Hello Ryszard,
Thanks for your email, and for sharing your view and experience.
I'd clarify here: my childhood desire was towards the unknown, that
which was not described, as no one was telling us what was really going
on in Russia, all we had was the fake American dream (which included the
commodification of female bodies) and literature from the past. I am
also aware that I was very lucky and privileged growing up in a house
full of any sorts of books, also having access to many libraries.
My anecdote was in response to Rasa, to highlight that there are
multiple perspectives and modalities for cultural appropriation (and
rejection).
I am not disputing what was better or worse, or whose childhood was
happier. The idea was to acknowledge that also in the West some had a
curiosity or a wish that that which was not the status quo could be
better than the real they had to experience.
And I am not at all saying that being under Russian influence is in any
way a good thing, I am simply saying that the game at stake is a power
game, it is unfortunately not about anyone's freedom, or better
interest, but profit.
I am sorry if my email was unclear and you had the impression I was
trying to decide where to move to, it couldn't be further away from what
I was trying to express.
Best wishes
Eleonora X, PhD.
On 2022-07-17 21:47, Ryszard KluszczyĆski wrote:
Dear Eleonora,
let me quote you:
"During my childhood, in Milan in the 80s, I had an opposite experience
than yours: my country had been culturally colonised by the US (cinema
TV clothing etc), and they did think they were better. Most people did
not notice at all they were colonised, because they had been
brainwashed. As I happened to dislike American cinema and Disney's
total animation, but I did read a lot of Italian and French and Russian
literature and philosophy, I must say it did happen to me during my
childhood to wish I was in the Soviet Union instead, hoping that that
would be a better alternative from the dumb hypnotic imperialism that
had subsumed my contemporaries."
During my childhood in Poland in the 60s, I was not so happy as you in
the 80s. You could have decided what to read. The Soviet-Russian
censorships deprived me of such possibilities.
You were happy to avoid the experioence what it really means to live in
the colonised country, colonised society. But it doesn't mean you
should not try to imagine and understand what it is really.
Anyway you can try to realise your desire from your childhood. You can
move to Russia to become the resident. But resident not just visitor.
I understand if you don't decide to do it. A French famous film actor
who did it once (to avoid paying taxes in France) is already back as I
heard.
Good luck whatever you decide to do
Ryszard
......................................................
Prof. Ryszard W. Kluszczynski, PhD.
Chair of Department of New Media and Digital Culture
University of Lodz
171/173 Pomorska Street
90-236 Lodz
Poland
tel +426655133
On 17 Jul 2022, at 18:00, xname <xn...@xname.cc> wrote:
During my childhood, in Milan in the 80s, I had an opposite experience
than yours: my country had been culturally colonised by the US (cinema
TV clothing etc), and they did think they were better. Most people did
not notice at all they were colonised, because they had been
brainwashed. As I happened to dislike American cinema and Disney's
total animation, but I did read a lot of Italian and French and
Russian literature and philosophy, I must say it did happen to me
during my childhood to wish I was in the Soviet Union instead, hoping
that that would be a better alternative from the dumb hypnotic
imperialism that had subsumed my contemporaries.
--
phantasmata and illusions
@oracle666
http://xname.cc
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