The West is in a state of psychosis

a reply to: RussianTroll

The West is in a state of psychosis

Right....invading a country and getting your ass kicked is the epitome of sane and logical thinking. Perhaps if the Russian troops could sober up they might not be the losers they currently appear to be.

That's why so many ATS members support putin.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Come on now RT, to say we are afraid of Russia really is a stretch.
Personally, nothing much scares me - apart from Mrs F when she's got the arse with me - certainly not another nation and definitely not Russia.
I try my best not to worry too much about things that are out of my control and I deal with things that I can have some level of control over.

I don't think Russia poses much of a direct threat to the UK despite the repeated threats of first strike nuclear attacks just because we won't bow down to Putin's posturing.

I hold no enmity towards the Russian people; they are quite likeable. They have a good sense of humour and like a laugh.
Generally speaking they have the same cares and concerns that all of us have.

Sure, I don't like Putin and his plans for Greater Russia, but I'm certainly not scared of him.

To be honest, I see more paranoia in Russian propaganda preaching about the dangers of NATO and how we are trying to extinguish Russian culture etc.
There seems to be a constant barrage of fear inducing disinformation pushed on the Russian public by your heavily state monitored media, in schools and most other walks of life.
From what I can tell that's common practice in authoritarian societies.

I suspect you may be projecting your own fears on others here.

Grew up as a "Catholic-Protestant Irish War Kid" with the two-fer being also a "Russian-US-Cold War Kid".

What's getting called propaganda is in reality just backround noise & has been for years. It's cute how people get all spazzy over Govt's talking smack to each other. Most of the blathering isn't even meant for us little people. Loads of the propaganda in the US is generated because one faction in Govt is pissed with another so ramp up the Russia BS cause funding/ego's/govt contractors drama/Corporate pressure/add your own reasons here^.

The meme of RT pushing Russian threads is a non-starter. The Brit's here start UK centric threads, us US folks think the forum revolves around Trump & Dems an the one poster from South Africa disappeared an NONE of ya'll noticed.

a reply to: Freeborn

The fact of the matter is that this is not my data, but the annual Munich Security Conference.
My friend, try to criticize them, not me)))))

a reply to: Caver78
I agree with you.
Indeed, the topic of South Africa was interesting, but suddenly disappeared. I'll try to cover it soon.))))

a reply to: RussianTroll

Which data shows on the first page that risk indicators for the war in Ukraine, disruption of energy supplies and nuclear war have actually fallen in the West?

a reply to: RussianTroll

I'm not criticising you personally RT.

I have my take on it, you have yours.

No need to act like a pair schoolkids arguing over who's father is the best fighter.

Let's have a drink and enjoy the show.

😉
🥂

a reply to: Freeborn

Wow! I support you with two glasses of vodka online)))) No joke!

I'm not going to let it drive me crazy that our government lately seems like it is trying to entice wars. If there is a war, nothing I can do about it, so why worry. If there is war and nukes fly, well, I guess I will have to live with it if I survive. I focus on things I can change or control. I do not believe hardly any of the propaganda, heck, we cannot even believe the news these days, everything is twisted out of context.

If we get into a war and the USA loses, I guess I will have to pay taxes to a new country that won the war. I will have to follow their laws if that happens. Same old thing, just have a different government. I would hope our taxes are lower if someone else takes over. I liked belonging to a country where we had rights to express ourself and protect ourselves, but now that is being taken away from us....If some were not protesting for our right to bear arms, that right would have been gone at minimum a decade ago. Freedom of speech is now being taken away if it does not match the liberal aspect.

a reply to: rickymouse

Indeed, the ideology of old America is very attractive. Freedom, freedom of everything. But unfortunately now, this ideology has degenerated into something incomprehensible and harmful. And it was so beautiful!

originally posted by: RussianTroll
a reply to: rickymouse

Indeed, the ideology of old America is very attractive. Freedom, freedom of everything. But unfortunately now, this ideology has degenerated into something incomprehensible and harmful. And it was so beautiful!

I feel sorry for the kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. It was such a good society years back, lots of cheap or free social events. Now, social events are expensive compared to the raise in the cost of living. Consumerism has made going cross country skiing expensive, before you got a wide long pair of skies and some poles and strapped them onto your rubber boots you wore every day in the winter over your shoes. Wore the same coat you wore all the time, long johns under your pants and shirt. Now it costs to use a trail, we never had groomed trails, we took off with some friends and beer and a compass in case you wanted to get the shortest way back...no expensive skis or boots, no fancy jackets, leather choppers with linings. Nobody was trying to impress others with fancy clothes and equipment. Packed a lunch, built a little fire in the snow, and cooked hot dogs on sticks. Life was so simple, people strived to simplify things to get away from the rat race years ago. Now they make sure they are connected to the rat race even while out in nature...posting pictures of their escapades online instead of appreciating the tranquility of the woods.

a reply to: rickymouse

You have awakened in me a feeling of nostalgia for my youth. How I understand you!
Now in Russia you can do the same thing, and absolutely free. But there is no such sincerity and freedom. Everything is commercialized, except for the service itself, which is provided by the government and is free. But now you can’t have a barbecue at the end of the highway, only at home, you can’t gather in the forest on a tree stump, you can’t lay out food and drinks. Only at home. Or in specially equipped gazebos, but for money.
Our freedom is constantly limited for beautiful and right reasons. Alas((((

a reply to: rickymouse

Yes. Simple pleasures. Football in the park, jumpers for goalposts. Now in parks you have to dodge the used hyperdermics, hoodies and chavs etc.

Discarded NOS capsules all over the place.

Ho hum...

a reply to: RussianTroll

The majority of people I've met are not too worried about overarching fears they can do absolutely nothing about, I genuinely hope it's similar in Russia since I believe that the majority of humans have enough on their plate without asking for seconds from another's. In the west we have broken youth without decent role models and my fear is the next generations will not abide by the empathy and love in their hearts but by the hate and fury. It's your generation and to a lesser point mine that needs to work on where we're going and can you honestly say any of us set shining examples?

I'm more afraid of my dog biting me and if you met him you'd notice he can only kill you by his incandescent demand for cuddles and strokes.... He doesn't mix with other dogs well though but he does live a sheltered life where the chances of being off a leash near another dog is slim to non. Point being if that dog ever bites me it's I who seriously messed up, not the dog.

You're a clever clogs RT, I'm sure that you understand beyond the propaganda and stereotypes we all have the same wants, desires and fears. Sometimes we westerners do take ourselves too seriously but that's just human, to say we're different would be delving into "Reductio ad absurdum" when we really should be adopting the socratic method.

It's quite the sin to judge another shallowly, they will fight back. I apologise if I've ever been a knob but could you do the same? Existence is absurd and I see too many fearing life, not death. That's dangerous territory regardless of your nationality I would think.

a reply to: RussianTroll

The conduct of this information is very off putting to say the least, information coming out of China is probably very skewed as the Chinese and their laws often prevent (from my understanding) regular citizens from voicing their opinions. The Chinese people are probably not afraid of Russia, I am sure they have other more important things to be afraid of.

I hope you have been well my friend, beers up

a reply to: rickymouse

Your vibe brings me nothing but the idea you're doing very well.

a reply to: RussianTroll

It's not psychosis. Psychosis is related to the fear of imaginary threats whereas, if you look at the diagram, you will see that the fears are country specific and connected to countries' real problems.

For example, the South Africa has a high fear of energy supply disruption because the country frequently experiences blackouts. The people are also afraid of food shortages and climate change because of droughts that torment the society and result in the shortage of water and food. This in turn is strictly connected to the overall economic situation so no wonder that people are afraid of the economic crisis too.

Brazil is afraid of forest fires because they happen there all too often. Germany, France and Italy worry about immigration and Islamic terrorism because they have problems with immigrants. Japan fears Russia, China and North Korea because it's in between them and its relations with these countries are strained and, in the case of the North Korea, downright hostile.

I wouldn't go as far as call it panic. Probably, it was a poll where people were given options to choose from so they opted for the ones that, in their opinion, were the most realistic problems. Not sure if such a poll was conducted in Poland but, certainly, Russia would be an uncontested winner there, like something around 90%, the sum of all fears.