Do the Russian people deserve some blame for the current situation?

[TheReckoning]

In your opinion, did the civilians of the Russian Federation play some role in enabling the presidency of Putin/the invasion of Ukraine?

[DaleCooper]

Yes, of course. Wicked leaders are a reflection of wicked people.

[Meclazine for Israel]

That is a tough question.

It is simply not yes or no.

Would probably say yes if they had a political system that enabled them to democratically throw Putin out.

Given that he is almost an autocracy, then the answer leans more towards no.

[MiddleRoad]

No, I don’t hate Russians

[Sir Mohamed]

Yup, and it has nothing to do with hate.

I know that State TV brainwashes people, but it's on themselves to have at least some critical thinking and not eat everything up the regime claims.

[John Dule]

Yes, of course. Wicked leaders are a reflection of wicked people.

That's a pretty damning indictment of America too.

[PSOL]

Nope

[Schiff for Senate]

That is a tough question.

It is simply not yes or no.

Would probably say yes if they had a political system that enabled them to democratically throw Putin out.

Given that he is almost an autocracy, then the answer leans more towards no.

This. I pity them because they don’t have a vote or a voice, are constantly being fed state propaganda, and even if they want to, they cannot speak out against Putin and the Russian invasion without harsh consequences.

Yup, and it has nothing to do with hate.

I know that State TV brainwashes people, but it's on themselves to have at least some critical thinking and not eat everything up the regime claims.

They’ve been fed these lies and this propaganda all their lives. I really don’t blame them for believing it all. I’ll be honest, if you or I or any of us were also fed only Russian propaganda and shown few if any dissenting opinions ALL OUR LIVES, I’m sure the vast majority of us would eat it all up too. So no, Russian civilians don’t deserve any blame - that’s on Putin and the oligarchs who perpetrated this invasion- rather, they deserve sympathy.

[MiddleRoad]

People have to remember also, the Russians have lived under one form of authoritarian or another for hundreds and hundreds of years. Whether it was the Romanovs, the USSR, under the oligarchs with Yeltstein or under Putin’s strong man rule - the Russians have never had any true taste of freedom. The last time they rebelled against one form of autocracy they ended up with an arguably worse form of it.

I feel a great deal of sympathy for the Russian people.

Your average Russian is a lot like me or you - they just want to live, they want to provide for their families, they want to be happy. Real life isn’t political.

Unless you want to lay, say, the Iraq War (or every other wrong of the past say 50 years) at the feet of every living American, you can’t lay the current situation in Russia at the hands of the people. And unlike us, they don’t really get a choice every four years.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

By "Russian people", do you mean русский, or российский?

[Mr. Smith]

By "Russian people", do you mean русский, or российский?

Xaxaxa очень смешно.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

By "Russian people", do you mean русский, or российский?

Xaxaxa очень смешно.

Это серёзный вопрос!

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

People in countries much more oppressive than Russia (pre-2022 at least) have overthrown their governments.

[Catholics vs. Convicts]

I'm sure they didn't intend for stuff like Ukraine to happen, and I'm sure most don't fully understand what is happening now, and I'm sure Putin has a firm enough grasp over the country there isn't really anything the masses can do anything about. But they all certainly bear some responsibility.

If we elect a president and party who pretty much do away with democracy and start doing some openly terrible things, we bear that responsibility for electing them in the first place, even if "we didn't think things would get that bad."

[Ferguson97]

You could maybe make this argument if Russia was a democracy, but it's not. They couldn't vote out Putin if they wanted to.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Yup, and it has nothing to do with hate.

I know that State TV brainwashes people, but it's on themselves to have at least some critical thinking and not eat everything up the regime claims.

In the US people are brainwashed too, i mean not everyone but like lolz.

The ability to critically think is a gift, and it's rare in Russia. Russians are delibeteraly dumbified by the government.

[Mr. Smith]

By "Russian people", do you mean русский, or российский?

Xaxaxa очень смешно.

Это серёзный вопрос!

Seems either are applicable here.

[dead0man]

The Russian people, as a whole, yes, of course.  Maybe there are specific Russians that can't be blamed, like the people torching the recruitment centers, or those in prison for protesting against the war.  But for the other 98% of Russians, yes, of course.

[Alben Barkley]

The Russian people, as a whole, yes, of course.  Maybe there are specific Russians that can't be blamed, like the people torching the recruitment centers, or those in prison for protesting against the war.  But for the other 98% of Russians, yes, of course.

Thank you.

So many terrible takes in this thread.

Fact is, a bunch of other people in autocratic nations have hated and overthrown their dictators. Russians on the whole seem to like their fascist tyrant and his war. At first I didn't want to believe that but hard to deny it anymore.

[America Needs R'hllor]

As someone who got to experience quite a bit of Russian culture: very much, yes.

[Ferguson97]

The Russian people, as a whole, yes, of course.  Maybe there are specific Russians that can't be blamed, like the people torching the recruitment centers, or those in prison for protesting against the war.  But for the other 98% of Russians, yes, of course.

Thank you.

So many terrible takes in this thread.

Fact is, a bunch of other people in autocratic nations have hated and overthrown their dictators. Russians on the whole seem to like their fascist tyrant and his war. At first I didn't want to believe that but hard to deny it anymore.

"Just overthrow your government, 5head. It's not that hard."

[MATTROSE94]

Yup, and it has nothing to do with hate.

I know that State TV brainwashes people, but it's on themselves to have at least some critical thinking and not eat everything up the regime claims.

I agree 100%. Russia is a truly backwards society full of irredeemable people, much like MAGA country here in the US.

[Alben Barkley]

The Russian people, as a whole, yes, of course.  Maybe there are specific Russians that can't be blamed, like the people torching the recruitment centers, or those in prison for protesting against the war.  But for the other 98% of Russians, yes, of course.

Thank you.

So many terrible takes in this thread.

Fact is, a bunch of other people in autocratic nations have hated and overthrown their dictators. Russians on the whole seem to like their fascist tyrant and his war. At first I didn't want to believe that but hard to deny it anymore.

"Just overthrow your government, 5head. It's not that hard."

That's not what I said... At all. Obviously it's very difficult, but the fact of the matter is that Russians overwhelmingly APPROVE of their government. They're not only not even trying to overthrow their monstrous government, they're actively supporting it. Much as most Germans did with the Nazis, frankly. Of course there are many exceptions, as there were then. But you can't let people off the hook for standing by silent and indifferent. At best. But in the case of Russia, seems many vocally and enthusiastically support the government.

[Ferguson97]

Obviously it's very difficult, but the fact of the matter is that Russians overwhelmingly APPROVE of their government.

Is that a fact?

[Alben Barkley]

Obviously it's very difficult, but the fact of the matter is that Russians overwhelmingly APPROVE of their government.

Is that a fact?

If you believe any of the polls, yes it certainly is.