Why Would You Want to Live in Russia?

This is by far the most commonly asked question by both Americans AND Russians when I tell them I live in St. Petersburg. Of course, many of them want to hear the story of how I came to live in Russia for the last 5 years, but mostly they voice their concerns over a virtual cornucopia of fears about my well-being in the country. Many of my followers and friends have recently been asking me the same questions so I decided to put together a post to explain it.

My General Fears About the Country Where I Live

1. I am indeed concerned about the political system, the lack of alternative candidates for the presidency and other positions of national office, and the pervasive corruption that runs the government and starves people from proper representation and fair treatment under the law.
2. I am fearful that if I say the wrong thing I will be persecuted, maligned, and possibly prosecuted. A lack of freedom of speech that occurs from an avalanche of people trashing my reputation, taking away my ability to make an income, threatening my personal security, and reducing my equal treatment under the law just because they disagree with me.
3. I am fearful of a biased media that only reports what its told by the governing authorities, which limits my ability to make decisions and form opinions based on facts. The pervasive daily wave of information that tries to direct me to blindly follow the approved narrative.
4. I am discouraged by oppressive taxes that suck the life out of hard working people while the elite and the sycophants of society soak up the benefits in either corporate cronyism or through the purchase of their votes by giving workers' taxes to the non-working.
5. I am fearful of being surrounded by poorly educated sheep that justify their opinions based on a combination of media induced nationalism and a poor understanding of the economic calamities brought about by government sponsored social programs based on their misguided belief in "workers' or human rights"..
6. I'm extremely fearful of persecution based on race, ethnicity, religion or sexual persuasion. Although I'm not in a minority in any of these areas, I don't want myself or others to feel societal pressure to either embrace or oppose those that are in such a minority.
7. I am concerned about my safety from violence and criminal activity that goes unchecked by law enforcement and a court system that doesn't work in removing or at least limiting criminal behavior. I worry that I won't be able to walk the streets of neighborhood without being accosted.
8. I fear that ethnocentrism (the concept that the ideas of one group or nationality is central to what is right in the world) will dominate my life and perspective and diminish my ability to be a free and critical thinker about the world in general.
9. I am fearful that the government will monitor me, my interactions, my online activity and that it may result in some form of persecution of me directly or in a lack of opportunity in my personal pursuit of happiness.

These were the reasons that I CHOSE to live in the Russian Federation.

All of the fears that I've outlined above exist more so in the United States (and in Europe as well) than in the Russian Federation. The biggest problem for most people in the world is that they don't even recognize these things. They miss the forest for the trees and they have little or no knowledge whatsoever about the people, systems, or culture that exists in the Russian Federation.

You Think Russia is Better Than the U.S.?

The simple answer is, NO. The better answer is, "Not better, just different."

Here is a breakdown of the 9 issues that I have fears or concerns about and a comparison of the U.S. and the RF.

1. Yes, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been in office for a long time. Yes, he has not had a worthy opponent in that period of time either. The number one reason for this isn't because of an overly oppressive regime, but rather that most Russians love him and believe in him. They are wealthier since he took office and despite all the efforts to kill the Russian economy by the West, Russians are better off now than before and that continues year after year. Is he perfect, no but he generally does what is best for Russians. Can you say that about the U.S. Presidents over the last 30 years? Do you feel like that last election was fair? Ask Bernie supporters. How about the length of service of the key members of Congress? Many of them have been there since I was a child and before many of you were even born. Are Americans better off? No, and yet we continue to elect the same assholes every time. And Europe? When did Merkel become head of her party? (hint: about the same time Putin did)
   
2. Free speech. Ask Milo Yiannopoulus about it when people went nuts to keep him from speaking on college campuses. How about WikiLeaks' Julian Assange who has been kept hostage inside an embassy for years on trumped up charges from Sweden? Edward Snowden? Dr. John Christy? The list goes on and on. In the past it was speakers on the left that were targeted like Dr. King, the Kennedy brothers, etc.The net benefit in my lifetime has been to keep Americans fairly evenly split and fighting with each other over important issues like bathroom privileges, gun control, border control, drug use, and sexual harassment while virtually ignoring the fact that our country has been bombing other countries for the entirety of my lifetime and before. Think about it. Name a time the U.S. was actively engaged in battle, but before you speak - remember what happens to people that challenge the Military Industrial Complex.
3. Biased media.
   
   This clip says it all but I have more. Does media bias exist in Russia? Most certainly. The biggest difference is the willingness of people here to seek out alternative news sources. They aren't deluded into believing everything they see on Channels 1 and 2 - a lesson learned from Soviet times. My moment of true clarity came during the "peaceful protests of the Maidan" in Kiev, Ukraine. The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine and the Assistant Secretary of State got caught planning the political succession in Ukraine while the current president was still in office. What did we hear about this violation of International Law? Nothing. The NY Times was more concerned that they said, "fuck the EU" in their conversation. Furthermore, all the video I could find on these peaceful protests included shooting at police officers, throwing molotov cocktails, and destroying property. Ironically, there was remarkable restraint on the part of the government's security forces. Yet, the Western media stories told a complete fantasy of what was happening. Ukraine was a Western sponsored coup. There is no doubt about it now, but most Americans couldn't even find Ukraine on a map, which I outline in point 5 later.
4. I've spent my life listening to arguments about taxes in the U.S. from both sides of the political spectrum. Tax the rich, give to the poor or Flat taxes are more fair. What do we have in the U.S.? A system that lets huge earners off the hook on taxes, over-burdens the working class and let's the non-working live off the rest. The ultra-rich that run the U.S. keep the middle class fighting each other while they quietly and incrementally steal all their earnings to pay for the votes of those that don't do anything. So, how does Russia handle taxation? Everyone who works, pays 13% in income taxes. What about state taxes, local taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, blah, blah, blah, etc. etc. etc.? That's it! That is what worker's pay, 13% period. If I make $1 million or $10 thousand, I pay 13%.
   
   Then how does Russia afford its military machine that is planning to take over the world? Well, the world domination narrative is a joke being played on you by your favorite media outlet, but the taxes are paid in resource extraction, import and export taxes mostly. That means that the companies that use the nations resources such as oil, gas, timber, agriculture, etc. have to pay the majority of the taxes in the country. Wait, you mean Russia Actually puts most of its tax burden on wealthy companies without taxing its citizens at 50% or more? Yep. Let that soak in. Do they have a big military? Yes, but their budget is a small fraction of the U.S. and they have to defend the largest territory on Earth. Also, their taxes pay for free healthcare for everyone and pensions (although a pittance like Social Security) for the elderly and disabled. How can they afford that? The bigger question is how the U.S. Can't? Of course, nobody that works a decent job uses the national healthcare system. Why? Two reasons. The first is that nationalized healthcare is shitty (see the VA in the U.S. as an example). The 2nd is because my health insurance at a modern clinic with Siemens equipment, clean facilities, qualified doctors and staff, and quick appointment times runs me $1200 a year. Yes, a fucking year - not a month and with no "co-pay". Prescriptions consist of walking to my local pharmacy and saying, "I need an antibiotic for an ear infection" and them giving it to me for about $5 to $10 without a a slip of paper that I paid $100 for my doctor to sign.
   
5. For all the money we spend on educating our aspiring youngsters in the U.S. - more per capita than any country in the world - U.S. citizens are incredibly stupid in comparison to many other citizens of the world. This includes Russia. Name a time that the literacy rate in the U.S. was higher than Russia. The answer is never. Surprised? You shouldn't be. Children here are taught literature, recite poetry, learn high level mathematics and science starting before their teens. Not, the "this is a volcano" lessons or "trees are our friends", but actual science like physics and chemistry and learning the names of trees and plants and their uses. Calculus is learned by all students before leaving high school. Yes, even women (oh shocker, women actually learn science and math in Russia). I have 4 degrees including 2 BA's and an MA in Political Science and I have NEVER taken a chemistry, physics, or calculus course. While the West has been focusing on Gender and Cultural Studies and Global Warming, Russian students are actually studying important (and useful) stuff. Then there is the cost of higher education. We all know the insane costs associated with a degree in the U.S. In Russia, they have a national test. Score well on it and you go to university for FREE. The majority of students are studying at university for FREE. If you don't score high enough, you have to pay but the cost is a tenth of the cost in the U.S. Imagine that it doesn't matter what gender, race, or how much your parents make in determining whether you go to university. What a concept? The best students study for free. Sounds like a meritocracy or something. Take a guess at what they are studying here at university. It isn't Women's or Environmental Studies, which are prerequisites for a job at Starbucks. Computer science, economics, chemistry, petroleum engineering, and other useful subjects. Protesting 101 is not part of the curriculum - math, science, and English are!
   
6. Multiculturalism was propagated by the Soviets. It still exists in Russia today. It is nearly as broad as the U.S. in terms of nationalities, ethnicity, religion, and yes, sexual orientation. While there is a dominance for "white" Russians in population and Russian Orthodoxy is the dominate religion, this doesn't remove the opportunities for others. In fact, many businesses, high paying jobs, and powerful political positions are occupied by minority groups of nearly every background. This includes the LGBT community. It is not surprising to find gay, Jewish women working with Muslims from Uzbekistan or the Caucus region. The difference is they aren't as busy defending their right to be one or the other. They just do their jobs and shut the fuck up unlike so many people in the U.S. seeking victim status. There are more women in executive positions in Russia than any Western "Democracy" and the ratio of women in tech and science compared to the West is laughable considering the amount of effort and money spent on female STEM inclusion. Is there racism/sexism in Russia? Absolutely. It exists everywhere. Is it the dominant way of thinking? Not at all. My half Portuguese, half Mexican, gay, atheist friend from California studying here a few years ago got laid more than anyone else in our class and my two biggest clients are female executives of large, Russian owned/based international firms with tens of thousands of employees.
   
7. Is Russia a Utiopian crime-free zone filled with unicorns and butterflies? No. Would I walk any street in St. Petersburg at night before I would walk 1/3 the neighborhoods of an American city at night? Yes. Crime exists everywhere, but the chances that I get violently attacked here is significantly less than in the U.S. In fact, I am safer walking the streets of Baghdad statistically than living in Chicago, D.C., Baltimore, or a plethora of other "progressive" strongholds of America. Now, if I am drunkenly walking down some "block o' bar" street at 4 in the morning here, I am asking for trouble, but that is probably the case anywhere. How about terrorism? Oddly enough, the violent religious extremists of the world aren't very concerned about Russia comparatively speaking. Many years ago, there were some supposed Islamists that conducted some terrorist activities within Russia. Ironically, they were very similar to Islamists in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, etc. I wonder where they get their money and weapons? I don't think it's the Russians. I think Russians just look more menacing because they don't smile as much as Americans. Yes, they break laws, but violent crime seems less a factor. One thing I wish was that handguns were allowed for purchase. People can own rifles and shotguns, but handguns are clearly only in the hands of the police and the criminals here.
   
8. One thing that is clear about the Russian people is that they see a need to learn other people's languages and they certainly see America and Europe as lands of opportunity. That is until they actually move there at which time many realize they were sold a fantasy (losing half their income to taxes is part of that). The amount of Russians that return after emigration is extremely high compared to most countries. However, they are very found of the achievements and progress of other countries. They marvel at the achievements of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and others without degrading the achievements of Russian innovators. There is very little arrogance in thinking the Russian way is the best and only way to do things. Very refreshing coming from the U.S. where we often ask why every country doesn't behave just like us while not even knowing how to speak their language and failing to identify them on a world map. Should Americans be proud of our achievements and heritage? Absolutely! I am very blessed to be part of a great nation that has spurred so many advancements in the modern world. However, let's not forget that the modern world has many contributors including a ton of foreigners including Russians.
   
9. Living in Russia, I most certainly am under some sort of surveillance by the national police. Ironically, living in Russia I most certainly am under some sort of surveillance by American intelligence agencies also. If I lived anywhere and posted key words that expressed an opinion that challenged the status quo I would undoubtedly be under some kind of scrutiny. This is why l like Telegram and other similar apps. It keeps my mysterious fans guessing. lol On a more serious note, my delays when crossing a border are more substantial when returning to the U.S. or even going to Finland for a day than when I'm dealing with Russian customs. I think it is just more intimidating because of the military looking uniforms that Russian customs agents wear, but what I don't see in Russian airports or streets are men carrying around automatic weapons like I do in Europe or the U.S. All in all, I feel equally comfortable seeking my own happiness in either Russia or America regardless of which is the bigger "Big Brother".

Some Conclusions

Is Russia for everyone? No. It has a ton of challenges not least of which is the difficulty of the language. However, I can function here much better than a non-English speaking Russian in the U.S. because so many people here speak English.

For now, my wife and I live fairly comfortably in St. Petersburg. We have a cute apartment and a quiet country house outside the city. Overall, a good life. It helps that she is Russian, of course.
I could definitely make more money in the U.S. or Europe, but I'm not so sure that our general standard of living or disposable income would improve equally.

Have I been "Russofied" or gone "native"? Absolutely not. In fact, my wife would tell you how much I complain about some of the most ridiculous bureaucratic stupidity known to man that exists here. However, it is only slightly worse than much of the U.S. in terms of government inefficiencies. Nonetheless, it's frustrating and some days I just want to pack my shit and go home to the U.S.

In the end, there are so many similarities between Americans and Russians. Unfortunately, there is little interest on the part of Americans to even understand these similarities to probably bridge the gap between the two nations in my lifetime. What should be known though is that Russia is not the enemy of the U.S. and that people here detest war more than any people I've ever met. It is a country rich in resources that needs no additional territory to meet its needs. If by some chance you have been led to believe otherwise, you are being duped. It's not a perfect place, but it is far from the authoritarian hell that CNN or the Washington Post would have you believe.

I love the U.S. and I love Russia. Neither is better, just different. It's not for everyone, but it is worth a visit if you have the means to do so. It is a beautiful country with a rich history and I'm thrilled that I've been able to live here for so many years and without incident.

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