[coldtea]

>Just how much of the European "protest culture" of the 1970s and 1980s actually grew organically, without covert Soviet backing?

A, yes, it was the Russians all along, which, retroactively also proves that they control the world now from some building in St. Petersburg. And when they get some friendly lackey in power like Yeltsin again and be buddies and everything, there will be another enemy du jour, arabs (just not the Saudis) are good for that.

It's not like there ever was a very strong European left movement (or an American one for that matter), or that people in different countries in Europe have devoted their lives, risked careers, gone to prison, even tortured or executed for being pro-communist (or perhaps they did all that because they were paid)...

[def_true_false]

> ... people in different countries in Europe have devoted their lives, risked careers, gone to prison, even tortured or executed for being pro-communist

Or, if they happened to be in Eastern Europe, for being anti-communist... funny how that works.

[coldtea]

Well, the grass is always greener. Funny also how many ex-eastern blocers say they preferred those times though...

[FeloniousHam]

Only ironic if you discount nostalgia from every generation. I too prefer the social media-and-screen-free life of Cold War America, with the closer and stricter family structure that existed then. But I would not trade the mobility, agency, choice, and convenience of the modern age for those rosy memories.

I say categorically: no non-ideological ex-Eastern Blocer wishes to return to the lower standard of living and simple lack of options imposed by Soviet rule, regardless of what hardship the iron fist of US hegemony imposes.