“Abuse of power comes as no surprise.” Reading up on the GULAG.

Annie Clark aka St. Vincent - She actually did an interview where she talked about Stalin and it’s as bad as you’d think.

How much podcast and audiobook listening do you typically do?

I’m obsessed with podcasts and audiobooks. I probably listen to more audiobooks than I do music. I mean, I certainly listen to music — for enjoyment, for research, for just making sure I know what is happening. Luckily, maybe because I’m a musician, I can retain a lot of information that comes through on the auditory side. I mean, I’ve really been brushing up on my Stalin.

You’ve brushed up on your Stalin?

It makes me feel much better about where we are today. Because they had it bad.

It’s pretty bad now.

It’s really bad now. But it was worse. I’ll go ahead and say it was worse in Stalin’s Russia. So there we are. That makes me feel bright and sunny. I’ve been on a real Stasi Gulag Stalin kick for the past many months. Cold war, espionage — all of it.

https://archive.vn/Ci86Z

  • betelgeuse [comrade/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    There was a shining light (America) in a world of darkness. It was taming the chaos of an unordered world that was ruled by tribalism and despots. America just wanted prosperity for all and sought to bring it to as many places as possible. There were a few mistakes along the way, but everything that happened was ultimately the best possible outcome because it led to a liberal democratic world order.

    This made some people very mad because they were greedy and power-hungry. They didn't have democratic values. There was even some biological basis for this, as the despots seemed to always be in the global south, the place that America was pushing into to help everyone. Even when they weren't, they were descendant of some long blood line tied to ancient war tribes of conquerors.

    The bad people who hated democracy took advantage of their people and brainwashed them into believing in lies about what America could offer them. Most people just wanted to live their lives but were forced or persuaded into helping the bad people.

    Luckily America prevailed and stopped the bad people from winning. Now everyone's lives are much better with their liberal democracies and free markets. Though the specter of authoritarianism persists from troubled people within those places, extremists who are just bad people.