this post was submitted on 07 Feb 2024
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Where do Russian folks today (during this stage of the SMO) stand in relation to Western countries vs before the SMO, or even before 2014? (hexbear.net)
submitted 11 months ago by Evilsandwichman@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
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I ask because I recall seeing a clip of Putin that was from a fair number of years back where I got the impression he was eager for Russia to be considered a Western country.

What's the opinion of Russians towards Westerners today vs how it was before the SMO? On social media, it's the easiest thing in the world to find some of the most caustic racism being levied towards Russians, and mass media is only 'gentle' when you look at American and British media, I've seen subtitled clips of news shows in Germany and France and there's some of the most heinous, flat out Nazi rhetoric I've ever seen.

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[–] starkillerfish@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 11 months ago

This is a very complex question because Russians are not homogeneous in their opinions of the west. Speaking from personal experience from people I know and on social media: I would say there are three major groups:

  • People who really don't care. Mostly older population or people outside major population centers. A lot of people just aren't polarized the same way people are in the west.
  • People who want to be like the west. These are usually more upper-class city people (Moscow, St. Petersburg) who consume western media and products, go on vacations to Europe. Also a lot of younger people with good english. This group wants better civil liberties (ala USA), more integration with western organisations (for travel an commerce).
  • Then there are people who think the west is awful and Russia is the bastion of wholesome family (christian orthodox) values. They see the problems in the western world, but (without marxist analysis) attribute it to 'multiculturalism' and lgbt people. Similar to how right wing groups in the west present the issues.

I would also say that it is mostly unchanged since 2022, maybe just more solidified. There was definitely a shift in 2014, because afterwards the Russian government saw that they cannot cooperate with the west and at the same time maintain their status as a regional power. So since then there was more of a push in the media towards anti western views.

This is what I can think of off the top of my head. Would be happy to answer any follow up questions the best i can