Yeah it’s like, take a moment and think about all the sort of unnecessary possessions you have (I feel like calling them “treats” isn’t always the best because some unnecessary things are cool). Think about how those actually make your life better or worse. Cell phones aren’t a great comparison because they didn’t have them in the Soviet times.

For me personally, it comes down to like, my coffee maker and some other kitchen things, my e-reader, my TV, then books and board games. Other than that, I don’t really have much else. If the USSR was able to fix their shit in the 80s and continue on to 2023, do we really think my Soviet doppelgänger wouldn’t have those things too? In terms of actual quality of life… I mean I make decent money now but I don’t think I’d be less happy if I was living in the 2023 Soviet Union (ignoring the fact that I’m a commie so obviously I’d rather be there). I might have marginally less treats but I’d be way more secure in life. And I’m someone who makes above the median income in a country that benefits massively from imperialism.