If you are forced to do something, do you lose your innocence? It’s why so many Russians have surrendered. It isn’t a war they want to be in.
I have noticed that Russia used many people from the Far East during the war. These people don’t have the same ties to Ukraine, and I think that was done on purpose. They seem more willing to fight since they don’t have that shared culture or history with the Ukrainians.
If you are being told, you are going to fight Nazis and all the horrible things they have done, wouldn’t you think you are the hero? I think they don’t know the truth until they get to the front or surrender.
The institutionalised torture on the part of the Russians is designed to change the cognitive behaviour of their troops. Devaluing human life, trivialising violence, and establishing corporal punishment as an appropriate response to ideological differences.
In summary, Russian troops may have had some kind of childish innocence when they left home, but as a result of being forced to participate in depraved acts of violence, are probably no longer good boys.
Mate, this conversation started by you saying “they’re mostly good kids”, which sounds fairly “large brush” to me.
The attrocities of war run much deeper than people dying. There are people that will carry psychological wounds for the rest of their lives. I think it’s very important to acknowledge that, lest we forget.
I agree that the world is not black and white, but I struggle with the “good kids on both sides”.
“Good” is a tricky word just generally. I think you might have said there were “previously innocent” kids on both sides, but they’re no longer so.
Yet another shade of grey, but I suspect that a lot of the kids doing the fighting have become depraved sadists.
If you are forced to do something, do you lose your innocence? It’s why so many Russians have surrendered. It isn’t a war they want to be in.
I have noticed that Russia used many people from the Far East during the war. These people don’t have the same ties to Ukraine, and I think that was done on purpose. They seem more willing to fight since they don’t have that shared culture or history with the Ukrainians.
If you are being told, you are going to fight Nazis and all the horrible things they have done, wouldn’t you think you are the hero? I think they don’t know the truth until they get to the front or surrender.
They may be innocent, but have lost their innocence.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/innocence
The institutionalised torture on the part of the Russians is designed to change the cognitive behaviour of their troops. Devaluing human life, trivialising violence, and establishing corporal punishment as an appropriate response to ideological differences.
In summary, Russian troops may have had some kind of childish innocence when they left home, but as a result of being forced to participate in depraved acts of violence, are probably no longer good boys.
I will never paint any group with a large brush. It’s dehumanizing to people. It’s how we justify killing others.
Mate, this conversation started by you saying “they’re mostly good kids”, which sounds fairly “large brush” to me.
The attrocities of war run much deeper than people dying. There are people that will carry psychological wounds for the rest of their lives. I think it’s very important to acknowledge that, lest we forget.