mspm89 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 05, 2026 6:58 pm

Look, you may be an expert in Russia, but you're not going to teach me about the dealings of your government with mine, which happens to be aligned with Venezuela. Putin has sold his allies in Latin America cheap shit, and pretended they could stop the USA with it, while keeping the good stuff to themselves.

You like to portray Russia as infinitely well-intentioned. Well, they're not. Neither is the USA. I don't have a fish to fry in their war with Ukraine, but I do when it comes to Latin American politics, so let's stop pretending Putin is some kind of savior, please.

Listen, your assumptions about who sold you what are your problem, and why did you decide that anyone owes you anything at all?
Now you've reached the point where presidents are being kidnapped right under your nose. Whatever you think of Maduro, this is first and foremost a humiliation for your country and for you. Think about it, but apparently you don't give a damn about your homeland!
Everyone should first and foremost try to save themselves if they have any sense of dignity and pride. "Everyone is the architect of their own destiny." Russia's financial aid and loans to Venezuela amount to billions of dollars, and your "gratitude" for this is something everyone is used to. You can say the same thing to China, which has also provided you with assistance. Go ahead, sell your homeland to the Americans. Believe me, Russia and China will survive. Don't forget, American companies were already in your country before and owned all the oil. Did that help you, did you get anything, did you get all the benefits?
Who else stood up for you at the international level and in the UN, besides Russia? You are used to relying on others and thinking only about your own skin and profits. Let's see who else will help you...

The USSR invested huge amounts of money in the reconstruction of Eastern Europe, just as the US did in Western Europe under the Marshall Plan. When the USSR withdrew from Eastern Europe, it left all its property and infrastructure to the countries of Eastern Europe.

After reunion of Germany, West Germany introduced a tax for East Germany in order to rebuild East Germany.

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 8:40 am

The USSR invested huge amounts of money in the reconstruction of Eastern Europe, just as the US did in Western Europe under the Marshall Plan. When the USSR withdrew from Eastern Europe, it left all its property and infrastructure to the countries of Eastern Europe.

After reunion of Germany, West Germany introduced a tax for East Germany in order to rebuild East Germany.

We are now talking about the post-war reconstruction of Eastern Europe!
I visited East Germany many times in the 1980s. There was a huge Soviet contingent there. Even now, I have many friends in Russia who were born in the GDR. And in reunified Germany, many of my acquaintances (Germans by nationality) still live there. I have an excellent relationship with them. None of them ever complained about life in East Germany, and there were always problems everywhere, in any country. Don't forget that there were different socio-economic systems in different parts of Germany, and it is not correct to compare capitalism and socialism. There were pros and cons everywhere.
In any case, regardless of how you feel about that period of time and the Soviet Union, it was the Soviet leadership that made every effort to unite the Germans. But American troops remain on your territory to this day, and even under the German Constitution, your sovereignty remains extremely limited.
I am by no means denying the merits of the Germans, their hard work and talents, but Germany's economic miracle and social programs are largely linked to cheap resources from the Soviet Union and later from Russia. Even during the Cold War, resources flowed from the Soviet Union to West Germany. At present, Germany's political leadership has abandoned this, and we are seeing the result reflected in the country's economy.
It is in East Germany that the main political forces are forming that are in favor of restoring normal relations with Russia! In many ways, this is due to the fact that people who were attracted by the "capitalist goodies" have realized that "all that glitters is not gold" and that wealth is distributed very unevenly...
This is my personal opinion!

After World War II, approximately 12 million people fled to the West. During the GDR era, around 4 million fled to the West, despite the risk of arrest or even death. Of course, some were content, but the numbers speak for themselves.

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 12:51 pm

After World War II, approximately 12 million people fled to the West. During the GDR era, around 4 million fled to the West, despite the risk of arrest or even death. Of course, some were content, but the numbers speak for themselves.

And what are the statistics showing that everything turned out well for these people (who fled)? It is precisely in Western countries that there are the most cases of suicide. These are all very controversial issues.
Man is weak, and his natural vice is the thirst for consumption! One car is enough for a person, but he wants three or a whole fleet of cars to feed his ego, to show off, to confirm his status, and to assert that he is doing well financially and that it is simply convenient for him to live this way. And his second vice is boasting! They only think about their own comfort and well-being; this is the natural essence of human beings. It is also natural that they never think about the fact that capitalism selectively gives everything to some people and nothing to others. And the balance is always not in favor of the latter. It's like natural selection, so capitalism is a more natural human environment that is more suited to his natural essence. We all know only about successful people, but rarely anyone talks about how many are unsuccessful.
And people don't care about global issues such as capitalism burning through resources. People always want more and more. The natural outcome of the crisis of capitalism is world wars — the redistribution of assets and resources. This is what we are seeing now. Human nature is the main enemy of its existence, especially in the long term, and whether it wants to or not, it will have to come to some form of socialism: "To each according to his needs!" or it will perish. I tend to be skeptical about this, precisely because I know human nature.
For example, I received a free, brilliant (in my opinion) higher education and two scientific degrees. And my friend, an orphan who grew up in an orphanage, received the same education, absolutely free of charge. And this was only possible in the Soviet Union. Yes, we may not have had luxurious villas or yachts, but my family and I were always confident about the future and felt happy. But a person will always want more, no matter where they live...

Capitalism itself is not wrong, but it needs certain rules. The problem is humanity itself, not the form.

It might surprise you, but I also have a university education, and it was all for nothing. In Germany.

The suicide rate in East Germany was the highest in Europe. Source: https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/su ... r-100.html

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 3:18 pm

Capitalism itself is not wrong, but it needs certain rules. The problem is humanity itself, not the form.

That's what I'm writing to you about, human nature, if you've been reading carefully! That's where the whole problem lies, and that's the main thing, and everything else is just lyrics, where to live and how to live!

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 3:18 pm

It might surprise you, but I also have a university education, and it was all for nothing. In Germany.

No one teaches a person! Teachers only help and guide them. A person educates themselves. Only their desire to acquire knowledge matters. If a person has no desire to acquire knowledge, no one can force them to do so, not even a professor or academic, no matter what university they attend. The most important thing is the ability to think for yourself! And you know, there is a saying: "Study your whole life, and you'll still die a fool!" Because knowledge is infinite.
If your education has not helped you in any way, that is your problem. Look for the problem within yourself!

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 3:18 pm

The suicide rate in East Germany was the highest in Europe. Source: https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/su ... r-100.html

As for the source, it is clearly politicized. The information is classified, but somehow it has become known to someone. Doesn't the very contradiction and absurdity of the statement strike you?
I can give you a lot of sources that claim the opposite, but it's all like ping-pong, so it's pointless. As for Western countries, well, that's what your sources say, not mine, but the happiest people are in Latin America. It's a paradox, but it proves once again what I was talking about...

It might surprise you, but I also have a university education, and it was all for nothing. In Germany.

My fault. I mean absolutely free of charge. Like you in Soviet Union

alexandrow wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 06, 2026 7:06 pm

It might surprise you, but I also have a university education, and it was all for nothing. In Germany.

My fault. I mean absolutely free of charge. Like you in Soviet Union

Well, I wasn't planning on going to Germany. Although there was a real opportunity to settle anywhere in the world. I traveled around the world quite a bit, and I must admit that my Soviet education helped me everywhere. But I didn't look for professional work in other parts of the world.
I was happy with everything in the USSR, and now I'm happy with everything in Russia, even though I understand perfectly well that there is no such thing as an ideal place to live. Although I've been through a lot, including some problems and a subjective feeling of injustice, especially during the nightmarish 1990s.
I understand that you know the Russian mentality and language. You know, it's like in the famous Russian film: "This is my homeland, son!" Maybe it seems banal to some, but I don't care. This is my homeland, my ancestors, my family, and my children. I hope they will be happy in Russia.
And there is another saying: "It's good where we are not!"

I was born in Kazakhstan as a russian. I come with my family to germany. So I its hard to see what happens. Im tired of the german politics, im tied of usa politic and also of russian politic. My cousin died in this war. The sad is that it will never ends. I have no hope that people will change.