PASADENA, CA -- 08/28/08 --
Russia is glaring under the spotlight of
current events and politics this summer, as Russia and Georgia play
tug-of-war with the separatist province of South Ossetia. Each side is
downplaying their own involvement and pointing to the involvement of the
other; each is claiming more unwarranted casualties at the hand of the
other. In an article for Vision.org titled
"Russia's
Identity Crisis," author Donald Winchester discusses the history and
philosophical issues that form Russia's current state of affairs.
Understanding the philosophical
issues behind Russian politics may seem like a disheartening task, but
understanding those philosophical issues can be helpful for deciphering the
latest twists in Georgia's and Russia's ongoing battle for dominating the
media's take on the current events. And politics, especially Russian
politics, never cease to bewilder and amaze.
With this in mind, Donald Winchester, in an article for Vision.org titled
"Russia's Identity Crisis," discusses the history and philosophical issues
that form Russia's current state of affairs. Winchester explains that to
Westerners, Russia is "inherently complex and paradoxical. On the one hand
there is the magnificence of Russian authors, artists and composers, from
Tolstoy to Repin to Rachmaninov; Pasternak to Fabergé to Mussorgsky. On the
other, though, we must grapple with the specter of Communist Russia, the
terrors of the Gulag concentration camps, and the Soviet Union's paralyzing
economic and cultural inertia."
Winchester shows that what post-Communist Russians want from Russian
politics is stability and "concrete plans." These philosophical issues
seemed to be nearly a reality for the Russian people during the presidency
of Vladmir Putin and his successor, Dmitry Medvedev. But with the recent
turn in current events and politics involving Russia, Georgia and tiny
South Ossetia, it seems those philosophical issues may not be resolved just
yet.
Winchester explains the difficulties faced by Russia: "In a nation still
tyrannized by secret police and rigid government controls, empathy and
compassion seem far away. A more fulfilling identity is surely to be found
where such notions are central." The current events and politics separating
Russia and Georgia are not helpful in attaining this goal.
Winchester continues, "Perhaps the greatest lesson is that despite its
strength and religious heritage, Russia's identity, like so many identities
the world over, has persistently lacked the sustainable moral element that
underlies a sense of community, which in turn is central to a sense of
identity -- who we are and where we fit in the greater scheme of things."
This, shows Winchester in "Russia's Identity Crisis" for Vision.org, is at
the heart of the philosophical issues behind today's Russian current
events and politics.
About Vision:
Vision.org is
an online magazine with quarterly print issues that feature in-depth
coverage of current social issues, religion and the Bible, history, family
relationship topics and insights into philosophical, moral and ethical
issues in society today. For a free subscription to the Vision quarterly
magazine, visit their web site at
http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/default.aspx.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=824525
Contact
Edwin Stepp
www.vision.org
Vision Media Productions
476 S. Marengo Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone (24 hrs): 626 535-0444 ext 105
