Harrop: In praise of the West's freedom to consume
By Froma Harrop / syndicated columnist
In his bizarre rant on why he had to invade and savage a peaceful neighbor, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of trying to force false values on Russians. Such attitudes, he said, would erode
our people from within and are directly leading to degradation and degeneration.
Putin was referring to the Wests acceptance of homosexuality, but his gripe against decadence clearly extended to the larger definition, an indulgence in luxury. He apparently thought that the comforts enjoyed by the Westernized Ukrainians had softened them to the point where theyd step aside when his tanks rolled in. Also that the flabby West would step aside rather than confront higher gasoline prices.
Boy, was he wrong.
Consumer societies are not weak because their people like road bikes, garage door openers and air fryers. The choice of goods that come in boxes rewires the society to be more flexible and eventually stronger in ways that cant be touched. For example, Ukrainian tech entrepreneurs, with choice of news sources, understood the need to set up offices where Russians couldnt get at them. They are now operating out of Poland, Silicon Valley and Israel.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/harrop-in-praise-of-the-wests-freedom-to-consume/
In Pooty's world only the elite can have nice things.