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As a kid, I lived with my parents in Cuba for a few years. When I came back to Minsk in 1990 I was also shocked how everything had changed for the worse. It was quite obvious and scary even for the 12-year-old. I recall 1990-1995 as a poor and terrible time. Many people vote for Putin, or for Lukashenko here in Belarus, because they still associate 'democrats' with the wild 90s.
As for 60-70s - seems like it was really the golden era of the USSR. I am far from idealizing that time, there were a number of negatives. Shortage of some goods was a perennial Soviet problem. It was very hard to travel to the West, etc. But still many people lived happy lives and were quite confident in their future, had a feeling of stability and security.
Thats because you were there during the start of the collapse. I'd say the peak times in SU were probably 60s-70s, when all those commieblocks were going up and were brand new, and that's what old people remember. Its just nostalgia for their youth, similar to people who like 80s New York even though it was a complete 3rd world ****hole.
Ha!
Funny you should say that. Immediately upon our return to London from Moscow we'd booked 5 nights in NYC - our first visit there. I said it would have the cold plunge pool effect!
I was a pathetic wimp back then, and NYC scared the pants off me! (Moscow wasn't scary - not in a pending violence type of way anyhow). It was a magical trip, as we met up with Quentin Crisp and he took us to the movies with some friends. Very surreal. He stank of wee and aftershave. There is a mention in his diaries, though doesn't give our names. I guess if you lived there and had coped through the near bankruptcy of the 70s (which is the decade the hardcore arty New Yorkers really pine for) I can sort of understand the nostalgia. There was a free-for-all atmosphere back then, and a lot of creativity. As a big alternative music fan, I love the bands that came out of that era New York. GBGBs sat on skid row back then. I mused on that 2 years ago, when we sat drinking expensive cocktails in a hipster bar on The Bowery.
I was in Moscow in 1995 and I was equally shocked by the pitiful situation in the city ( although Soviet system was gone.) Everything seemed to be run down, ( famous Moscow subway including,) people digging for food in the garbage bins, crazy food prices.
It was a picture of collapse that you saw, not the picture of Soviet life. For that you should have visited much, much earlier. Like about 10 years earlier an d even better - 15.
That is quite difficult, as 10-15 years earlier I was merely a thought in my parents minds. But I've heard a lot of stories both from my parents who were on business trips in the USSR/Russia, and also from other people. As Western goods were highly valued but the ruble worthless outside USSR, it was an endless dilemma what you could trade your nylon stockings or pop-LP's for. And as Russians didn't have anything to trade, many went for 'physical services'. But few things were found in abundance: vodka, caviar and tea. My mom smuggled out some ruble notes from the country (it was illegal), and gave them to me as a souvenir, and I still have them left.
My dad traveled extensively in Russia right after the fall of the USSR, and told some really interesting stories. You couldn't fly with Aeroflot (too dangerous), you could eat only in designated places, you couldn't drink the water, don't use taxis, and you shouldn't go out at night. Everywhere there was kids with baseball bats demanding 'parking fees' so that your rented car would be intact when you return and so on. The best was though a note on the wall in I think Yekaterinburg airport which said: "Do you have a problem? We'll get rid of him. $1000. Call this number".
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmel
I think many Westerners exaggerate the negative aspects of life in the USSR. Many older people I know remember those times as quite happy. Of course not perfect but not "dark ages" at all. I personally have great memories about my childhood in 1980s.
Well, the Stalin's years were quite horrible as so many people died as a result of wars, mass executions etc. But Stalin died in 1953 while the USSR existed until 1991...
I've been watching a few YouTube videos on Russia's land grabs, such as in Georgia, and am surprised how most people are happy or indecisive on being annexed. Seems many feel life was better in the Soviet days and Russia has a more functional govt than places like Ukraine.
That is quite difficult, as 10-15 years earlier I was merely a thought in my parents minds. But I've heard a lot of stories both from my parents who were on business trips in the USSR/Russia, and also from other people. As Western goods were highly valued but the ruble worthless outside USSR, it was an endless dilemma what you could trade your nylon stockings or pop-LP's for. And as Russians didn't have anything to trade, many went for 'physical services'. But few things were found in abundance: vodka, caviar and tea. My mom smuggled out some ruble notes from the country (it was illegal), and gave them to me as a souvenir, and I still have them left.
My dad traveled extensively in Russia right after the fall of the USSR, and told some really interesting stories. You couldn't fly with Aeroflot (too dangerous), you could eat only in designated places, you couldn't drink the water, don't use taxis, and you shouldn't go out at night. Everywhere there was kids with baseball bats demanding 'parking fees' so that your rented car would be intact when you return and so on. The best was though a note on the wall in I think Yekaterinburg airport which said: "Do you have a problem? We'll get rid of him. $1000. Call this number".
Indeed lack of Western goods was a problem in the USSR. I also heard stories that some girls prositituted themselves for those goods. But I don't think it was the norm. Just foreigners were often approached by a certain type of girls.
As for the second part of your story, it looks like typical 90's - lawlessness, chaos, high criminality, feeling of danger. But it was after the fall of the USSR. Soviet times were much safer and overall better. Not Stalin's time of course, but 1960's, 70s, early 80s
I've been watching a few YouTube videos on Russia's land grabs, such as in Georgia, and am surprised how most people are happy or indecisive on being annexed. Seems many feel life was better in the Soviet days and Russia has a more functional govt than places like Ukraine.
Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Westerners -- we all have been influenced by some sort of propaganda, brainwashed and manipulated...
"have been"? I think "is".
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