The In-Laws and Propaganda

[Misha]

My wife called her mother today, and they came close to having an argument. My wife is somewhat annoyed at times at how my MIL lectures her with the latest Russian propaganda. Today, my MIL was going on about how the Americans cause a financial crisis to bring Russia to its knees. My wife was trying to explain to her mother that it was illogical for the United States to create a financial crisis that is hurting its own country simply to somehow punish Russia. However, my MIL has swallowed the Russian line hook, line and sinker. All of Russia's problems are due to the Americans and their sinister plot to ruin their economy to humiliate Russia to its knees. My wife has concluded that she will have to avoid talking about politics with her mother or change the subject if her mother starts talking about politics 

So, I am curious, have any of the other married guys noticed a change in the intensity of Russian propaganda and what the in-laws are now saying?

[UTRO]

Nope. No blame seen pointed at the USA when I was there earlier earlier this month. Most people were more concerned about how to solve the problem rather than pointing blame at anyone. The troubles were referred to as 'The Global Economic Crisis'.... not Russian, not American. In Sveta's city there have been a few upper scale stores closed. Namely a Baby Boutique featuring European Designer outfits.

[Lee08]

I just spent 6 weeks in Moscow and I heard nothing like this, not even from my future MIL 

[Simoni]

My wife called her mother today, and they came close to having an argument. My wife is somewhat annoyed at times at how my MIL lectures her with the latest Russian propaganda. Today, my MIL was going on about how the Americans cause a financial crisis to bring Russia to its knees. My wife was trying to explain to her mother that it was illogical for the United States to create a financial crisis that is hurting its own country simply to somehow punish Russia. However, my MIL has swallowed the Russian line hook, line and sinker. All of Russia's problems are due to the Americans and their sinister plot to ruin their economy to humiliate Russia to its knees. My wife has concluded that she will have to avoid talking about politics with her mother or change the subject if her mother starts talking about politics 

So, I am curious, have any of the other married guys noticed a change in the intensity of Russian propaganda and what the in-laws are now saying?

Fortunately, my wife is from Ukraine. She listens to both Russian and Ukrainian radio, and picks up all the propaganda from the Russian stations.  And yes, that is exactly what the Russians are saying.

[roykirk]

I haven't heard this one specifically, but it doesn't surprise me.  When I was over there during the whole dust up with Georgia, I was continually quizzed about the "American spies" who instigated the war.  Of course there was never any evidence of such a thing, but Putin said it on TV, and that's pretty much gospel.

[OlgaH]

I just spent 6 weeks in Moscow and I heard nothing like this, not even from my future MIL 

I haven't heard such things either... neither from my relatives nor from my friends in Siberia 

[OlgaH]

When I was over there during the whole dust up with Georgia, I was continually quizzed about the "American spies" who instigated the war.  Of course there was never any evidence of such a thing, but Putin said it on TV, and that's pretty much gospel.

Never heard or red about "American spies"    What I heard and red was a passport belonging to a Texan named Michael Lee White was found in a building in South Ossetia occupied by Georgian troops and in CNN interview Putin said:

We have serious reasons to believe that there were U.S. citizens right in the combat zone. If that is the case, if that is confirmed, it is very bad. It is very dangerous; it is misguided policy
But, if that is so, these events could also have a U.S. domestic politics dimension.
If my suppositions are confirmed, then there are grounds to suspect that some people in the United States created this conflict deliberately in order to aggravate the situation and create a competitive advantage for one of the candidates for the U.S. presidency.

Perception of news by different people is different: "It will probably rain tomorrow..." "Did you hear it?  They said it will be rainy tomorrow!"     "Maria, Helen just told me she suspects her husband of having an affair" "Rosa, Maria just told me that Helen's husband has an affair"  and so on 

[roykirk]

I believe the follow up to that story was that it turned out the passport belonged to a school teacher who hadn't been in Georgia for some time and had reported his passport missing or stolen.  But when I tried to tell people that, they wouldn't hear of it.  As far as they were concerned, America started the whole thing because Putin told them we had.   

But granted, we have a lot of people here in the U.S. who believe everything the talking box tells them...whether it be Faux News or CNN.  People who watch whatever channel that tells them the news like they want to believe it.  One of the biggest coups I managed with my girlfriend was to finally convince her that not everything Russian television tells her is true.  I tell her if it has anything to do with the U.S. or Russia, she needs to find a 3rd party news source.  I'm a firm believer in BBC, and fortunately I've got her pointed in that direction too.

[Misha]

It will likely get worse. The finacial crisis is only starting.

[OlgaH]

I believe the follow up to that story was that it turned out the passport belonged to a school teacher who hadn't been in Georgia for some time and had reported his passport missing or stolen. 

Do you just believe or you know? 

[UTRO]

You mean this Guy??

[kievstar]

Many people in Western Europe think USA caused the recession as well.  It is popular in the World to blame USA for things that are bad has been going on since fall of Berlin wall. 

The truth is the recession is due to many things and recessions happen all the time.  This recession is more than the banking failure.  You could argue strong Euro is bad, high oil prices, bad loans, over spending, high debt, emerging countries with mickey mouse economies, Putin, Bush, EU, etc.  Many things caused it and we will have more recessions in the World in the future.  It is not normal for the World economy to increase each year and never decrease.   

The saying have a rainy day savings fund is important.  Many people forgot about spending within your means. 

[Misha]

Many people in Western Europe think USA caused the recession as well.  It is popular in the World to blame USA for things that are bad has been going on since fall of Berlin wall.  

Well, it would be one thing to say that bad American policies caused the recession or that they made such a mess of things that it resulted in a recession, but according to Russian propaganda Bush and company sat around one day and said "let's create an American financial collapse because we want Russia to suffer and to make sure that Russia does not return to a great power status." I have heard any reports of Iceland saying that the Americans caused the global financial crisis to crush Iceland or the Germans saying that the Americans did it because they fear a strong Germany....

[boaterguy]

This is interesting to me. Apparently some are not suffering! Evereything is just fine according to my MIL. They are doing well and are not noticing an economic downtrun. My BIL is constantly remodeling their apartment and just bought a plasma TV!

[groovlstk]

I've noticed this not amongst our family (thank God), but through my wife's former co-workers and friends in Moscow. There are many, many things about the Russian character that impress and fascinate me, but there's a segment of the population that has a kneejerk reaction in blaming every failing in their lives on America. Some of the stories of blame would be downright comical were it not for the fact that Putin and media outlets like Pravda know how to play to this fear.

[UTRO]

Putin is a very smart man. He will sit back and let his 'puppet' Medvedev take all the shiit during this Economic downturn. Then in 3 1/2 years from now, when our economies have recovered, he'll come back as President smelling like a rose He rode the Russian Commodity
rollercoaster to popularity from 2000 to 2008 and he'll do so again. I wouldn't be surprised to see him made Tzar Vladimir

[BC]

Ok here's the lowdown..

Overzealous, irresponsibly greedy US finance institutions assisted by the US Government created a huge bubble that popped and the results are being felt around the world.  Those behind these incredibly risky schemes made megabucks.  Overseas banks and financial institutions were snookered too.

Surely you don't believe that RU had something to do with that or?

Of course the US is at fault... and some folks in the US planned it.  

It affected the Ruble in a bad way..

Ergo the 'logical' conclusions from the RU point of view.

Georgia, Gas and the Financial crisis.. everyone has gotta point that finger somewhere or?

Yeah hunnie.. of course it's my fault.. anything else?

 

[UTRO]

Ok here's the lowdown..

Overzealous, irresponsibly greedy US finance institutions assisted by the US Government created a huge bubble that popped and the results are being felt around the world.  Those behind these incredibly risky schemes made megabucks.  Overseas banks and financial institutions were snookered too.

Surely you don't believe that RU had something to do with that or?

Of course the US is at fault... and some folks in the US planned it.  

It affected the Ruble in a bad way..

Ergo the 'logical' conclusions from the RU point of view.

Georgia, Gas and the Financial crisis.. everyone has gotta point that finger somewhere or?

Yeah hunnie.. of course it's my fault.. anything else?

 

Ah, don't forget the global fallout caused by Kazakhstan quadrupling the price of Potassium!!!

[kievstar]

Hi Misha, I hear the Europeans tell me directly that this recession is the doing of the USA and they should compensate the World for it.  This is mainly the EU workers in Brussels and what I read / see in the paper and television. 

Putin is a little different but it is popular to bash Bush and America for him.  Politicians love to blame others rather than be a true leader and fix it. 

[ConnerVT]

Yeah hunnie.. of course it's my fault.. anything else?

 

Glad you finally admitted the error in your ways, BC.   

Of course, Russia didn't mind the money it made on $100+ USD a barrel oil before the bubble burst, as well as the energy infrastructure investment it got (then took) from the West...   

[Misha]

Hi Misha, I hear the Europeans tell me directly that this recession is the doing of the USA and they should compensate the World for it.  This is mainly the EU workers in Brussels and what I read / see in the paper and television. 

Well, I would also say that it is largely the doing of the Americans. However, I will also acknowledge that Canadians benefited from the boom in the USA. Nonetheless, even if you consider that they are responsible for much of the mess in the global economy, it is quite another to say that they caused the crisis to bring down another country? It is illogical that any country would ruin their country solely to spite Russia 

[BC]

Well, I would also say that it is largely the doing of the Americans. However, I will also acknowledge that Canadians benefited from the boom in the USA. Nonetheless, even if you consider that they are responsible for much of the mess in the global economy, it is quite another to say that they caused the crisis to bring down another country? It is illogical that any country would ruin their country solely to spite Russia 

Once the US financial sector with government backing is back on their feet again the international lawsuits will start flying.  That will be the next 'wave' of financial destruction.

When you dig deep enough, it was all nothing more than fraud.

[Misha]

When you dig deep enough, it was all nothing more than fraud.

I agree. It was motivated by greed and fueled by fraud, however there was not grand cabal to do it because they wanted to somehow punish Russia.

[OlgaH]

Today, my MIL was going on about how the Americans cause a financial crisis to bring Russia to its knees.

Misha, I guess your MIL is fan of Giulietto Chiesa 

http://news.siteua.org/%D0%AD%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B8_%D0%A4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%8B/35405/%D0%9F%D0%BE_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%B1%D0%B5_%D0%90%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%81_%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8_%D0%BD%D0%B0_8_%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82_

[Misha]

Misha, I guess your MIL is fan of Giulietto Chiesa 

No, she just watches too much Russian television and listens to too much Russian radio.