Vrubel

Is there a chance of Russia ultimately just integrating with the west? Like the people in Belarus want it more and more, so many young Russians as well, think Navalny and the whole opposition movement. Putin is old and can't live forever, who knows what will happen after.

Yeah, but that's mostly typical stage green hyperbolism. It's of course also very dehumanizing and wrong. But not the same as what Putin is doing. Well, if you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth. I think many Russians genuinely believe that Ukraine is full of Neo-nazi's or "banderevtsi" supporting Hitler and hating everything Russian. Of course, Ukraine does have a history of nazi collaboration. And the nationalist-collaborator Stepan Bandera is still celebrated as a hero mostly in the west of the country. But even that history is complicated and nuanced. And again, it justifies nothing. Most of the country was pretty chill and not particularly "tribal" or extreme right-wing.

Regardless, "neo-nazi" is dehumanizing as shit. And the regions that Putin is brutally invading are the chill parts where Russians and Ukrainians lived peacefully side by side. Ukraine's nationalist heartland is in the west. But even they are just regular stage blue nationalists just like Russians, Poles, Lithuanians etc.

@Leo Gura If putin’s position is so understandable and reasonable why all that ridiculous propaganda with neo nazi’s etc. ? even Russians will discover that they have been lied to

Last week I got flaked on by a girl, now this week as well by another girl. In both cases, the date was planned and set, and they just both kinda forgot and couldn't give a shit. Even though I know very clearly these girls are attracted to me. With the first girl, I already had a date with (almost a half year back) and the other girl has a history of flaking on me, but lately kept posting Instagram stories, especially for me so I would reengage her. With the first girl, I had to send "...?" to why she stopped replying when I was sending her the meeting details. She then replied late in the evening that it was not possible for her the next day because she is then going home from a trip and needed to rest. (Why do you plan on that day to begin with, I thought to myself). But this other girl was even worse in a sense. On the morning of the date-day, I sent her a meeting detail. In the late afternoon, she replied that she had totally forgotten. I was the whole day in nervous anticipation, preparing the reservations and just in case cleaning the house, changing my bedsheets, and shaving (down under). She did say sorry and also said that I should plan next time on the same day because her schedule was chaotic. But I felt kinda hurt that she could forget it like that and when I reminded her in the morning she didn't reply till the late afternoon. Also, I could intuit myself asking "oke is today good: no. and today: no etc. etc." So I just said that I need to plan it properly and that I am "kinda giving up". She still hasn't replied after a day. The thing that bothers me the most is just the lack of respect and basic human decency in communicating. In real life they are both sweet girls, they are also both hot girls so they probably feel very entitled and have crazy abundance. But still, we are not total strangers, in both cases we have a history together and I know that with both girls we click exceptionally well. men... pick-up is so brutal! I know it's possible and I've done it before, but is so hard! It's so devilishly brutal it has a stark beauty to it.

Yeah, but isn't there a limit in how much Putin can crush. Will he start opening up gulags and go back to the Stalin era? 44 million Ukrainians can do a lot of damage. Without Stalinesque repressions, Putin will be fighting a perpetual war, like in Afghanistan. The West will rain down money and stingers on Ukrainian fighters. Then there is also the issue of Russian economic ruin. The Russian people (even oligarchs) are also feeling the effects of this war, which only increases discontent. This is yet another giant threat for Putin to deal with. Russia will either 1. at some point flee away from the Ukraine (much like from Afghanistan) or 2. Lay waste to Ukraine. (much like Chechnya but on a more horrid scale)

Ukraine has a strong will to join Europe. I don't see them compromising on that point even if they get crushed. Also, Ukrainians will perceive this point as a pivotal moment in their history. Their very nation is forming. If Putin Claimed that Ukraine was not a "real" nation. It sure as hell is now! This war and maybe the insurgency-after will be remembered in a similar way as the Fench revolution. Also, I can't help but feel that the Ukrainians are now being very heroic. This makes me appreciate war, not in a warmongering way. But in how war can be starkly imposed upon a people who never asked for it. And also that war can be genuinely heroic. By seeing such a pivotal war in my lifetime, I have actually gained more insight and appreciation into why for example Americans are/used to be so obsessed with the American Revolution and Russians with their hard-won victory in ww2. It's not just mere propaganda, it got something very real to it, something that plays on our consciousness with an undeniable power. I won't ever underestimate how history shapes a people group. Why the Poles the are way they are: history Why the Russians are the way they are: history Why the Germans are the way they are: history Why the Afro-Americans are the way they are: history etc. etc. etc.

The thing that shocked me the most is that Ukraine was generally just a normal, chill and peace-loving country. They were poor and corrupt but were very aware, blamed themselves, took responsibility and worked towards a better future. You can't blame them for looking westwards. And now all of the sudden, all-out war is unleashed upon them. Almost like a repeat of 1941. No amount of understanding of the Russian perspective justifies this and that's the bottom line. If Russia is really worried about a western invasion they should build a new Moscow behind the Urals, surely cheaper than invading Ukraine. and they also have nukes which makes their "threatened" position even more absurd and paranoid. Sorry, Russia is not a tiny country with indefensible borders.

As a former famous Russian-speaking Jewish comedian/artist, Zelensky definitely has a unique worldly view on life. Definitely spirally-wise higher than the average Ukrainian or one comparable with an Ukrainian youth. Also, his background has never been a nationalistic Ukrainian one. (Due to an anti-Semitic history, Ukrainian jews usually viewed Ukrainian nationalism with suspicion, at least in the past). He was overwhelmingly elected because people trusted him to be uncorrupted. Fighting corruption was the people's number one priority despite Russian harassment and I think his friendly demeanor played a big role here. Because he is now all of the sudden leading a country in wartime under a brutal invasion he is operating from his stage blue. But now is a good time to observe the virtues and genuinely heroic side of stage blue, and not to mention excellent leadership. I think his background, personality, circumstances and eventual fate will be the subject of a great many books and movies.

I get it, It just rubs me the wrong way that you can be so indifferent and neutral with such Hitleresque aggression. While at the same time being so passionate about anti-racism, Anti-Maga, etc.

@PurpleTree Generally there is no real hate amongst the people. They are friends, intermarry etc. When I was in Ukraine I was actually surprised by how chill and "nontribal" the people were. They were more bothered by their own corruption than by Russian harassment. That's why they overwhelmingly elected Zelensky. ...But now this invasion will bring nothing good for all sides involved.

Not so, especially with (radical) stage green people My father is from the Ukraine, mother from Moscow It boggles my mind that Ukrainians and Russians fight despite having such a shared history

Can't you extend the same compassion and understanding to Ukraine and the west?

If you're now not anti-Putin, there is something wrong with your morals.

It's possible in the heavenly harem realm

No, I was definitely being vulnerable. I was even a little shaky. Though I was calm, took my time and kept good/reasonable eye contact with vulnerable eyes. It just was a very "real" moment. Girls love that and I am flabbergasted that this isn't taught.

Women love guys who can be vulnerable and radically honest about their thoughts and feelings. It does away with all the masks and fakeness. This is also a more high conscious aspect of pick up. Yet, I don't see anyone teaching this. Authentic verbal and non-verbal communication is the key to her... ehum... hart.

@actuallyenlightened By vulnerability, I mean something like sharing a personal struggle. Either one that you have at the very moment or one that you had in the past. I told the girl that I struggle to be sexual and that "societal" expectations laid on men are not in line with my "authentic way of being ". I didn't use those exact words but my message was something along those lines. It was genuinely what I felt and I expressed that in a vulnerable way (I wasn't needy, butthurt or anything in the like, just vulnerable.) Her attraction to me skyrocketed afterward. She kept constantly looking at me and was craving to be kissed. Also took her home(;

@Roy hmm... not in my experience A date is a very proper context to have such a moment

Sit her down and do this exercise: First a "fun challenge" of who can stare into someone's eyes in silence the longest without laughing. Of course, this is just a pretext for building quick and deep intimacy. Then the second challenge: feel deep inside and tell honestly what you feel. The guy goes first and takes his time to properly feel and word what he feels and thinks. After this, the girl will be more than happy to go home with you.

First of all, your logic is mute because Argentina itself is mostly of European descent ("white settler" to use a boogie term). The Falklands are British for the simple reason it's Inhabitat by British people, (The Islands actually never had natives). On top of that Britain has the proven capability for responsible government and defense. Something Argentina can not guarantee to put it mildly. So Love or hate her but Thatcher was completely justified in defending her land and people. I get your point, lack of critical thinking can lead to dark places. Still, I would say focus more on your own mind. Seek understanding and beauty. Prioritize that over ideological crusading. I get it now, just watch your word use. Overusing hyperbolic terms will make you come across as an alarmist nutcase, be more nuanced instead. Don't be so pedantic over the use of a conceptual term. It's perfectly understandable to say "Europe" in reference to Western Europe in a political context. Eastern Europeans are not that insecure. They don't consider themselves some sorry oppressed minority. Russians and Ukrainians themselves refer to "Europe" as meaning Western Europe. There is just absolutely no issue here.

Dude... don't be so fragile. In a political context, you can say "Europe" and refer to the liberal democracies of western Europe. I am myself an Eastern European. Countries are myths and precisely therefore they need to have even more myths to seem real (Catch my drift) A country is not some dry governing entity. A country is "Home", It's a highly emotional thing. It got beauty, love, ambitions, sadness, trauma etc. and of course a story: history. History is not some dry dates and events. No, history inspires all kinds of passions: love, hate, shame, pride etc. History, emotion and myth are inseparable. History is poetry. Britain defended the Falklands, her sovereign territory, against what basically constituted naked aggression by a military dictator who wanted to distract his people from a real f*cking economical crisis. For some reason, you projected this onto Britain. First of all: Be more coherent and intellectual, you just ramble. Second: South White Englanders? Third: Ireland and Scotland hostages? Ireland has an independent country and Scotland (which is in a constitutionally equal union with England (as reflected in the flag and coat of arms)) can leave by referendum. And lastly, yes it's harder for a German to be proud. A (proper) modern-day German nationalist (one who associates-with and cares for his country) would feel deep shame for that era in his country's history. Sorry, I cannot read this. You seem passionate about this topic yet you don't bother to write in a coherent and understandable fashion.

By Europe I mean of course Western Europe. People underestimate how brutal and bleak the (recent) history of eastern Europe was, so no wonder Poland and Hungary are a stage or two behind. Also, Brexit was not grounded in xenophobia. Just in moderate nationalist and conservative values. Your country used to be a mighty Empire that kicked ass in every major European war and now you are losing sovereignty to the EU. Of course, this will cause an identity crisis. I am not defending Brexit, I think it was a dumb move. But in order to defeat Hitler, Britain needed a lot of healthy stage blue self-sacrifice and nationalism. The Scandinavian countries, who are spirally the most advanced simply don't have this recent history of depending on nationalism to defeat a greater evil. They were either too weak or neutral. So yeah, I guess if you're a small and insignificant western European country it's easier for you to spirally develop.

Question: why does this transition from Orange to Green look less rocky in Europe? Is it because the US has a massive population. Also, I feel that from the very start, stage orange ideals were deeply baked into the identity of America. Stage orange and America might as well be synonyms.

@aurum @TheAlchemist @Leo Gura Thanks for the advice, I can really relate.