There is something almost nostalgic about your doomladen style of anti-communism. I swear the lights in my Moscow apartment seem to dim, and I can almost hear the rumbling thunderclouds gather overhead. I guess it reminds me of life before the plandemic, when it was worth arguing about.
But I still really enjoy your articles (I even donated by paypal because I can't afford all these substack subs) even if I disagree with your anti-communist politics, which by the way, give you away as American educated. The British style is indignant and the Germans gripe, while Americans tend to moralize.
I also found Albania to be a bit of a surprise, albeit a tiny one. I enjoyed Serbia more, but I did give a long ride to an off-duty Albanian cop, a very friendly guy about 30 - nothing like the prickish US police - and he was very adamant that nothing was better under in the EU. (That was the same story I heard from most people I've spoken with throughout Eastern Europe.) But that was in 2015, before the plandemic. It seems like another life. Anyway...
I emigrated to Russia from the US in 2014, and I'd invite you to come to Moscow, (if you can ever get a visa) and I'd be delighted to buy you lunch. But I'll warn you, Russia is full of unrepentant, even proud communists... though I think even you would be hard pressed to find anything wrong with the magnificent, Stalin-era metro system. Cheers!
If you think American higher education is morally against Communism, then you're rather innocent, to put it nicely. You're what's called a fellow traveler, which is fine. We don't have to agree about anything.
As a Vietnamese who've spent years as an adult in Communist Vietnam, I've met more card carrying Communists than most people. I even like some of them. I've had a life-long engagement with Communism, let's put it that way.
Unlike many Communists, especially of the Western, bourgeoise variety, I don't let political disagreements get in the way of conviviality or friendship, so perhaps we'll drink a few beers together in Moscow some day. It'd be fun!
"As a Vietnamese who've spent years as an adult in Communist Vietnam"
I'm not so dogmatic; it's important to consider all perspectives.
I finished my BA in Alabama in 2003 in a city that had its last lynching in 1981. Back then, the campus was full of Christian fundamentalist cults and muddy trucks with rebel flag bumper stickers. Granted, I haven't set foot in a US university in nearly 20 years, but when I did my masters in 2017 at MGMIO in Russia, we read a lot of Richard Pipes. But in all seriousness, I think the "communism" in US universities is a neoliberal bait and switch.
and talk about innocence:
"Though Kokalari said in 1943 she only wanted to immerse herself in literature, and have nothing to do with politics, she had a change of heart a year later, when she cofounded the Albanian Social Democratic Party."
Anyway, enough of that. I have been a fan for a while, but I only just realized you'd left Unz. I've been binge reading for a couple of days, trying to catch up. Thanks for your response and keep up the good work :)
Communism and Socialism are attractive in theory. Familiarize yourself with the actors behind the Iron Curtain, and you may hopefully see things from a somewhat different perspective.
I spent a month in Tirana myself and enjoyed it as a blissful escape from tyrannous UK.
They have since upped restrictions in Albania (some vax mandates and test needed to enter). However, it's still one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe. I also think enforcement of future tyranny will be less stringent there than in much of Western Europe.
Strangers were very helpful to me too. I got the feeling they were a bit saddened by the poor reputation Albania has all over the world and desperate to try to create a more positive one.
Younger people especially appeared a bit ashamed to be Albanian. Students idolize US/UK and EU membership as progressive. Many did no realise that with their focus on traditional family values and their comparative lack of globohomo influence, they were in a far better state than their 'progressive' neighbours. The things I admired - tradition, culture, family values - many people I spoke to were desperate to get away from. I also got a sense people were very materialistic and money obsessed. But always very pleasant.
There is something almost nostalgic about your doomladen style of anti-communism. I swear the lights in my Moscow apartment seem to dim, and I can almost hear the rumbling thunderclouds gather overhead. I guess it reminds me of life before the plandemic, when it was worth arguing about.
But I still really enjoy your articles (I even donated by paypal because I can't afford all these substack subs) even if I disagree with your anti-communist politics, which by the way, give you away as American educated. The British style is indignant and the Germans gripe, while Americans tend to moralize.
I also found Albania to be a bit of a surprise, albeit a tiny one. I enjoyed Serbia more, but I did give a long ride to an off-duty Albanian cop, a very friendly guy about 30 - nothing like the prickish US police - and he was very adamant that nothing was better under in the EU. (That was the same story I heard from most people I've spoken with throughout Eastern Europe.) But that was in 2015, before the plandemic. It seems like another life. Anyway...
I emigrated to Russia from the US in 2014, and I'd invite you to come to Moscow, (if you can ever get a visa) and I'd be delighted to buy you lunch. But I'll warn you, Russia is full of unrepentant, even proud communists... though I think even you would be hard pressed to find anything wrong with the magnificent, Stalin-era metro system. Cheers!
Hi adi,
If you think American higher education is morally against Communism, then you're rather innocent, to put it nicely. You're what's called a fellow traveler, which is fine. We don't have to agree about anything.
As a Vietnamese who've spent years as an adult in Communist Vietnam, I've met more card carrying Communists than most people. I even like some of them. I've had a life-long engagement with Communism, let's put it that way.
Unlike many Communists, especially of the Western, bourgeoise variety, I don't let political disagreements get in the way of conviviality or friendship, so perhaps we'll drink a few beers together in Moscow some day. It'd be fun!
Linh
"As a Vietnamese who've spent years as an adult in Communist Vietnam"
I'm not so dogmatic; it's important to consider all perspectives.
I finished my BA in Alabama in 2003 in a city that had its last lynching in 1981. Back then, the campus was full of Christian fundamentalist cults and muddy trucks with rebel flag bumper stickers. Granted, I haven't set foot in a US university in nearly 20 years, but when I did my masters in 2017 at MGMIO in Russia, we read a lot of Richard Pipes. But in all seriousness, I think the "communism" in US universities is a neoliberal bait and switch.
and talk about innocence:
"Though Kokalari said in 1943 she only wanted to immerse herself in literature, and have nothing to do with politics, she had a change of heart a year later, when she cofounded the Albanian Social Democratic Party."
Anyway, enough of that. I have been a fan for a while, but I only just realized you'd left Unz. I've been binge reading for a couple of days, trying to catch up. Thanks for your response and keep up the good work :)
Communism and Socialism are attractive in theory. Familiarize yourself with the actors behind the Iron Curtain, and you may hopefully see things from a somewhat different perspective.
Karl Marx http://mileswmathis.com/marx.pdf
Vlad Lenin Lenin http://mileswmathis.com/lenin.pdf
Joe Stalin http://mileswmathis.com/stalin.pdf
US union leader Eugene Debs http://mileswmathis.com/debs.pdf
Excellent read.
I spent a month in Tirana myself and enjoyed it as a blissful escape from tyrannous UK.
They have since upped restrictions in Albania (some vax mandates and test needed to enter). However, it's still one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe. I also think enforcement of future tyranny will be less stringent there than in much of Western Europe.
Strangers were very helpful to me too. I got the feeling they were a bit saddened by the poor reputation Albania has all over the world and desperate to try to create a more positive one.
Younger people especially appeared a bit ashamed to be Albanian. Students idolize US/UK and EU membership as progressive. Many did no realise that with their focus on traditional family values and their comparative lack of globohomo influence, they were in a far better state than their 'progressive' neighbours. The things I admired - tradition, culture, family values - many people I spoke to were desperate to get away from. I also got a sense people were very materialistic and money obsessed. But always very pleasant.
Hi Zepo, I wrote quite a bit about Albania during my time there. Here's one article, "Librazhd, Paradise on Earth." http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2021/07/librazhd-paradise-on-earth.html