Recommendations from long-time Russian dissident
Posted by soletsercro@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 42 comments
[removed]
Posted by soletsercro@reddit | collapse | View on Reddit | 42 comments
[removed]
Impr3ss1v3@reddit
Wtf is this post, I stopped reading after:
Why do you want this kinda thing? This is basically a coup. This is not a revolution. Revolution would have been something where the government system changed drastically. But they just decided to stop being under Russia and start being under the EU/US and that's all.
Transition from free market to planned economy would have been revolution. Taking oligarchs assets through nationalization would have been revolution, but this... This is just coup.
I stopped reading after you called Maidan a "success". It brought more poverty:
https://www.quora.com/Did-the-average-Ukrainian-live-better-before-or-after-the-Maidan-Revolution-in-2014/answer/Roman-Podolyan?ch=15&oid=327824741&share=718ae0e1&srid=hrGsGO&target_type=answer
A loss of territories and a war. (maybe this is not Ukraine's fault, but still).
But hey, now they can travel to EU visa free for 90 days!
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Usually I'm not engaging in this type of propaganda spreading, but I want to use it as an example of effective psyop that will be used against any resistance in US.
It can be translated as "Friends get anything, enemies get law": when the exactly the same of much more mild activities from the opposition are claimed as unlawful and undemocratic, and used to blackwash the resistance leaders as predators, abusers, frauds - you name it.
For example, some of the latest protesters in Russia were sued into oblivion not for the political reasons, but for... covid restrictions. Some of the arrested protesters ended up being sued for drags, for example (and it's notoriously easy to plant evidences for the drag case), and not even count as a "pure" political prisoners.
So be mindful and don't let this rhetoric gets you. You have all rights to protect your country.
DrDanQ@reddit
You are the propaganda spreading and the psyop 😂
What do you think a liberal Russia would have achieved? The effective dismantling of the Russian nation and its continued resource plundering just like the 90s, nothing else. Most nations that survive as resource-nationalist states without selling out to being plundered by the west are "authoritarian", in the western sense.
Impr3ss1v3@reddit
I never talked about how Maidan was violent/not violent. I don't care that much about the price as long as the results worth it.
I just think it's not a good example. Ukraine probably would have been better off without it. Well, time will tell.
People I watch on YT say that the change should come from working class. We should unionize, should create communities, educate each other about law and politics and etc. The goal is to form an intelligent community and not a mob.
steveb68@reddit
Russian bot...
Impr3ss1v3@reddit
Beep boop
Go overthrow your government I will eat popcorn meanwhile
muddaFUDa@reddit
Regarding item 1: set yourself up an account on Lemmy.ca — everyone do this now so you have backup (Lemmy is a decentralized non corporate fediverse alternative to Reddit)
syawa44@reddit
Thank you for this inspirational post. You may have saved many lives with this. Let us all live simply, gently, and with generosity of spirit. If we live enraged, vindictive, and hate-filled lives, then they've already won.
markodochartaigh1@reddit
For OP: Thank you for your recommendations.
I have a question about your opinion on the US Gaza protests. The Hamas attack on October 7th was on Putin's birthday. Gaza had been a powder keg for decades. There had never been such widespread protests in the US over Gaza. Yemen has been similarly devastated by Saudi Arabia using US weapons. There have been no major protests about Yemen. Suddenly thousands of people in the US who couldn't find Gaza on a map were in the streets. There are no demonstrations now even though Israel violates the truce on a daily basis. Obviously Trump and Putin have common interests as do Trump and Netanyahu. We also have a lot of evidence that the social media oligarchs have worked with the oligarchs (Cambridge Analytica, etc.).
Do you think that the Gaza protests were a psyop?
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
In some regard, yes. In other, antisemitism is rooted deep in the left wing movement, and anti-Israel position was always part of the "package". "No jews no news" is a rather old media position.
Myself included - I started to dig deeper only after several heated discussions with Iranian refugees here in Finland.
Russians are using very familiar tactics, using civilians as human shields.
zdzblo_@reddit
Also in my experience the whole scenes around Gaza protests as well as the (in Europe quite common) disruptive climate protests ("Last Generation" blocking off streets, airports, throwing paint on artwork etc.) are heavily used by Russian psyops, same with the farmer and/or trucker protests in many countries, same with the protests back then (2022-21) in Europe against the pandemic measures taken, same with the protests against immigration by movements like Pegida in the wake of the immigration crisis (2015ff, btw. also here Russia played an important role, they practised in Syria for Ukraine and destroyed civilian livelihood in Syria, causing the trek of refuguees in the first place), same with the so called "Mahnwachen" for "peace" here in Germany (starting in 2014 after the initial invasion of Ukraine). The Russian regime uses all means to cause 1. disruption 2. distraction 3. polarization in those countries deemed to fall. They will also target your movement. So do not let you get disrupted, distracted or polarized. In this case it is really "America first". Without an USA back to democracy, ruled by the law (not the wims of billionaires and/or nutjobs and/or Kremlin agents) with checks and balances no other cause on the planet - or inside your own society - can be handled well or at all.
ImSomeRandomRedditor@reddit
There's also a hidden message here that OP didn't talk about because it's not allowed on reddit. These people putting up this fight over there are also using that stuff to fight back.
One of the key things mentioned here, that I keep telling people all over reddit is that the fascists in the USA haven't consolidated their power yet. YET. They're very close now. Kash Patel being approved is a large step, and because of that, start expecting gestapo like door knocks and people being taken away. Expect to see arrests of political opposition now. This will likely start happening quickly over the next day or two. It would've been best to already have had a major foothold in this fight before hitting this stage. Oh well, you can work around that, it'll just be harder and more dangerous. The next major threshold is large changes and possible removals at the Pentagon. There's not much more for them to do once they're passed that point. They pretty much will have free reign, and there will be no chance that the military helps stop them after this.
coconutpiecrust@reddit
This right here. Orange revolution was grassroots and incredibly popular. People camped on the main square for months and there were large protests every weekend, I think. People traveled from different cities to join us in Kyiv, there was a lot going on.
The government was suppressing news and also lying about “American booties” and “drugged oranges”. It was quite outeageous.
Also there were a lot of Ukrainian and European flags. I keep seeing here the suggestion to bring flags. Listen to it, bring the flags and wave them proudly.
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Wow, thanks modes for letting this message through! I really hope people will find it useful!
I have a couple more notes to add:
1) In Russia there are at least several different media, specifically focusing on the protests, keeping track of politically motivated prosecution. The most useful one is OVD-info: the non-profit organization of advocates and volunteers, specified on protection and help people who are on the frontline. They collect information about people held in custody, recommend to call the specific police stations if rights of the protesters are jeopardized, have a hotline, all neatly organized with telegram bots and infocards. They save many people from illegal prosecution, help to spread the word about illegal actions of the police, etc.
2) Please, focus on your country. Not Europe, not Canada, not Gaza or Palestine, not Russia, not even Ukraine - don't try to save others, save yourself. It's the best you can do, frankly. Just use their experience.
And have hope.
SeveralProperty4438@reddit
What are the best/most mainstream European forums that could replace Reddit as a public forum for something like r/50501?
FYI: I responded to this comment so you would receive an alert because I wanted you to see it. Also, thanks for your post
whereismysideoffun@reddit
I'd add to use Signal for all messaging.
I fully agree with you on the Boomers vs other generations. The other generations are doing the exact same ways of living as boomers yet especially people on this sub are sooo deeply knowledgeable about the effects. There is no value in the generational divide except to find someone else to blame. Why is that not corporations? Why is it broadly at other people?
Heigre_official@reddit
It should be pointed out that signal is centralized. With how bleak the current world stage looks, i would consider a decentralized and fully open source (client and server) alternative, matrix (matrix.org), with the Element client.
Odd_End_1728@reddit
it's hard to personify corporations and they can't be held criminally liable. Other generations are much more present in our day to day lives so it's much easier to have us fight against each other in that sense :(
whereismysideoffun@reddit
Which is exactly why our two current options are which fascism we descend into. Do we get conservative fascism or oligarch fascism? Maybe a blend?
From my experience with far left activism for over 25 years, the far left to Dems are total trash on long term strategy/tactics as well as resisting anything that isn't tangible directly in your face. If there is any level of obscurity there is no resistance, which ultimately forfeiting all wins to the other side from not building and not showing up.
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Yes, Signal and for some extend Telegram are safe (but as far as I know it wouldn't be safe to make a telegram-based community, a least public one)
sneakybrat82@reddit
Just wanted to share this re: disrupting facial recognition, in case it helps
PrairieFire_withwind@reddit
Honestly you are better off using makeup to make your cheekbones a bit wider or narrower, lots of ai matches based upon your eye socket, so makeup that moves those 'boney' edges helps, lip fillers or reducers, a hat, something subtle for the jawline like a scarf or high collar jacket, hoodie, a pebble in your shoe or different inserts in your regular shoes (stuff that supports or doesn't support your arches)
You want subtle changes, not obvious 'fool cameras' changes because those mark you out as a person to look at elsewhere
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
I'm not sure if it's still working: for the several similar cases AI just created a "fun filter" to IG/TikTok and bam - AI started to recognize faces under the cover.
Probably this trick is still working though:
sneakybrat82@reddit
Cool. Hopefully my comment/pic will at least help remind people to be creative!
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Agreed!
I also think about full-reflective jackets (they are blinding the camera's lights) and face shields with reflective surface - they could also do the trick (and help against bird fly!)
Arriwyn@reddit
Thank you. This is the best common sense advice I have read in a long time on here. A blue print on what needs to be done without all the Fear, doom and gloom speculation that is running rampant on Reddit these days. Especially, on Collapse. We are in the fourth turning of this American empire, let's be realistic and prepare with level heads instead of running around like chickens with our heads cut off.
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Frankly, I'm deeply afraid too, but this is the goal of this all regime: make us afraid. Let's cooperate instead!
Sirspeedy77@reddit
I'm just delving into this world of stuff you shared and i'm learning as I go.. It's a crash course for sure and you make a lot of good points. The realization of huge bot and PR campaigns swaying public opinion led us here and will likely keep us here until we start revolting against big tech infrastructure. Could be next month, could be years away.
I will likely delete my reddit account soon and go dark. A shame since It's such a good account but i don't want its history tied to me irl at all moving forward. I appreciate you taking the time to write this, I hope my like minded peers find it as useful, as I have.
We're entering a new phase globally and it won't be kind to us as citizens in a lot of countries. I'm open to DM and not afraid of conversation , so if you have any more useful tips I would certainly welcome them. Hope you have a great weekend coming up, i appreciate you.
I always did wonder why you guys never fought back harder. I truly didn't know what you were fighting against. I had mental images of a stone age USSR... Russia is light years beyond that point with the digital war scene. Now i'm afraid the more I learn the worse shape we're in by the day.
Yardithbey@reddit
I am curious what news / social media outlets are reliable and based outside the U.S.
Sirspeedy77@reddit
I've used Politico.eu and had success ..
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
I would recommend to have a disposable account with safe likes, to follow the information even without engagement - this you wouldn't miss any important news, especially if people will decide to change the platform.
Thanks! We did, yes, and people who left in the country are still fighting.
AcanthaceaeFun5327@reddit
This is... incredible. Thank you.
winston_obrien@reddit
This is the most important thing. I’ll read all day. Thank you for sharing.
LordCaedus27@reddit
Thank you for your insight. It is genuinely appreciated.
alexanfaye@reddit
Thank you for this. It’s nice to have a perspective outside of the US, and especially from Russia which I feel like is shrouded in propaganda to us Americans. I hope you’re doing okay over there.
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
I left Russia in 2016, as trans I didn't see any future for me even in more "mild" time, frankly. I would be already dead otherwise.
And yes, the propaganda pattern is very, very familiar!
alexanfaye@reddit
Ah yes you did say ‘dissident’ in your post title, my apologies. I’m glad you were able to leave and that you are alive. You made a lot of good valid points in your post. It’s scary to think that we’re always being watched, but we really are. I’ve always told myself that I’m too insignificant for the government to target me, but I could just be kidding myself. It is comforting that so many other people are vocally against the new regime here, but I’m also a vocal leftist and I’ve seen what our police do to leftists who resist them.
soletsercro@reddit (OP)
Oh sorry, I could be misleading in this regard :(
The horror of randomized violence that you never know if you would be the next victim. On the other hand, resisting is always dangerous, but silently comply is the way to much darker future...
alexanfaye@reddit
Oh no you’re fine! Either way I knew from the title and post that you are not a fascist and are being helpful, so that’s the important thing. And now there’s clarification that you’ve indeed left that country in our comments anyway. :) And yes, no matter how helpless I may feel I will never stop resisting. It’s good to be able to do that as smartly and safely as possible so thanks again for the post.
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Ghostwoods@reddit
Wow. Meta.