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Diana van Eyk's avatar

Thanks for this, Mike. I look forward to watching this.

It's a good idea to get a well rounded understanding of the key geopolitical players.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

I appreciated you sharing. Thanks, Diana.

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Daniel Helkenn's avatar

I started watching this to see its “flavor” and couldn’t stop. I will watch Part 2 tonight. I can see why the west hates him. I see no one to compare here.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

As I expressed to Roslyn below, there's no utopia or perfect leader so I have to approach all of them in various ways e.g., I reckon if Putin was the President of the USA, he'd pull it off. However, Biden, even with his mind, would not be able to handle Russia. And Trump would be more drunken Boris Yeltsin than Putin.

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Darkstar's avatar

Excellent subject today, Mike. Four hrs worth of videos, and no sexy Russian women?

What is the world coming to?

Right now,I must brave the heat,and do a grocery run before it gets to 115°f. Today.

I'll have plenty of time to watch it when I get back, as the TV is filled with drivle about the election.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

I fear Pornhub will sue me for being disgraceful.

My Winter - no rain for a month, and its been 23-28C.

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Darkstar's avatar

It's nice to have you back, Mike.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

Not an article, just a share, and another two shares this week. But thanks!

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Val D. Phillips's avatar

Thanks for this, Mike. I, too, look forward to watching it.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

It's long but worth it, so best to do it over two sittings.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

Thanks. He is an interesting and very intelligent man. I have seen a few Putin interviews and his conservative nature, faith and common senses are clear to anyone with the ability to hear, see and reason. The West hates him for his intelligence and his strength. The Russians love him and fear him for his strength but Russians prefer strong leaders and their history explains why. I suspect most humans prefer strong leaders which is the Trump appeal. Trump is street-smart but not particularly intelligent.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

My long and ongoing internal struggle is my belief in human rights versus human nature. Maybe it's the struggle to train the human animal how to do tricks and not shit on the carpet. Point is that I'm never going to get my human rights utopia, and thus have to accept that all leaders will be flawed, and, thus, I have to judge them in context and not on my 'pet' issues. That flushes away ideas such as democracy and totalitarianism, and leaves reality. Russia's reality is that they have needed Putin.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

My reality is that Putin is Russia's business as Trump is the business of Americans. And yes agree they needed Putin but don't see him as bad as the haters say. Same for Trump, inferior candidate but not as bad as they paint him. Not much good either.

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Boodsy's avatar

Just got through part 1, very interesting to see the other side of the coin and discover some of the motivations at play. Trapped as most people are in AI generated echo chambers, it's disturbing to realize how precarious the world is. Thanks for sharing.

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Mike Hampton's avatar

It’s beautiful when someone tells me I have the power to make them watch a 2hr doccie - ha ha. Thanks.

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Abdrazak azzouz's avatar

1928, PROPAGANDA By EDWARD L. BERNAYS….

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.

We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.”

1928, PROPAGANDA By EDWARD L. BERNAYS

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Mike Hampton's avatar

It’s disturbing when I meet a marketing student who doesn’t know about Bernays.

Bernays was a dick, but he was also insightful. My fellow humans will be treated as sheep when they act like sheep. The greatest guilt is with the cowards with numbers on their side.

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