From the author: The hidden springs of some loud political statements and the structure of public social processes Why do you need Alaska, madam...? Go home, cook cabbage soup... Once upon a time, in distant and glorious times, we had such a land, Alaska. Once upon a time, Russian travelers and merchants were the first to set foot on its frosty land, and even built cities and trading posts there... but they soon abandoned this business and went home. And they sold everything to the Americans... And now their hands are itching every now and then to get theirs back...... CUT OFF Recently, in front of all the honest people, our sharp-tongued president publicly shaved off one journalist... and of course, I somewhat distorted his words in the epigraph. Having supplemented, as is usual with mocking people, the first phrase spoken out loud with the unspoken but implied second. We must give the president his due, he holds himself well and does not mince his words... although only a child does not know that impromptu and random questions at press conferences are planned, rehearsed and approved in advance. A whole headquarters is working on the image of top officials... and this is completely normal. I think that if I were the president, I would also hardly refuse some light banter. Having such people under you, it’s hard to resist making a joke... but fortunately I’m in my place, and it suits me quite well. It’s more interesting to analyze the logic of events, and I’d prefer my own jokes rather than stolen ones. Public policy is always a show. It never occurs to us to scold actors or accuse directors of insincerity. A politician is the first actor... and those who think otherwise have only themselves to blame for naivety. The question is what is the intention behind each line. What is the message and to whom is it addressed? Judging by the enthusiastic reaction, the message reached its goal. The director's calculation turned out to be correct, and why not enjoy professional work... if not for the question hanging in the air. Who and why needed to discuss all this madness...? What other Alaska comeback...? Are you laughing...?!... AND YOUR JOKES ARE TOO STUPID... After the annexation of Crimea, a strange disease gripped millions of minds. Bending carefully over the map, many seemingly kind and quiet people examine the curves of the borders, persistently and purposefully moving them further and further. They imagine the victorious return of Finland and Poland... High officials have already become involved in coloring the maps. And if these can still be understood, then the general national delight in robbery, in which no one will get any spoils, is difficult to understand. Taking into account the fact that we will pay for Crimea with isolation, and new steps will require unimaginable sacrifices. It’s strange that after Sevastopol, no one remembered Port Arthur. Also a city of Russian military glory... and we already shed blood for it a couple of times, in 1905 and 1945... And then they gave it to China in the hope of eternal friendship... so the story is familiar and it’s not clear why we suddenly became timid. It feels like everyone is playing. People indulge themselves in dreams of greatness, not realizing the price that will have to be paid for it... and their ideas about greatness are, to put it mildly, strange. Or rather, characteristic of the Middle Ages... but at the same time, people are aware of reality and do not get into trouble. The nation has fallen into childhood and is playing at war. It's like it's all make-believe. Now we will move the tanks to the borders, deploy aviation... and nothing will happen to us for this. Let us declare our claims to the lands of the Russian Empire and adopt a law on the occupied territories. Let's declare Poland and the Baltic states ours by right... And the whole world will watch and clap their hands. Yeah, now... WILL YOUR FACE NOT CRASH...? So far everyone is happy. The people amuse their flawed ego by imagining themselves as rulers of the world. The snickering Americans stand on their knees before him, and the blood of racially inferior nations flows from our swords... and all this without leaving the couch. The ideal solution to home delivery problems. The government and officials are happy to have solved all the problems at once. The war will write off everything before it even begins. You don’t have to worry about the opposition, elections, reporting on funds spent and other headaches. Anyone whodoubts whether the enemy will hire him or not. Let's unite more closely, forward Russia... These people made a discovery. You can do nothing and answer for nothing, remaining in power forever... you just have to maintain among the people the feeling of an impending just war. Why invent complications when everything is simple. Plus you can make good money on military orders. The president is happy too. He went down in history, there will be a chapter about him in a textbook... and fame will write everything off. If you cannot become immortal, then you can live in memory... and this is also a good result. Well, how can one not joke here, being in a light mood. If only opponents did not understand that it was all a bluff... Bluffing and pretense are as natural as acting. Demand the impossible to get the maximum. Demand all of Ukraine to get Crimea, and everyone will still breathe a sigh of relief. Pretend that you are laying claim to the Baltic states and Poland, and the world will forget about Ukraine. The main thing is a serious expression in the eyes... And also so that the face does not crack.... YOU SEE WHO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH... There is another recipient of the message, seemingly inconspicuous and secret... but in politics everything obvious becomes secret. This addressee is the government, the President and people of the United States, the peoples and governments of Europe... and our Western values-oriented liberals. You see with whom I have to deal - our president tells them with an embarrassed smile - you scold me for a certain amount of undemocraticness, demand fair elections, political competition and civil rights in your image... but do you see who these people are, and who will choose power...? You criticize me and live in dreams of some kind of free Russia... but do you realize who these people will choose, and what will follow after this...? Do you see that these people do not recognize any rights, do not understand the political realities of the modern world, demand military conquests and are generally wild...? Give them free rein, they will grab kitchen knives and rusty Cossack sabers, and swim across the strait to fight Alaska, rush to the Baltic states, Finland and Poland... And of course you will defeat them... but then you will have to explain this to your people for a long time. And first these savages will hang our liberals. And they also outweigh the Jews and everyone who wears glasses... and also those very tanned ones, you know... and you will also have to explain this to your people somehow later. And you, unlike ours, have a habit of asking their politicians. So don’t stop me from restraining them... For your own benefit, as they say... FOR OUR BENEFIT Oddly enough, this secret message is extremely similar to the truth. That is, we are sitting here laughing, but this is not a joke at all. When a bloody tyrant dies, he hasn’t really killed anyone, except for several military campaigns and a couple of dubious terrorist attacks... and then what...? Look to the west, at the Slavic brothers. They lived with their own swindlers and thieves... and they lived quite well. Whoever wanted to steal it himself, no one particularly interfered. Those who didn’t want to tried to get through honestly. Those who were completely sick went to where the sun was brightest. So what if they started a revolution...? Look at our old Arab friends. The same thing, only in double size. They lived happily under the rule of their generals, colonels and all sorts of other peasants disguised as presidents... and did not know grief. Tourists, trade, European fashion, goods... just don’t get involved in politics. If that's not enough for you, take a look at Iran. The Shah ruled there, and before him the Shah’s father, and the Shah’s grandfather... and so since time immemorial and ancient. And all this was completely undemocratic, and some people were even captured and tortured at night... but the people lived almost like in Europe. Girls wore short skirts... and now...? Only... all this is a substitution and a lie... which may turn out to be true. However, like everything else in politics. No authoritarian ruler wants to be seen as a tyrant. He wants to be a defender of the weak, a defender of justice... and what he should tell the people is calculated by specially trained people. Meanwhile, the people are eager to return Alaska... HOWEVER, however, Alaska is not only a valuable......