Most Americans don’t know our own history, let alone Soviet Union’s. Line from an REM song so apropos, look who bought the myth. Scary, the rabbit hole we are going down.
Agree. This was one of the most ignored stories of the time. No state department presence. No sharing of goals and outcomes. Recall that the RNC had been hacked along with the DNC. Russia only *publicly* weaponized the DNC hack. What was kompromat discussed at those meetings?
Someone I know came up to me a year ago and said he admired Putin for speaking up for family values. I was dumb struck for a moment, but fortunately I read Anne Applebaum and others and spent time in Russia so I could disabuse this person of this absurd myth of Putin’s family and Christian values.
I’ll never forget a clip I saw on YouTube 9 or 10 years ago: two old guys wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with “Better Russian than Democrat”. So much hatred.
It's amazing to me how these conservatives who decried the destruction of the Western "Project" are the ones who will accelerate that very destruction.
Yah we know. In large part because the # 1 watched Fox News lies and forms their victims mindset 24/7. Fox propaganda and the like are the enemy. Wake up people. Hate speech is not free speech.
Four weeks into the Trump presidency and we are now at the Nixon level of possible impeachment or Trump pardoning himself for criminal contempt of court and America now having a new King 👑 not a President
It’s not just conservatives. Russians like to brand themselves as anti-Nazis simply because the Nazis forced them to repel an invasion of Russia. Russia is masterful at spin. They made Woody Guthrie think they cared about the working class. Guthrie loved Stalin, so did Helen Keller.
This is such a stupid phenomenon, this Steven Seagal syndrome. When they come to ruzzia with awe and get some apartment in Grozny from Kadyrov and then they realise they have no rights, no firearms etc. they come to senses and flee in shame. We should send more of them to ruzzia.
We can’t claim that we weren’t warned. I’m waiting for them to end the charade and just ignore the courts with impunity. That still won’t be enough to convince the faithful.
Will we ever know the name of the mastermind who designed this operation that is causing America to self-destruct? It was surely an intelligence officer who had served long years in the US and had studied the fissures - economic, cultural, racial - that could be exploited to our detriment.
Of all the things I thought US conservatives liked about Russia (homophobia, church-state union, "family values"), I didn't understand that the most important ones are the ideas that the president IS the state- L'État, c'est moi, and apparently wanting blatant corruption by state capture.
I feel like more than five years you wrote about pretty much all of this stuff. And were certainly not taken as seriously as you should have been. Still aren't. But thankfully for all of us, you keep writing in spite of it. I hope you know for many readers, for me, you are no Cassandra. Thank you.
IIRC during Soviet times (also after Stalin) not being employed was considered a mental illness and would result in involuntary commitment to psychiatric hospital.
Thank you. It has made me realise what has happened to a friend of mine over the last decade. I hadn't realised his growing admiration for Russia was founded in a distaste for the way the West was developing. I don't think he realises either.
He now refuses to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine
So what are you doing to escape reality? Personally I prefer readying fantasy novels, unlike the richest guys in the US who clearly must have a huge identity crisis to romanticise Putin's Russia. 🤷♀️
It’s so odd to me that even these false aspects of the country could be romanticized by anyone. And so, to even dream of these “Russian” tenets in my opinion makes you a sociopath. 🤷🏻♀️
TANK TESLA 2025. AND THIS IS WHAT ALL PATRIOTIC AMERICANS SHOULD DEMAND DEM LEADERS TO DO -- CALL UPON THE MILITARY TO DO ITS DUTY. THE OATH HAS CONTROLLING PRECEDENCE! (do you ask Domestic Enemies for permission to take them into custody?) https://ehenryschoenberger.substack.com/p/us-military-has-the-moral-right-and
TANK TESLA 2025. AND THIS IS WHAT ALL PATRIOTIC AMERICANS SHOULD DEMAND DEM LEADERS TO DO -- CALL UPON THE MILITARY TO DO ITS DUTY. THE OATH HAS CONTROLLING PRECEDENCE! (do you ask Domestic Enemies for permission to take them into custody?) https://ehenryschoenberger.substack.com/p/us-military-has-the-moral-right-and
This was a true gift. Among the most clarifying things I read this year.
Recognizing unfathomable appeal of totalitarianism seems even applicable to some loved ones (and their friends) in the baby boom generation of my parents.
As the US dives deeper into authoritarianism - if the country does not act fast before everything is shut or rebuilt with trump appointees - the only way back will be a maidan/jan6 event, which should go down a treat, as trump loves those things, right ?
@anneapplebaum.bsky.social
I don't think they admire the culture of Russia so much as they fantasize about being oligarchs.
If they were looking for a less diverse culture with more unity of values and cultural accomplishments, they would admire Finland.
Good article but it misses a deeper truth: Russia is not part of the “Western Culture” that America white nationalists claim to revere, and it never has been. Russia has never experienced the Rule of Law, or even the Enlightenment. Republicans would rather reign in hell than serve in their heaven.
You may be the only conservative writer that I've seen notice how Putin drew in so many Christian conservatives through his use of religion to malign gay people. Their shared hatred of gay marriage is a through line.
Remember the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games? Putin was trying to impress the world, but I remember reports of cracks in the facade. I wonder what it looked like to the citizens and what it’s like now, not that they could tell us. I seriously doubt Americans would cope well with living in Russia.
The only desirable thing Russia has (to these people) is an iron grip on the population and wealth distribution. For the avarage Russian the country is a poor hellhole.
The evangelical connection is interesting. When I lived in Alaska in 1992, my dentist went on a church mission to Russia to provide dental care within six months of USSR breaking up.
One reason why they love Russia is that they admire and want to do what Putin does to his enemies and enemies of the state, and liberals who they think have destroyed the country by making it more diverse.
They want a dictator who will stick it to the liberals.
Good lord, Anne, that article had all of it nailed down. And you wrote it long before we reelected the guy. What a failure of education, and civics, and morals. Stunning. Maybe it's true that we get what we deserve.
Not mentioned in the article: David Duke, who went to live in Russia in the 2000s, paving the way for others. "- Comrades! - Duke began. - I am glad to welcome you here. You and I are representatives of the white Eurasian race, which has been trampled by our main enemy - world Zionism…"
This is kind of funny because it is a circle-jerk.
Russia spent decades telling its people the decadent west was criminals, con artists and everything under the sun - so when they had a shot at democracy, they implemented it how they'd been taught (through lies) the west did it.
And since Russia did that and descended into full blown fascism, the GOP has been eyeing that enviously until they managed to get unfettered power to emulate it.
This is so obvious to all that have any level of comprehension and knowledge of basic history. Citizens United allowed for this Russian takeover. It put a price on democracy when it is supposed to be priceless. Russia just bought us out of our democracy one fire sale at a time.
I'm serious when I say that within a few years some conservative publication like National Review or the Federalist will run a cover issue of "Josef Stalin, Reconsidered"
I look forward to your paperback version of ‘Autocracy inc’. The book so far is so relevant and a fantastic read - but ‘unfortunately, out of date’ . Keep up the great work!
I don’t know how you keep your sanity. You have seen this train wreck coming for years and years. I had a conservative Christian friend who was contemplating moving to Russia because it was supposedly such a great thing. You were spot on.
The article is great! But, surely Tucker Carlson is not just genuinely admiring Russia, instead is on assignment. The Carlson quote you provide - "Why shouldn't I root for Russia?" - came just as news was breaking about Trump's phone call with Zelensky. Carlson was a useful part of defending Trump.
Comments
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/395719-gop-senators-visited-moscow-on-july-4/
And during a time that Russia as funneling money through the NRA.
“We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within.”
♦️Fmr Beauty Queen / Celebrity Therapist had the access and skill to cultivate Trump into a Manchurian Candidate.
Sure, in that he’s encouraging people to pretend as though systemic injustice (against people other than white men) does not exist.
Already
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/12/false-romance-russia/603433/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK35xVB3PsqmTYq_ryBSBUKHQ&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/395719-gop-senators-visited-moscow-on-july-4/
He now refuses to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Recognizing unfathomable appeal of totalitarianism seems even applicable to some loved ones (and their friends) in the baby boom generation of my parents.
I don't think they admire the culture of Russia so much as they fantasize about being oligarchs.
If they were looking for a less diverse culture with more unity of values and cultural accomplishments, they would admire Finland.
Great article! Keep them coming!❤️
They want a dictator who will stick it to the liberals.
Russia spent decades telling its people the decadent west was criminals, con artists and everything under the sun - so when they had a shot at democracy, they implemented it how they'd been taught (through lies) the west did it.
And it is *all lies* that's the reason for it.