Great discussion, really sublime. One thing to add about the machine, something you already know, it will never stop grinding people and planet until the devilish functions residing in every human heart are beaten into submission by our similarly situated enlightened nature.
No politics will facilitate this. It’s a function of love, respect, appreciation, heart-to-heart dialogue. It’s playing the long game, which is frustrating and full of danger, and we may not make it, but no other tactic stands the least chance.
If anyone really knew what they were in for under American rule, in any country, they would welcome having a pseudo-emperor like Putin, who is smart enough to understand the colossal threat the US/West poses and wise enough to find partners to help the people thrive in spite of that threat.
The US has wanted to destroy and exploit Russia and its people since the end of WWII and they came close. Maybe there would be more room for dissident voices in Russia if that threat weren’t so present. Maybe not. But we need to pick our battles, always. ‘Freedoms’ to be dissident are meaningless in both America and Russia, but in Russia’s case disorder while the evil US seeks to exploit any crack would be fatal for all, and I mean literally.
Amazing conversation, thank you @Tessa! I especially loved your comments about the machine and misery around 44min -- bang on, and such respectful reflections to gently push back on the perspectives of your guest. It is a joy to hear such divergent yet loving dialogue. I am also grateful to have heard more about Alex Krainer's work.
I am Loving this conversation!!!!! Two Great Thinkers and the 'push back' back & forth is fantastic. Serious Wit made me laugh so many times! I've never heard Tessa - fantastic - and you two in this conversation? Perfect!
Thank you, Sheila! I am so glad you liked it. I really enjoyed talking to Alex, such a bright man! And all the intellectual dancing was so much fun because we were actually trying to get to what is actually going on!
This was an incredible interview and I was impressed by both of you. As an American I have been socialized to dislike Putin but I was also a life-long Democrat until COVID. Many things have changed and I have lately been willing to look again at Putin as I have a young Russian friend who actually likes him and has loved living in Russia. She isn't as radical as you but she is very intelligent and spiritual. She is Muslim and lived near Chechnya during the years of war there. She says that country is now quite wealthy and healthy and the Chechnyan army is committed to fighting beside Russian. I would really like to know your thoughts on how, after years of bloody war between the two countries, there can be such camaraderie? I had heard that Putin and the leader of Chechnya worked together to bring about this peaceful resolution. Do you know of this? I have to say that I was very compelled by the Alex's pro-Putin arguments. I see your point of view but I am one of those Americans that wants to see him in a good light as my country goes down the toilet.
Politics is a TV show designed to put off revolution for a little while. The show's producers never expected it to run this long. Now we've advanced to the place where the writing sucks and the producers are out of ideas. And all the good actors have quit the show. All the plot devices are worn out and the show itself is about to be cancelled. Putin and Trump appear to be loyalists. We call this wearing the 'white hats.' In early Western cinema, the white hats are the ones playing the good guys, and the bad guys always wear black hats. It turns out that the USA government (Uncle Sam) produced Western TV and radio shows and movies from the very beginning. Politics, like Western Cinema, is a government production. It's the cheapest possible facade.
Wow Tessa, This " talk" was one of, if not the best ever. Thank you. I don't think many could " push back" and challenge this gentleman, Alex Krainer like you did. It made both of you better and the conversation much deeper and terrific. I learned a lot. I hope this means you are feeling better health wise now. Look forward to the Philosophy club Friday.
Thank you, Jim!! I loved talking to Alex, it really felt like my childhood in Moscow where this would have been a standard conversation over drinks or food. We didn't even disagree that much, only about some specifics.
Oh, and that was recorded before last week's Philosophy Club. I am still sick. :( Hopefully it will get better for this Friday. :)) Look forward to seeing you there are well!
Great article, Tessa. I miss you. You're so busy now and I don't get on Fecesbook any more. It's toxic.
On Western vs. Eastern Systems of Peasant Control:
One of the things I have seen repeated by other students of history many times is the difference between cultures dependent on wheat and rice. When yous society is dependent on rice you have to have a very cooperative social system. A system where not doing your 'share' of the labor results in very harsh social sanctions. Wheat, on the other hand, allows a more individualistic culture. This has long-term consequences for the society.
In the East, at least in the parts dependent upon rice, you find a culture of sublimating the self to the good of the society. Look at the Japanese, "work ethic," for instance. Japanese men literally work themselves to death. For such people it is not a very large stretch to accept a social credit score as being the best for everyone. In the west that kind of thing has to be disguised. People have to be tricked into thinking that it is something else, rather than the obvious tool of oppression that it clearly is.
On footnote 2:
I like to believe that there is more to existence than the obvious world we perceive in what we call, "life." I can't prove it because, I think, it isn't supposed to be prove-able. But the, "lords and ladies (sociopaths, who see the rest of us as, "prey")," are perfectly happy to use the non-physical realm of existence to justify their slaughter and enslavement. They warp and corrupt beautiful, spiritual, eternal observations of existence to use them to justify things that are horrifying, objectively evil, and ultimately destructive to the growth of the human species.
PS: I know I saw a typo in there but now I can't find it.
I really enjoyed that interview- I find Alex has such an interesting take on things and I find my preconceptions get stretched. I totally agree with him re original Islam. I’ve also been re-discovering history and the roots of the parasite go back so far I wonder if we will ever know.
Thank you, Good, True & Beautiful! I am not by any stretch of imagination an expert at the theology of any of the world religions but it's true that "Islam" has been made into a scarecrow by the West, for geopolitics, and it has been happening in waves. Islam is not the only faith that has been multidirectionally weaponized, other faiths have been as well, so for a human being, it is wise to separate between the faith and what comes out of politicians' mouths! On my end, I think the most important part is being able to choose how to believe, how to pray, etc. Spiritual sovereignty is the most important thing!
I was born in the USSR. became an adult in independent Lithuania and watched it lose its independence(becoming the EU province) from the shores of the UK.
Alex makes a few good points but for some reason, he thinks that Putin is a good leader to have. Many people think the same but they forget where Putin comes from.
KGB like any other three-letter agency is evil in its core.
Perhaps one day we will become Shaolin monks, living in a place where there will be no usury, no banks and no narcissists destroying people's livelihoods.
I don't know how is in Russia today but I suspect that it is what Tessa said, if one has no curious mind and doesn't question anything then life is okay in Russia (unless one is ordered to go on a killing spree of Ukrainians).
I think we should learn to live without leaders. The problem with leaders is that their minds get corrupted easily or they come to the leadership with corrupted minds in the first place.
I hear you, Darius! And I think one day we will be living mostly in local communities and close to nature. I hope the path there is the smoothest possible....
That was a fascinating interview. Thank you both. Ironically I had to research Bill Browder a couple of years ago, so will most definitely be reading Alex’s book.
I’ve been pondering the concept of duality for a while now; how we are conditioned to think in a binary way. Not only does this help us make sense of a chaotic universe, but it is used as a way to control us e.g ‘you must believe America is good and Russia is evil, otherwise you are not a patriot’. Likewise in organised religion…’follow this path or you’ll go to hell’. The reality of life is very different. Ultimately everyone has their own agenda, sometimes that agenda is altruistic, mostly it is self serving. Sometimes the two align. I think I’ve come to the conclusion that asking ‘cui bono’ (who benefits) can help guide us to the truth, and moving away from dualism will foster a spirit of oneness which will connect us all in a way that will be difficult to break.
So my research was for compliance purposes as I was working in wealth management at the time, so looking at the source of wealth story, reviewing accounts, sanctions and negative news etc. As you’re probably aware the story goes that Bill Browder was accused of tax fraud in Russia and charged in absentia. He hired Sergei Magnitsky as his tax lawyer who investigated and uncovered the alleged theft of 100s of millions from the Russia Treasury by corrupt officials. Sergei was arrested after he exposed this in court, eventually he died in prison from pancreatitis after being beaten and refused timely medical assistance. The story is a lot more in depth, but that’s the gist of it. As mentioned I haven’t read Alex’s book yet, but I have a couple of thoughts. It’s possible that Browder poked the wrong bear in Russia, which led to the charges. It’s also possible that the allegations were true and his company did commit tax fraud. However Interpol, a the European court of justice, the UK parliament and UK courts support the official story, along with Sergei’s mother who has been campaigning for justice ever since. Interestingly when I was doing the research, my colleague at the same firm used to work closely with Browder after he moved his fund. They worked with him for a year or so and said he came across as a humble person who cared deeply for Sergei and his family and wanted to do whatever was needed to pursue justice. Now I get someone can pretend, but to do that for an extended period becomes infinitely harder. Which makes me wonder whether the story Browder tells was true, but was hijacked by the CIA, and used by the US government as a political and geopolitical opportunity. Who knows. I obviously don’t have all the facts, and to be honest nothing surprises me nowadays!
This is all fascinating, and any of the parties could be lying and slandering each other. Poking the wrong bear is definitely a factor in the world of big money, I think it is true both in Russia and in the West, with Russia being less pretentious about it. I remain agnostic, and perhaps we'll never know!!
Alex's book https://www.redpillpress.com/shop/grand-deception-bill-browder-magnitsky-act-russian-sanctions/
ebook available here for $14.99
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grand-deception-alex-krainer/1129593643
Please let me know if Alex specifically wants people to buy from redpillpress and I will delete this message.
Thank you, Horace!
Putin evil?! Just as much as Obama!
https://voza0db.substack.com/p/morons-just-dont-get-it-e8c
Great discussion, really sublime. One thing to add about the machine, something you already know, it will never stop grinding people and planet until the devilish functions residing in every human heart are beaten into submission by our similarly situated enlightened nature.
No politics will facilitate this. It’s a function of love, respect, appreciation, heart-to-heart dialogue. It’s playing the long game, which is frustrating and full of danger, and we may not make it, but no other tactic stands the least chance.
I so appreciate you Tessa x
I am so thrilled to hear from you. Marilyn!!!! I so appreciate you right back!! xoxo
If anyone really knew what they were in for under American rule, in any country, they would welcome having a pseudo-emperor like Putin, who is smart enough to understand the colossal threat the US/West poses and wise enough to find partners to help the people thrive in spite of that threat.
The US has wanted to destroy and exploit Russia and its people since the end of WWII and they came close. Maybe there would be more room for dissident voices in Russia if that threat weren’t so present. Maybe not. But we need to pick our battles, always. ‘Freedoms’ to be dissident are meaningless in both America and Russia, but in Russia’s case disorder while the evil US seeks to exploit any crack would be fatal for all, and I mean literally.
Amazing conversation, thank you @Tessa! I especially loved your comments about the machine and misery around 44min -- bang on, and such respectful reflections to gently push back on the perspectives of your guest. It is a joy to hear such divergent yet loving dialogue. I am also grateful to have heard more about Alex Krainer's work.
Tessa your belief in Putin's corruption is a tad robotic don't you think?
I am Loving this conversation!!!!! Two Great Thinkers and the 'push back' back & forth is fantastic. Serious Wit made me laugh so many times! I've never heard Tessa - fantastic - and you two in this conversation? Perfect!
Thank you, Sheila! I am so glad you liked it. I really enjoyed talking to Alex, such a bright man! And all the intellectual dancing was so much fun because we were actually trying to get to what is actually going on!
This was an incredible interview and I was impressed by both of you. As an American I have been socialized to dislike Putin but I was also a life-long Democrat until COVID. Many things have changed and I have lately been willing to look again at Putin as I have a young Russian friend who actually likes him and has loved living in Russia. She isn't as radical as you but she is very intelligent and spiritual. She is Muslim and lived near Chechnya during the years of war there. She says that country is now quite wealthy and healthy and the Chechnyan army is committed to fighting beside Russian. I would really like to know your thoughts on how, after years of bloody war between the two countries, there can be such camaraderie? I had heard that Putin and the leader of Chechnya worked together to bring about this peaceful resolution. Do you know of this? I have to say that I was very compelled by the Alex's pro-Putin arguments. I see your point of view but I am one of those Americans that wants to see him in a good light as my country goes down the toilet.
Politics is a TV show designed to put off revolution for a little while. The show's producers never expected it to run this long. Now we've advanced to the place where the writing sucks and the producers are out of ideas. And all the good actors have quit the show. All the plot devices are worn out and the show itself is about to be cancelled. Putin and Trump appear to be loyalists. We call this wearing the 'white hats.' In early Western cinema, the white hats are the ones playing the good guys, and the bad guys always wear black hats. It turns out that the USA government (Uncle Sam) produced Western TV and radio shows and movies from the very beginning. Politics, like Western Cinema, is a government production. It's the cheapest possible facade.
Wow Tessa, This " talk" was one of, if not the best ever. Thank you. I don't think many could " push back" and challenge this gentleman, Alex Krainer like you did. It made both of you better and the conversation much deeper and terrific. I learned a lot. I hope this means you are feeling better health wise now. Look forward to the Philosophy club Friday.
Thank you, Jim!! I loved talking to Alex, it really felt like my childhood in Moscow where this would have been a standard conversation over drinks or food. We didn't even disagree that much, only about some specifics.
Oh, and that was recorded before last week's Philosophy Club. I am still sick. :( Hopefully it will get better for this Friday. :)) Look forward to seeing you there are well!
Great article, Tessa. I miss you. You're so busy now and I don't get on Fecesbook any more. It's toxic.
On Western vs. Eastern Systems of Peasant Control:
One of the things I have seen repeated by other students of history many times is the difference between cultures dependent on wheat and rice. When yous society is dependent on rice you have to have a very cooperative social system. A system where not doing your 'share' of the labor results in very harsh social sanctions. Wheat, on the other hand, allows a more individualistic culture. This has long-term consequences for the society.
In the East, at least in the parts dependent upon rice, you find a culture of sublimating the self to the good of the society. Look at the Japanese, "work ethic," for instance. Japanese men literally work themselves to death. For such people it is not a very large stretch to accept a social credit score as being the best for everyone. In the west that kind of thing has to be disguised. People have to be tricked into thinking that it is something else, rather than the obvious tool of oppression that it clearly is.
On footnote 2:
I like to believe that there is more to existence than the obvious world we perceive in what we call, "life." I can't prove it because, I think, it isn't supposed to be prove-able. But the, "lords and ladies (sociopaths, who see the rest of us as, "prey")," are perfectly happy to use the non-physical realm of existence to justify their slaughter and enslavement. They warp and corrupt beautiful, spiritual, eternal observations of existence to use them to justify things that are horrifying, objectively evil, and ultimately destructive to the growth of the human species.
PS: I know I saw a typo in there but now I can't find it.
Well balanced, thank you.
Thank you again, Bert!
I really enjoyed that interview- I find Alex has such an interesting take on things and I find my preconceptions get stretched. I totally agree with him re original Islam. I’ve also been re-discovering history and the roots of the parasite go back so far I wonder if we will ever know.
Thank you, Good, True & Beautiful! I am not by any stretch of imagination an expert at the theology of any of the world religions but it's true that "Islam" has been made into a scarecrow by the West, for geopolitics, and it has been happening in waves. Islam is not the only faith that has been multidirectionally weaponized, other faiths have been as well, so for a human being, it is wise to separate between the faith and what comes out of politicians' mouths! On my end, I think the most important part is being able to choose how to believe, how to pray, etc. Spiritual sovereignty is the most important thing!
Sovereignty is the thing, yes. Bless you lovely.
Here is yet another complex view of Russian oligarchy and Putin.
https://slavlandchronicles.substack.com/p/the-saga-of-surkov-and-the-generation
Personally, I see Putin as a complex historical figure, like FDR, yet perhaps even more effective than FDR, and longer lived, already.
If I had to choose between them, I think I'd choose Putin, but that's completely imaginary, too.
Thank you, Brother John! Personally, I try to stay as far away from all of them as possible. :)
I just subscribed to Alex's TrendCompass, which I have noticed on Zero Hedge.
https://alexkrainer.substack.com/
Back to the interview. He seems to look at things very broadly, which I like. :-)
I am glad you subscribed to Alex!! I love the breadth of his intellect also!
I was born in the USSR. became an adult in independent Lithuania and watched it lose its independence(becoming the EU province) from the shores of the UK.
Alex makes a few good points but for some reason, he thinks that Putin is a good leader to have. Many people think the same but they forget where Putin comes from.
KGB like any other three-letter agency is evil in its core.
Perhaps one day we will become Shaolin monks, living in a place where there will be no usury, no banks and no narcissists destroying people's livelihoods.
Good talk, Tessa.
It is my impression, knowing absolutely nothing about Russia, that Putin is a far better leader to his people than Joe Biden is.
Can we make him a write-in candidate for the next (pointless) election here in the US?
I don't know how is in Russia today but I suspect that it is what Tessa said, if one has no curious mind and doesn't question anything then life is okay in Russia (unless one is ordered to go on a killing spree of Ukrainians).
I think we should learn to live without leaders. The problem with leaders is that their minds get corrupted easily or they come to the leadership with corrupted minds in the first place.
Anarchy (self-rule) is the only acceptable form of 'governance' for any civilized being. There are no civilized humans.
― Me, 2010
I hear you, Darius! And I think one day we will be living mostly in local communities and close to nature. I hope the path there is the smoothest possible....
That was a fascinating interview. Thank you both. Ironically I had to research Bill Browder a couple of years ago, so will most definitely be reading Alex’s book.
I’ve been pondering the concept of duality for a while now; how we are conditioned to think in a binary way. Not only does this help us make sense of a chaotic universe, but it is used as a way to control us e.g ‘you must believe America is good and Russia is evil, otherwise you are not a patriot’. Likewise in organised religion…’follow this path or you’ll go to hell’. The reality of life is very different. Ultimately everyone has their own agenda, sometimes that agenda is altruistic, mostly it is self serving. Sometimes the two align. I think I’ve come to the conclusion that asking ‘cui bono’ (who benefits) can help guide us to the truth, and moving away from dualism will foster a spirit of oneness which will connect us all in a way that will be difficult to break.
I agree, Zoanna. And wow, I didn't know you've researched him! Curious to hear your thoughts!
So my research was for compliance purposes as I was working in wealth management at the time, so looking at the source of wealth story, reviewing accounts, sanctions and negative news etc. As you’re probably aware the story goes that Bill Browder was accused of tax fraud in Russia and charged in absentia. He hired Sergei Magnitsky as his tax lawyer who investigated and uncovered the alleged theft of 100s of millions from the Russia Treasury by corrupt officials. Sergei was arrested after he exposed this in court, eventually he died in prison from pancreatitis after being beaten and refused timely medical assistance. The story is a lot more in depth, but that’s the gist of it. As mentioned I haven’t read Alex’s book yet, but I have a couple of thoughts. It’s possible that Browder poked the wrong bear in Russia, which led to the charges. It’s also possible that the allegations were true and his company did commit tax fraud. However Interpol, a the European court of justice, the UK parliament and UK courts support the official story, along with Sergei’s mother who has been campaigning for justice ever since. Interestingly when I was doing the research, my colleague at the same firm used to work closely with Browder after he moved his fund. They worked with him for a year or so and said he came across as a humble person who cared deeply for Sergei and his family and wanted to do whatever was needed to pursue justice. Now I get someone can pretend, but to do that for an extended period becomes infinitely harder. Which makes me wonder whether the story Browder tells was true, but was hijacked by the CIA, and used by the US government as a political and geopolitical opportunity. Who knows. I obviously don’t have all the facts, and to be honest nothing surprises me nowadays!
This is all fascinating, and any of the parties could be lying and slandering each other. Poking the wrong bear is definitely a factor in the world of big money, I think it is true both in Russia and in the West, with Russia being less pretentious about it. I remain agnostic, and perhaps we'll never know!!
Absolutely spot on!