[golergka]

Lived there for almost all my life, among well-educated, well informed people mostly — and still depressingly big amount of them are sincere in their support.

You know why I despise the western anti-establishment activists who are afraid of US and Europe turning into totalitarian regimes? Because they have a very naive image of what totalitarian state is and how it starts. Today's Russia didn't start in former KGB or in government offices; it started in Stalin-loving hutjob papers. It started with ideology, and that ideology filled a vacuum that the cleptocratic elites desperately needed.

If you fear for your country's future, know that a self-serving capitalist asshole is not nearly as dangerous as a sincere actuvist who really wants to make the world a better place.