Episode 124: Konstantin Kisin - Why Western Values Matter

Konstantin Kisin is an author, an essayist, and the co-host of the YouTube channel and podcast Triggernometry. A rebroadcast from 2022.------------Book Dan to do an interview or a meeting------------Keep Talking SubstackSpotifyApple PodcastsSocial media and all episodes------------Support via VenmoSupport on SubstackSupport on Patreon------------(00:00) Intro(1:00) Transition from Soviet Union to wealth in post-collapse Russia(4:00) Impact of the Soviet collapse on ordinary people's lives(6:31) Personal resilience shaped by tumultuous childhood experiences(8:30) Lack of education about the Soviet experience in the West(11:06) The Russian Revolution and its implications for society today(11:20) Overview of the dictatorship of the proletariat concept.(12:55) Impact of property expropriation on wealthy families during the revolution.(14:03) Consequences of collective farming in Soviet society.(16:12) The Soviet Union's attempt at equality led to widespread poverty.(19:02) Insights on the Russian psyche from democratic experiments in the 90s.(23:42) Describing the chaotic aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse.(25:12) Painful experiences shaped Russian society during the 1990s.(27:11) Russia's surrender to terrorists: a psychological shock for citizens.(29:07) Vladimir Putin emerged as a strongman leader in chaos.(30:46) Boris Yeltsin's legacy and Putin's rise to power explained.(36:57) Freedom of expression as the foundation of Western society.(39:09) The importance of free speech and its recent threats discussed.(40:11) The roots of political correctness and free speech erosion.(41:34) Exploring the dangers of hierarchical ideologies in society.(43:15) The natural dynamics between men and women in relationships.(45:23) Martin Luther King’s vision for character over skin color.(46:00) Concerns about societal divisions and their historical implications.(48:14) The universal threat of believing some people are superior to others.(49:00) Thought-provoking quotes(54:00) The West and the importance of individual rights(1:00:41) George Kennan's insights on containment and Western values.(1:01:13) Concerns about identity politics and its impact on society.(1:02:41) The danger of losing a unified national identity.(1:05:41) Internal division as the real threat to powerful nations.(1:08:30) Contextualizing slavery and colonialism in world history.(1:12:31) The role of comedy in challenging mainstream narratives.