On Russians and responsibility

Russians who actively work against Putin should be celebrated, not condemned.

As with pretty much every other society ruled by an authoritarian government, Russia in 2023 consists of three kinds of people:

1. Putin and his top officials, his military leaders, police and security services, the oligarchs who dominate the country’s economy, his United Russia political party and the sham “opposition” parties who are allowed to attain high office, the top bureaucrats, the propagandists working for state-controlled media outlets, and the true believers who enthusiastically affix the letter Z to their car windows.

2. The “ordinary” Russians who either support Putin but have some misgivings which they mostly keep to themselves, or who don’t support Putin - and probably even hate him - but figure there’s no point in risking their jobs, social standing or even their lives by making too much noise.

3. Dissidents who actively oppose the Putin regime.

The nation of Russia is undeniably responsible for the rape of Ukraine, and there should be consequences such as economic sanctions, political isolation, and arming Ukraine to the teeth. How we deal with individual Russians? That’s when things get more complicated.

Of course, social media is where nuance goes to die.

Group one is indeed actively responsible for Russia’s crimes, and group two is “passively” responsible. For the former, when (not if) Ukraine wins, an all-expenses paid trip to The Hague. The second group? No iPhones or McDonald’s for you.

The third, smallest category? I’m with Yascha Mounk on this:

Collective Guilt is the Most Indefensible Form of Cancel Culture