Opinion: The ‘West’ as a whole suffers from a lack of credibility even as they unite in their opposition to war.

False binaries are a great way to divide and rule. Finding common ground between seemingly different actors, on the other hand, can be a valuable exercise in bringing together ideas and people.

In this article (see below) Chrissy Stroop recounts her own experience of spending time living and working in Russia and the parallels she has observed between Russian and American versions of conservatism.

One of the most interesting developments of recent years, which has become even more apparent during the course of the ongoing war in Ukraine, is just how much sympathy Russia’s current regime elicits among certain conservative quarters, not just in the USA but more broadly around the world.

In other words, a country that used to be a model utopia for radicals and socialists has now transformed into a country with much to admire for within the conservative crowd.

Introducing the concept of ‘imperial provincialism’, the writer points to a mish-mash of conspiracy theories, bigotry and delusions of grandeur in larger countries as a mean of coming to terms with their histories of brutal imperialism and colonialism.

I have written a number of posts in which I pointed to the lack of credibility that the ‘West’ as a whole seems to suffer from even as they unite in their opposition to war.

The colonial history of many ‘Western’ powers coupled with their recent record in selectively responding (or not responding) to other conflicts around the world does not exactly inspire confidence or signal consistency.

The parallels between Russia and the USA that the writer has remarked on may well add to that debate.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/russia-and-the-us-have-more-in-common-than-you-might-think/

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