It's an authoritarian state where any dissent can lead to death. So I have a lot of empathy for the Russian people. Consider rural Texas. While not as fucked, you have a lot of people just accepting a shitty life. Brain Drain accelerates decline, then the big plant closes down and moves abroad, because profit margins. Poverty, alcoholism, no jobs. You blame others to feel better about your sorry lot and do jack shit to make it better. I may be poor, but I'm not a socialist, Ukraine nazi, Mexican whatever. Your only way out is the military. So you find a measure of pride and self worth in blind patriotism and the military success of your kids or spouse. When someone suggests the War in Afghanistan, err Ukrain is Ill advised you have another OTHER to hate, the peacenik, libtards, patriot haters. Or you keep your head down and cope; and anyway all the stuff on the news is so confusing, and I can't keep up with politics. Cycle of poverty. I am curious about how much Russia influenced our current domestic environment versus how much of this is human nature. Russian Influence is greater than zero, even if very small, it worked here very well. We, as a people, are more like Russians than we may want to admit. We have better guardrails. Our overlords are still selfish capitalists, and don't give a fuck about living wages. But they are not a kleptocratic mafia state. Again, we can throw stones, but there is a lotta fucking glass in our own house.