These are interesting times. Are they not? The world continues on its collision course with both human history and geologic destiny, while the “only indispensable country” debates with itself how to “flush” the remainder of humanity for which it no longer has any need.
Ever since the height of Stalinism, the peoples of Russia and the greater Soviet Union have emulated and looked longingly, hungrily to the West: Western fashions, music, entertainment, ‘freedoms,’ ‘opportunities’ and all the rest. As soon as the Iron Curtain came tumbling down, those people and their leaders were scrambling to line up for the comforts and extravagances of the Western lifestyle, the spectacular lifestyle of the rich and famous. And to some extent they have modeled that life, and assumed those styles, at least in appearance, rather well. After all, it is only the spectacle that is important.
Even deep in the heart of the Siberian outback, along the foothills of the Altai Mountains, Russians buy the most fashionable Western accoutrements and wardrobes, emulate European cosmetic surgical procedures, eat Western fast food in their capitols, buy the biggest American SUVs, flaunt their new Apple iPhones, take out big mortgages and loans from banks for their new acquisitions, and dig deeper into debt for their travel visas and European excursions. All the while they ignore the reality of this race to the bottom; not only the changes to their profound cultural heritage, but as well to the unsustainability of this new direction itself, its unquenchable thirst for more acquisitions and greater debt financing.
Round 2 (Repeat)
This rush to the West, economically, socially, financially, culturally has put them exactly where the USA hegemony wants them… stuck securely in the spider’s web it’s woven. When Russia should have been pivoting to the East, they made the mistake of going West with the rest of the young men! When they should have been embracing China and their own rich prehistories, instead they looked to the superficiality and frivolousness of their rich and evil Uncle Sam. It was a sting operation set by the US hegemony, intentionally or not. And Russia fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. They should have paid more attention to Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and less attention to ‘Tricky Dick’ Nixon in 1973. If they had, they would have been cognizant of the trap being set even back then… blue jeans, big tits, and blanket propaganda.
Well, now the spider has the victim stuck securely in the web, and he has turned around to savor the treat. The Russian ruble continues to plunge against the US dollar, while the appetite of Siberians to keep spending just continues apace. Russia is stuck in this sticky web with oil prices collapsing, sanctions pressing, and patience dwindling, as the lukewarm war in Ukraine continues to enrage the Russian populous, and foment their growing disdain for Obama.
And while Putin and Co. are now looking due East, it may be a bit too little too late to avoid a major collapse, as the deranged monster of the Beltway continues to drool and wet its pants publicly savoring its expected spoils. But, the Russian soul is strong, hardened by Mongol, Swedish, French, and German invasions, not to mention the resiliency in fighting off the ghost of Uncle Joe Stalin. So, Putin and Co. may yet have a trick or two up its sleeve to help right this ship and annul the effects of the latest, American, invasion. The USA for its part needs to seriously reassess its role in the world and quietly remove itself to some quiet contemplation in the corner of its room, instead of continuously acting-out like the red-haired step-child it has become. We should all be sick to death that our country keeps enforcing policies of global death and domination in our name and with our monies. After all, we civilized folk long ago declared a war of domination on nature, and look where that’s got us.
kulturCritic 
Fear not kC. The open repudiation of Team Dem in the 2014 midterms was the first salvo in what might eventually turn into open revolt her in the Land of Delusion. The mood out there is angry now no matter what sort of bullshit the MSM is peddling. We the people realize we’ve been blatantly lied to for the last 8 years by the guy that sold himself as being above all that. The non-believers are even starting to come around regarding the US staged false-flag events in Ukraine, as they see the only adult in the room when discussing these events is one Vladimir Putin. And of course Ferguson MO is still on the slow boil with the MO Governor Jay Nixon warning in his best Richard Milhouse fashion,”VIOLENCE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!” prior to the upcoming announcement of the officially sanctioned grand jury fix. Not unless you’re wearing a cop uniform anyway. Still a long way to go and it all may well be too little too late, but “the truth will set you free” as they say, even if it only comes after the collapse has commenced. The current system over here is rotten to the core and benefits only the few. It won’t be missed by the many. 2015 and 2016 are indeed going to be pivotal years in world history. Time to batten down the hatches and hold on for dear life. It’s going to a wild ride for sure!
There’s no fix, just a sad passion play, where the dogs fight for the scraps down in the kennels.
As in “I think the denizens of the ghetto have got it right, know what they say? “S’up Dog?”, a statement of fact, you’re a dog, I’m a dog, everywhere a dog, dog. You could even become a bounty hunter, get a TV show, put the other dogs in the kennel.”
Prophetic, if I do say so myself.
We need to get us a reality TV show there HT! In fact, I’m surprised I haven’t seen one on the homeless yet, save for an occasional PBS Frontline episode or two. Of course the producers would just keep all the money it generated anyway, so maybe that idea’s no good either.
Oh, sweety, the collapse commenced years ago…:)
Of course, it did, Marlena. But don’t pick on DA… remember, he’s getting old and senile just like me. LOL
This is the good part of life! You get to be cantankerous and bitchy all the time and people just write it off to old age. Love it!
True enough Marlena! But we here in the pampered USA are just getting used to the idea.
What the Russians need to do, what everyone needs to do, is mass permaculture, intensive gardening, with hand tools. Beat the rush, collapse now.
That’s a start at least, but it won’t be nearly enough. Besides, not much protein in garden vegetables.
What’ve you been up to HT? Still doing ok over there in OK?
Still unemployed, seriously going broke. But hey!!!! Not to worry, I’m sure the Obama amnesty will stimulate the economy.
But seriously, talk about “the superficiality and frivolousness of their rich and evil Uncle Sam”; what if? What if the USA did not consume 25% of the worlds energy? Or spend more on the MIC than the next 7 countries combined to keep the neo-liberal commercial empire pumping low wage labor made goods across the Pacific? And the oil flowing from the ME? How many people would be immigrating here then?
This is the genius of the “blue jeans, big tits, and blanket propaganda”, you take the most blatantly aggressive, acquisitive, corrupt and violent country, and you turn it into Shangri-La. Even the Democrats and pretend Socialists spout this nonsense, it’s disheartening.
The mistake they make, I saw it on a headline at some liberal rag, were “exceptional”, only the author thought it was because of our morality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the error, that an unjust exploitative system can somehow be turned to good, it can’t, it is what it is.
This is the error, that an unjust exploitative system can somehow be turned to good, it can’t, it is what it is.
That’s the truth of it right there in a nutshell my friend! Cold, hard, and uncomforting as reality can be; the plain, unvarnished, “naked” truth! We Americans have been sheltered for too long. We’re now beginning to experience the “truth” behind our denial.
Will it change our politics? Remains to be seen, but early indicators are not positive.
So we need occupy wall street, and occupy Madison avenue, and occupy Washington. Any takers here?
The river flows around the stone in the stream.
Eventually the species overreach will cause chaos, many will die.
I figure if there are survivors who retain any humanity it will be these North to Alaska types.
Alas, we’ve already seen what happens to Occupy style movements. If they’re not too big or threatening they get shut down forcibly. Should they ever get big enough to pose a legitimate threat a la the Tea Party they get the “kiss of death.” They get invited to the table then co-opted and diffused gradually. Any direct overthrow of the current system would at this point require a coalition of opposing nation states (Russia + China + …?) to do the job, which, although that might eventually happen, might yield conditions even worse than our current disease. So I’m with HT on this one. The only real alternative to our current predicament will be to make the best of it, try to resist where possible by making alternative arrangements, and live the rest of our pitiful little lives as best we can. We’re not the first to live through the end of an empire, although it’s still possible we might be the last, and we living now almost certainly won’t experience the worst of it. That will be a present we’re bequeathing to our kids, grandkids, and their kids.
And the music plays on.
Unfortunately. It’s bigger than us.
so I’m sitting here reading and thinking “Once again you’ve hit the nail squarely on the head, Sandy” when up comes and old and unfortunate slur about red-haired step children, and although I know it’s just a manner of speaking, I fully understand the reaction of blacks to being referred to as nigger.