Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I thought I was trying to find authors who spoke about the condition of the Russian soul.

For this, I have another book - it's closer to Yerofeev than Tyutchev - and you should enjoy it I would think.

It's «Географ Глобус Пропил», or "The Geographer Drank His Globe Away" by Alexei Ivanov.

It's a book that came out in the early 2000s.

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Returning to your question... I'm not sure I can think of too many books that talk about Russia's special place in the world. I mean - classics. Of course, you could go and read Dugin all day - and it will probably be nothing but Russia's uniqueness - but I suspect it's not very good reading.

Tyutchev came to mind immediately because of his poem about how Russia could not be understood with the mind. But also, because he was a militant pan-Slavist, who along with his buddies fought tooth and nail against Western influences in Russian literature and art. Him, and others like Aksakov and Khomyakov saw Russia as a bulwark against a "rotting Europe", and thought it had a special role in uniting all the Slavic peoples. Read those guys, and you will get megalomania to your heart's content.

However, it's important to note that even then, Russian panslavists were to a great extent receiving their inspiration from Poles. Poland had a diverse panslavist space, which was closely tracked by Russian thinkers. Split between whether or not Russia would act as the unifier, or a resurgent Poland - it was the epicenter of megalomania ;)

On the pro-Russian side you had Stanisław Staszic and August Cieszkowski, and on the pro-Polish side Adam Mickiewicz and Kazimierz Brodziński.

The bottom line, my friend, is that even when Russian megalomania was peaking, it was drawing inspiration from Poland. So you may have us beat there.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Yes, making jokes about how Russian cosmonauts always f*ck **** up, and then responsible Americans have to fix it.

We seen it.

Armageddon was one movie. I think in that movie they discovered a drunk and crazy Russian cosmonaut roaming around alone in the MIR station. Very funny.

As*holes.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I'd much rather have the Polish stereotype of a friendly neighborhood alcoholic. Maybe occasional wife beater. At least as depicted in American film.

Some guy named Krasinski is much better received in America than a guy named Krasinskov.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


The movie is a walking meme. Highly recommend.

Even in your examples, Russians are always military, hacking, or being all suspicious.

How about a movie with chill and funny Russians?

HBO's "Barry" has some of that, but I'm not really a fan of the show in general.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]

@Paulina

You forgot the best one:

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Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I will not be original, and will recommend the Russian poet and diplomat Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev. The author of these famous lines:

Who would grasp Russia with the mind?
For her no yardstick was created:
Her soul is of a special kind,
By faith alone appreciated.

Though a contemporary of guys like Lermontov and Pushkin, he doesn't seem to be as well known outside the CIS.

He didn't write "books", unfortunately, but he wrote many poems. The years I would recommend are between 1820 and 1840. Before, he is still too young and romantic, and in the period afterwards he doesn't write anymore about the subject at hand. By that point, he's a big deal - and writes about geopolitics - BORING!

All the poems are worth reading, but I might try "Silentium" first.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Oh my god - spare my ribs!

You are looking at your reflection in the mirror.


And you think I simply hallucinated the facts about the metaphysical nature of Russians? I almost want to say - "Read a book!"

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I think this is spot on.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Haha, you son of a b*tch. You know I cannot agree with this.

To be Russian, means to be connected to the Big Bang and to experience the Tao of the Universe. A Russian exists on two planes simultaneously, as one Russian rock artist who died tragically said - the spiritual and the war on Earth.


This is my most secret doubt - I suppose. So many years spent in Ukrainian and Polish spaces has not made me hate them more, as I expected, but to gain a certain appreciation.

Sometimes I watch some Ukrainian explain something about the war, and I think - "Man, why don't we have more guys like this on our side." This is a difficult thing to explain to my fellow compatriots....

Let's put the West aside for a second - there is certainly something in Poland and Ukraine that is very interesting.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Ughhhhhhhh.....

Would my soul suffer if I was reincarnated as some Marcin in Słupsk?

Very difficult to say.

I think living life as a Pole is filled with much anxiety and uncertainty. It's not that life is much better in Russia, but at least the framework exists to deal with it.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]

@Novichok

I meant it in the same sense that "Russia needs America".

Life would be boring without America.

I think the same applies for Poles - though I'm not sure.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Poles need Russians - admit it)

Russians are what Poles could be if they went through the other side of the looking glass.

The fascination works in reverse, of course.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


What is seriously f*cked up is to have a name like Gregoris Bjececikevus in your national ID card.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Because they are f*ckin Nazis - GODDAMIT.

An average Ukrainian, does not wake up, and immediately masturbate to Stephan Bandera. I understand this.

But their government, that they elected, has and continues to pursue a policy which is in its nature fascist.

We screamed about this to Europe for 25 years. First when it started happening in the Baltics, and then when the disease spread to Ukraine.

Europe ignored it all, and said Russians are being dramatic and hysterical as usual. So then we were forced to take things into our hands.

After all, if Poland is willing to ignore how Lithuanians humiliate their Polish minority, it does not mean Russians have to do the same.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Mhmm.

Orcs, RuSSists, Horde, Asians, Slaves... never thought I would hear enlightened Europeans use such language, after all the lectures on political correctness that have been received.

But if you say it makes it easier to kill, then it's well worth it.

Btw, if you actually lost to us in that war - from which all these posters originate - maybe you would not have lost 5M+ of your people in WW2. Maybe those Bolsheviks were right?

I mean, you still ended up being ruled by Bolsheviks - so it really seems like a total waste of time whatever you did in the 1920s and 1930s.

We could have made Germany and France red, if you fools didn't stop us at Warsaw.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I don't think that more than 0.01% of Russians in the 1920s knew what the hell a pentagram was.

The facial features, the golden colored skulls, the necklace - it's all supposed to get Russians riled up for another pogrom - the favorite pastime of White forces.

Say what you want about the Soviet Union, but it was basically Switzerland in comparison to the Russian Empire when it came to Jews. The Whites continued to use the Imperial playbook of how to get peasant Russians agitated - "The Jews are robbing you dry!".

The Reds used: "The rich are robbing you dry." Small distinction, but important.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]

You know what is nice in all these posters?

They only say: "Fight the Pans", "Kill the Bolsheviks", etc.

None of them say, go kill Poles, or go kill Russians.

It's a small thing, but still a certain silver lining.

Propagandists are readers of the human soul. That meant they knew there was not much material to work with in engendering hate between the actual peoples, so they turned to other instruments.

Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Pretty antisemitic if you ask me. A Red Trotsky, sitting on a pile of skulls - a bit too much on the nose.

Might as well have left the yellow Star of David at that point, like in this poster produced by the White Russians (the caption reads "Peace and Prosperity in Socialist Russia"):

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Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


I have a different observation. The Soviet posters are much more cool. Very avant-garde, very modern.

The Polish posters look like they were made by alcoholic dropout of local technical lyceum.

The Soviet Union was hip, while Poland was reactionary and old.

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Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]


Ясновельможная Польша, or Aristocratic Poland, seems to have been a popular meme in the early days of the Soviet Union.

1) The first poster below is another take on the subject. This time, Poland is a bulldog instead of a pig. The text in the middle reads: "The Last Dog of the Entente". The text at the bottom reads, "Polish Pans Are Seeking to Strangulate Proletarian Russia. Death to Noble Pans."

2) The second image consists of two posters. The one on the right, shows a Polish Pan, assisting Simeon Petlyura in crucifying Ukraine. The message reads, "Butchers are Ravaging Ukraine". On the left, is an agitprop piece inviting people to join the ranks of the Red Army to be sent to the Polish front.

3) These two posters are Polish-made. The one on the left, is reminder that it has been 125 years since Poland had been independent. The one on the right, shows General Józef Haller, one of the heroes of the First Polish-Soviet War calling on men to enlist.

4) This last poster is very upsetting. I had to recompose myself before posting this one. Noble soldiers of the righteous Red Worker's Army shown as apes and Neanderthals. The text in the image on the left reads: "The Enemy Approaches, Look What He Brings". The text on the right side, reads "Only Our Forces Can Defend the People and the Country".

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Off-Topic / Russian Views On Poland and Vice Versa [382]

Wanted to share some rare posters from the 1920s and 1930s.

1) Ясновельможная Польша - A Polish pig is shown embracing France. The pig is wearing a hat, that says "Noble/Aristocratic Poland". The pig is drooling over a document it is holding, which is titled "1772 Borders". The text at the bottom reads - "A Pig Trained in France".

2) Красный Подарок Белому Пану - A Red Gift for the White Pan. Two red army soldiers are lifting an enormous artillery shell as a Polish Pan quivers in fear. At the bottom right, the text says "Hit the Polish Pan in the Forehead with this Little Toy".

3) Чем Кончится Панская Затея - How the Pan's Enterprise Will End. Red soldiers are sticking lances into the rear ends of Polish pans, while grateful Polish population holds a banner that reads "Glory to Soviet Poland!".

4) Дорогу Нашему Хлебу в Обмен на Германские Машины и Орудия. Access for Our Bread, in Exchange for German Agricultural Machinery and Weapons.

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History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Just like we can squeeze every last bit of juice out of the T-72 - things the designers could probably scarcely imagine.

PT-91 Twardy is a good attempt in this regard, as well.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


I opened the Wikipedia page for ZX Spectrum clones. It's crazy how many there were.

In the Soviet Union, we had the Dubna-48K, AZX Monstrum, Anbelo/C, Arus, ATM Turbo, Baltica, Best III, Bi Am ZX-Spectrum 48/64, Blitz, Byte, Composite, and a million others.

God bless Clive Sinclair!

TY for this post Kania.

News / Polish final report on Smoleńsk aircrash [859]

@Novichok

Also a drunk guy came into the pilot's cabin and kept berating them, while they tried to land.

News / Polish final report on Smoleńsk aircrash [859]


Miloslaw must know something we don't know.

Perhaps Poland was just steps away from a brazen surprise attack on Russia?

Shocked at how we masterfully preempted their secret plan, and also impressed - the Poles wisely decide to roll back their plans.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Those cars would have looked good even in the decadent West. Kinda reminds me of a VW Scirocco, from the front.


Armed with PPSh-41 submachine guns, and receiving a blessing from a very Orthodox-looking priest.

News / Grzegorz Braun extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish Parliament [358]


Being a traitor to your country's intelligence services. Not some average plumber. The homeless British people that suffered as a result are a tragedy - do not misunderstand.


Having made a professional career out of selling Russian state secrets to oligarchs and foreign governments.


Servicing the most infamous mercenary leader of the last 500 years.

Other than these criteria - most Russians are safe. I would think.

News / Grzegorz Braun extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish Parliament [358]

Really? Expert Lyzko?

Did you interview each of them before they put a bullet in their heads?

An interesting sample - I would expect.

Jokes aside - people take their jobs surprisingly seriously, despite the games of the trolls at the top. A cynic would say it's no one's fault but theirs.

News / Grzegorz Braun extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish Parliament [358]

Because it plants a certain idea in certain people's minds - without any awareness of the context.

Suicide is a miserable subject - I'd rather move on.

News / Grzegorz Braun extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish Parliament [358]

I don't want to speculate over the reasons for a person's death.

I think it may be irresponsible for you to do so as well.