background for further understanding of Ayn Rand’s ‘We The Living’ and her life experience of dealing with and bucking that structure and eventually escaping to the west.
“Some observers might brush off extreme lawfulness as a remnant of strict authoritarianism”
I don’t disagree with anything you described Sundance from what I remember of Moscow roughly 25 years ago, except one thing, and it was shocking to see.
The auto traffic.
Stopping at stoplights or turning at intersections were often free-for-alls. If you were on a 4 lane street and stopped at a stoplight, there would be cars moving beside each other to be the first to go at a stoplight. A 4 lane street with 2 lanes either direction might see 3-4 cars lined up beside each other waiting for the light to turn.
The worst was seeing cars driving down the sidewalk to get to the front, which we saw more than once.
There were also the elite cars with the flashing blue lights racing down the street. I recall most often it was the center lane which seemed to stay clear for those with the blue lights.
A one lane turning lane usually meant more than one car beside each other turning at the same time, and hopefully merging back into one lane without hitting each other.
It was shocking because as you describe, there were policemen everywhere who had no problem stopping you and asking for papers.
The other shocking thing I remember was the expectation of a “bribe” for anyone doing something official for you. The ONLY exception I remember was the judge.
Going through the process to adopt our daughter there, there were quite a number of various officials who had to sign off on something during the process. All expected something and we gave what was recommended. Chocolates. Make-up. Other small items usually under $10, but it added up with so many.
We also brought a small brass magnifying glass for the judge as recommended, but found out that was a no-no. Unlike so many of our own judges, they seemed to still have ethics.
All other officials expected the “gift” up front. They quickly took it and placed it under their desk or table or out of sight, then efficiently took care of what was required.
Your descript brings back so many memories Sundance. Thanks
You might enjoy the Russian “Stop a D*****bag” Youtube channel where Russian vigilantes harass the sidewalk drivers.
https://www.youtube.com/@SADBMOSCOW
They still drive like that. I guess it is a cultural thing that has never changed.
Driving to the front of the line to turn left is weird… and friggin dangerous when the 4th car does it…. lol
It’s part of that aggressive masculine aspect of society that is encouraged. It can be both a good and a bad thing for people. But it would be better if there were better rules when it is acceptable.
Russia can be such a crude society, operating in so many functions with a simple on-and-off switch instead of a rheostat.
But it’s better than Ukraine, which is simply mercenary survival, even more so now with the war. I can’t blame the young men and women there for trying to leave.
Shrike posted something I would like to add to.
These men are probably some of many Russian mens’s choirs who amaze me. To me, this is the heart of the Russian soul, and with whom I have a christian spirit.
These are quiet men.
Reminds me of the Russian Orthodox hymn “Vechnaya Pamyat” (Eternal Memory). Very haunting.
Who is romanticizing Russia? Culture = Idiosyncrasy = Soft Skills. That’s their pride and joy. As it should be. That’s who they are. Nothing wrong with that. “(…) in the long term” what? Now, here in the US…that’s a different story. The aforementioned trifecta it’s becoming / sounding more and more like a pipe dream.
There is a popular sentiment in the USA currently to talk about Russia as if the citizens within it have something that looks like liberty and freedom from a USA perspective.
They don’t.
That’s the romantic notion that should not be spread.
Fair enough, SD.
I had held out hope that Russia would eventually offer an alternative to our “woke” Western mass media in the same Japan currently does with anime and video games. Sadly, it sounds like they lack the creatives and vision to capture that market even though the demand is there and thirsty. Thanks for telling it to us straight, Sundance. I appreciate the ground report.
The Russian government does not “trust”….
That is the ingredient that is missing. Put a leader into Russia that talks about opening the society because he “trusts” the people, and he will gain support….. If he keeps at it, he could win.
The Russian people appear ready to join the west in many facets, but you must remember….. As they are treated like children, they kind of are very naïve to the ways of the harmful world. I’m talking about the average Russian here, not the ones that are on TV or in punditry….. just the ordinary invisible man/woman.
Russians are proud and brutally honest…. However, they are like midwesterners in the USA and the government protects them like you would protect an Iowan who visits Brooklyn.
I always mistakenly thought of the Russians as Eastern Europeans and actually thought they would open up and join the West when Yeltsin was President!
They were open to looking west, and offered to join NATO. Our American and EU leaders turned them down. The visceral hatred and double crossing we treat them with has caused Russia to look East and South. A once in centuries opportunity was lost. They growing their economy and living standards while we are literally committing national suicide. And how can anyone take the US and Europe seriously with the incompetent and morbidly corrupt leadership, and sick societies we have become?
Thank you for the insight!
Sundance, that is an amazing summarization. The cultural innovation restraints are inherent in China too. The social mechanisms that enable these restraints differ but the outcome is essentially the same. You are the rock!
Farewell Address to the Nation | Ronald Reagan (reaganlibrary.gov):
Exactly.
Ezekiel 34:
8 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. 9 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.
Yes and Amen, Lord Jesus!
Rest in the Vine: “Don’t Be Afraid to See What You See”
Wonderful article, Sundance! Thank you. Question: Will you (or can you) come back to the USA?
lolol…. of course. I would NOT want to live in Russia.
Excellent read. Thank you for sharing.
Russia sounds like a completely untapped resource (preserved?) for the finance banksters and oligarchs to come in an exploit.
Contrast the degree to which our lives (and data) have been monetized when compared to theirs.
The globalists were in the process of raping Mother Russia just after the fall of the Soviet Union. I always though of Boris Yeltsin as an enabler in that regard, the rise of Vladimir Putin put a stop to that. The actions of our Deep State and the globalists since 2014 are an effort to jumpstart that process.
Great post. Very informative. Thank you
Allow me to summarize. Russia is a doomed nation ruled by a tyrannical dictator. It consists of super-wealthy, corrupt Oligarchs at the top 0.01% and mindless, drone peasants at the bottom.
Hmmm, I have always associated the term “Fatherland” with Germany and the term “Motherland” with Russia. When did that change?
Fascinating insights. Thank you, Sundance. You are kept in prayer. Safe travels!