The Dying Russians

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
This is truly disturbing.

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2014/sep/02/dying-russians/

There are even studies that appear to show that Russian drinkers live longer than Russian non-drinkers. Parsons discusses these studies in some detail, and with good reason: it begins to suggest the true culprit. She theorizes that drinking is, for what its worth, an instrument of adapting to the harsh reality and sense of worthlessness that would otherwise make one want to curl up and die.

Essentially the author is suggesting that Russians have super low birth rates and high mortality rates because they have lost all hope. :(
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,091
513
126
70 years of communism followed by economic turmoil for a decade followed by Putin. Cant imagine why they would lack the will to live.
 

nehalem256

Lifer
Apr 13, 2012
15,669
8
0
70 years of communism followed by economic turmoil for a decade followed by Putin. Cant imagine why they would lack the will to live.

Russians love Putin

http://mashable.com/2014/08/06/putin-approval-rating/

Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG


Not hard to see why. If Obama could achieve such awesome economic performance Republicans would probably be lining up to get gay married to him.
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,787
6,197
126
Russians love Putin

http://mashable.com/2014/08/06/putin-approval-rating/

Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG


Not hard to see why. If Obama could achieve such awesome economic performance Republicans would probably be lining up to get gay married to him.

That explains failure of democracy in Russia. Its onset just happened to coincide with low oil prices, so it became synonymous with destitution.
Yeltsin also made a misguided decision to follow advice of western right wing economists to implement "shock therapy" austerity measures at the time when Keynesian economic stimulus was needed to support the economy and soften the transition to free markets.
Putin's rule, on the other hand came at the period of high oil prices, and the more dictatorial he became, the higher the oil prices went, so dictatorship became associated with prosperity for large numbers of Russians.
 

alcoholbob

Diamond Member
May 24, 2005
6,390
469
126
Russian birth rate 1.54 (2011) is not far off from the white birth rate in the US of 1.6 (2013). So I dont know what this "dying label" comes from. Asian birth rate is 1.5 and black birthrate is 2.0 which technically is also below replacement.
 

gevorg

Diamond Member
Nov 3, 2004
5,070
1
0
Russian birth rate 1.54 (2011) is not far off from the white birth rate in the US of 1.6 (2013). So I dont know what this "dying label" comes from. Asian birth rate is 1.5 and black birthrate is 2.0 which technically is also below replacement.

Their birthrate was the worst in the 1990s, second only to WWII period. Now, its been slowly growing back up. The social development is still behind, just recently they have finally banned smoking in restaurants, drinking in public, etc.
 

ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
33,615
17,188
136
Russians love Putin

http://mashable.com/2014/08/06/putin-approval-rating/

Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG


Not hard to see why. If Obama could achieve such awesome economic performance Republicans would probably be lining up to get gay married to him.


Awesome economic performance by whose standards? How about a better economic performance than Reagan's?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhar...erforms-reagan-on-jobs-growth-and-investing/l

With all the doom & gloom you post, you might be more Russian than you think;)
 

justoh

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2013
3,686
81
91
Their birthrate was the worst in the 1990s, second only to WWII period. Now, its been slowly growing back up. The social development is still behind, just recently they have finally banned smoking in restaurants, drinking in public, etc.

Drinking in public should be banned? Absurd.
 

Zorkorist

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2007
6,861
3
76
There are a lot of things today that can help a person realize just how fucked up their life is, namely TV, Internet, etc.

Government is a lot less pretty looking when you realize they are taking your money and buying vodka.

Some Governments even buy more vodka than they can afford.

So what is a normal person to do?

-John