I’m eager to read the article later once I get cleared yet again by my probation officer. One aspect of the Russian Civil War that seems to happen often with nationalist/traditionalists vs communists is the similarity between an athletic high school student and a dangerous loner student. The loner student might jump the athlete from behind, but then plead mercy at the last moment when the athlete subdues him. The athlete has a sense of honor that somehow prevents that one last blow that will crush the loner and teach him through force never to mess with him again. The Whites (except Franco in the Spanish Civil War) seem to have an issue with that finishing blow. They cannot completely annihilate the enemy or band together long enough to route them completely. The Whites are too independent and aristocratic of morals in their approach. Only the military discipline of a General Franco or a General Wrangel overcomes that last hesitancy.
Ok, finally got the battery for the new ankle bracelet and read the piece.
Incredible. You mark the most pertinent parts in bold very well. The early bit about how none of these Russians were trained in statecraft is so true right now for us. Hence the bitter online feuds, public dramas and “crashing out” among the alleged leaders. We need armies of well versed men like Stephen Miller who is brilliantly using the laws and powers already in place to carry out the mission (not just complaining on Twitch and asking “Is this real, chat?”).
And you’re completely right that one more man can make a difference. I recall in the battle over masks at one of my kids’ school that there was a fierce debate about what to do about a new order from the governor. Most parents just wanted to bemoan their terrible fate or lately this or that abuse. But while they complained, I pulled up the governor’s order and suddenly found a loophole that could be exploited to get students’ masks optional without an official doctor’s note. I voiced this in an authoritative tone that implied I might be a lawyer, and the administration orchestrating the meeting took note. By the very next day, they had a “do it yourself” guide for parents about how to get an exemption with or without a doctor’s note. One man made a difference for hundreds of kids who might otherwise have been masked for six hours a day. I’m not that smart. But it was just one more set of eyes and the right tone to get a complete shift in the mentality. People moved from complaining about government overreach to how we could get the word out.
The comments on the quality of White Army officers reminds me of Serge Obolensky's evaluation of the Russian education system - it seems at this time in Russia there was a fundamental, systemic misevaluation of which skills were needed and which were superfluous or even detrimental - too many lawyers and theorists grandstanding about their pet political vision and not enough engineers and logisticians. Based on what we've seen from DOGE, it wouldn't surprise me if one of Musk's biggest contributions to our political efforts turns out to be the collection and application of high-performance human capital. So many of our other institutions set up barriers to hiring and leveraging these high-performance types, and even Trump Season 1 had a lot of trouble bringing people in and using them correctly.
"Our information came mostly from sources tainted with Tsarism and unduly prejudiced against Bolshevism, and we were never placed in a position properly to focus the Russian peculiarities of character."
Probably the greatest weakness characteristic of the left is its inability or unwillingness to engage with and portray reality "on its own terms". It's palpably and unattractively dishonest and betrays a lack of self-confidence. The opposite is where the right can and very often does find its strength, but even we're susceptible to an aversion to reckoning with things as they are.
One of my main concerns with the future is always how “up in the air” things are constantly. Not to be a doomer, but I do foresee bad things happening in America and I don’t think it’ll be very cut and dry. I think things will be up in the air and all of the sudden drop.
Grocery stores don’t slowly run out of things. They just stop getting things. Unemployment doesn’t slowly go up, it skyrockets in a matter of weeks, etc…
I’m pretty optimistic short term for Trump’s presidency, but depending on what 2028 looks like my optimism could change.
I’m eager to read the article later once I get cleared yet again by my probation officer. One aspect of the Russian Civil War that seems to happen often with nationalist/traditionalists vs communists is the similarity between an athletic high school student and a dangerous loner student. The loner student might jump the athlete from behind, but then plead mercy at the last moment when the athlete subdues him. The athlete has a sense of honor that somehow prevents that one last blow that will crush the loner and teach him through force never to mess with him again. The Whites (except Franco in the Spanish Civil War) seem to have an issue with that finishing blow. They cannot completely annihilate the enemy or band together long enough to route them completely. The Whites are too independent and aristocratic of morals in their approach. Only the military discipline of a General Franco or a General Wrangel overcomes that last hesitancy.
Ok, finally got the battery for the new ankle bracelet and read the piece.
Incredible. You mark the most pertinent parts in bold very well. The early bit about how none of these Russians were trained in statecraft is so true right now for us. Hence the bitter online feuds, public dramas and “crashing out” among the alleged leaders. We need armies of well versed men like Stephen Miller who is brilliantly using the laws and powers already in place to carry out the mission (not just complaining on Twitch and asking “Is this real, chat?”).
And you’re completely right that one more man can make a difference. I recall in the battle over masks at one of my kids’ school that there was a fierce debate about what to do about a new order from the governor. Most parents just wanted to bemoan their terrible fate or lately this or that abuse. But while they complained, I pulled up the governor’s order and suddenly found a loophole that could be exploited to get students’ masks optional without an official doctor’s note. I voiced this in an authoritative tone that implied I might be a lawyer, and the administration orchestrating the meeting took note. By the very next day, they had a “do it yourself” guide for parents about how to get an exemption with or without a doctor’s note. One man made a difference for hundreds of kids who might otherwise have been masked for six hours a day. I’m not that smart. But it was just one more set of eyes and the right tone to get a complete shift in the mentality. People moved from complaining about government overreach to how we could get the word out.
The comments on the quality of White Army officers reminds me of Serge Obolensky's evaluation of the Russian education system - it seems at this time in Russia there was a fundamental, systemic misevaluation of which skills were needed and which were superfluous or even detrimental - too many lawyers and theorists grandstanding about their pet political vision and not enough engineers and logisticians. Based on what we've seen from DOGE, it wouldn't surprise me if one of Musk's biggest contributions to our political efforts turns out to be the collection and application of high-performance human capital. So many of our other institutions set up barriers to hiring and leveraging these high-performance types, and even Trump Season 1 had a lot of trouble bringing people in and using them correctly.
"Our information came mostly from sources tainted with Tsarism and unduly prejudiced against Bolshevism, and we were never placed in a position properly to focus the Russian peculiarities of character."
Probably the greatest weakness characteristic of the left is its inability or unwillingness to engage with and portray reality "on its own terms". It's palpably and unattractively dishonest and betrays a lack of self-confidence. The opposite is where the right can and very often does find its strength, but even we're susceptible to an aversion to reckoning with things as they are.
One of my main concerns with the future is always how “up in the air” things are constantly. Not to be a doomer, but I do foresee bad things happening in America and I don’t think it’ll be very cut and dry. I think things will be up in the air and all of the sudden drop.
Grocery stores don’t slowly run out of things. They just stop getting things. Unemployment doesn’t slowly go up, it skyrockets in a matter of weeks, etc…
I’m pretty optimistic short term for Trump’s presidency, but depending on what 2028 looks like my optimism could change.