[vmception]

Most Americans I know that have spent more than a week in Western or Central Europe, want to be in Western or Central Europe.

Not quite the same as Russia, but the concept being undermined is that USSR was a superpower that fell leaving only the US. When, at this point, most countries that were aligned with US offer better infrastructure and average-case opportunities for people, while dulling the best-case of rapid excess wealth attainment and practically nullifying the worst case of poverty, incarceration and marginalization which is a constant threat in the US.

Without a millenium of geopolitical baggage, Americans don't really care which country in Europe and sample them all for an unparalleled combination of benefits.

[pydry]

>the concept being undermined is that USSR was a superpower

If Time magazine is bragging about having installed the puppet president that came on a state visit to your supermarket I would have thought that concept was well and truly undermined already.

I don't see how that supermarket having a fancy fish counter really contributes to that other than as a publicity stunt.