"Well, if doing Stalin's mustache then could also do Brejnev's eyebrows, Khruschev's diastema and whatever that thing on Gorbachev's head is. :3"
Problem is, neither Brejnev's nor Khruschev's physical characteristics are anywhere near as well known in the west as Stalin's mustache.
Every single western history schoolbook has at least one picture of Stalin in it, since he lead the Soviet Union during WWII, which is a major historic event.
Compared to him, no Soviet leader is as well known. I very much doubt it if young students today even know who Brejnev or Khruschev where.
Gorbatchev is probably in the textbooks though - because he presided over the dissolution (see - I took your advice ;-) of the Soviet Union.
But that also makes him a pretty bad example of a Soviet leader - since he's only remembered for ending the Union.
We've talked about history and how one should best treat it before.
All I like to reiterate is that Germany has rehabilitated it's history splendidly by speaking openly about the shit they're responsible for. And yes - a nation as a whole has a historical responsibility for the things it's done.
That doesn't mean every now living citizen in that country is personally responsible for the actions of since long dead people - but the nation as a whole still has a moral responsibility to it's historical record.
Openly talking about that and admitting the shit your nation has done is a good thing. Both for your relations to your neighbors - but also for your own society to process what it's gone through.
People need to process feelings they have, and it's good for society to get that shit processed instead of trying to suppress it.
We read in our papers how a Russian amateur historian who has been researching the graves of the people murdered in the purges of the 1930's is being persecuted by Russian authorities who on Putin's orders no longer want history to be spoken openly about.
Or how the new British dark comedy about the death of Stalin have been banned in Russia and some poor Russian theater which screened the film four times have been hit with a steep fine for doing so.
These are not good signs for a country I'm afraid. Nothing good ever comes from trying to suppress the historic truth and discuss it openly. :-(
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@Ninian
"Well, if doing Stalin's mustache then could also do Brejnev's eyebrows, Khruschev's diastema and whatever that thing on Gorbachev's head is. :3"
Problem is, neither Brejnev's nor Khruschev's physical characteristics are anywhere near as well known in the west as Stalin's mustache.
Every single western history schoolbook has at least one picture of Stalin in it, since he lead the Soviet Union during WWII, which is a major historic event.
Compared to him, no Soviet leader is as well known. I very much doubt it if young students today even know who Brejnev or Khruschev where.
Gorbatchev is probably in the textbooks though - because he presided over the dissolution (see - I took your advice ;-) of the Soviet Union.
But that also makes him a pretty bad example of a Soviet leader - since he's only remembered for ending the Union.
We've talked about history and how one should best treat it before.
All I like to reiterate is that Germany has rehabilitated it's history splendidly by speaking openly about the shit they're responsible for. And yes - a nation as a whole has a historical responsibility for the things it's done.
That doesn't mean every now living citizen in that country is personally responsible for the actions of since long dead people - but the nation as a whole still has a moral responsibility to it's historical record.
Openly talking about that and admitting the shit your nation has done is a good thing. Both for your relations to your neighbors - but also for your own society to process what it's gone through.
People need to process feelings they have, and it's good for society to get that shit processed instead of trying to suppress it.
We read in our papers how a Russian amateur historian who has been researching the graves of the people murdered in the purges of the 1930's is being persecuted by Russian authorities who on Putin's orders no longer want history to be spoken openly about.
Or how the new British dark comedy about the death of Stalin have been banned in Russia and some poor Russian theater which screened the film four times have been hit with a steep fine for doing so.
These are not good signs for a country I'm afraid. Nothing good ever comes from trying to suppress the historic truth and discuss it openly. :-(