Thank you for this post---and your dedication to Ukraine, its people, institutions, and traditions. Yes, we only know virtually what they experience daily. A brave people, dedicated to freedom and truth. Keep up your dedicated work and writing, Prof. Snyder!!
I read, kept and also gifted a copy of the first On Freedom. Can’t wait for the new one. You’re a voice of sanity in insane times. Keep up the good work.
The public book culture in Ukraine, expressed in new stores and cafes, is defiant.
I visited the USSR in the late 80s and the obligatory guide told us that there were no cafes in Moscow as the Kremlin wants to prevent people from gathering. #ProtectDemocracy 🌻
My experience, as well, there and in Ukraine in the 70s, Kirsten. Hosting the rather boisterous Galarnyk family with one in a wheelchair was a bit much for the Intourist guides.... But, wherever we went, my father (who spoke both Ukrainian and Russian) knew how to show us the culture, the history, the persistence of the Ukrainian spirit amidst the insistence on oppression from the Soviet regime at the time. Professor Snyder's writings and teachings and speaking engagements solidly represent this persistence.
I worked for the airlines then in Stockholm and I flew Aeroflot once to Copenhagen as the other flights were full. Worst ever. Russia sure know how to destroy not only their own, but other countries as well.
Thanks to your writing, Prof Snyder, it is possible for some of us to feel something of the experience of the courageous Ukrainian people. It is an utter shame that so many, especially in the US, seem to be either incapable or unwilling to, first, read about such things, but, even if they did, to translate the words to feelings about what is going on in Ukraine. The unceasing brutality launched and continued at the inspiration of mainly ONE man against 38 million people is horrible in the true sense of that word. That others in the world allow such cruelty to continue is abominable. of course, we must feel some empathy for Donovan's universal soldiers fighting for the Russians although they are really the ones to blame. If it were only so simple as to put down all the guns and walk away, but one must understand that the Ukrainians are fighting for something way beyond the distorted, greedy and cruel wishes of ONE man who could stop it all tomorrow, IF it is correctly portrayed by the media. Everyday I wonder how deep the perversion is amongst the Russian people.
I really appreciate this column on releasing your book in Kharkiv.
Unfortunately, many Americans don't seem to realize that Russian attacks by air are designed to destroy as many human lives as possible, not only to make Ukrainians as miserable as possible and thereby susceptible to ceding land to Putin to make it all stop, but to destroy all that makes Ukraine Ukraine.
Putin seems to have no regard for human life, whether Ukrainian or Russian; the word for that type of person is "psychopath". So the Ukrainian people, as well as the peoples of the Atlantic Alliance and NATO, are dealing with a genocidal psychopath, something which should not be forgotten once realized.
“eliminating a culture, making it untenable…”. that sentence you wrote could easily apply to our situation in the US. The great effort and energy from MAGA to foment violence and block the will of the people.
You’ve saved my having to say the same thing. It’s unfortunate that more people can’t seem to realize the mental and cultural damage being done under our noses my all the hate-filled flying monkeys that is the trump/vance(story creator)campaign.
Thank you Dr. Snyder, I'm glad you'll be home safe. Those poor Ukrainians, they have been so courageous and brave, we need to do everything within our power to defeat Putin. Someone needs to assassinate that evil man
You speak and write in the "first person," that matters to me. The meaning of the word FREEDOM needs to be clarified in the American mind. Thanks in advance for your effort. Reading your post today made me think of what the word freedom means in Ukraine and what it means to me. I'm not compelled to dive under a desk or run to a basement; I'm FREE! Thanks for explaining that to me. You made me THINK!
The classic Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong song "War", so passionately sung by Edwin Starr resonates today in Ukraine. "Ain't nothing but a heartbreaker, good only for the undertaker!"
That these strong and deeply courageous people can mine the depths of their spirits and culture in the midst of Putin's genocidal war as you describe is nothing short of a magnificent example of human beauty
Looking forward to another one of your books. I pre-ordered the day it was announced and now Amazon says I'll have it by tomorrow. I'll be on the lookout for you on Rachel Maddow's show.
I have been thinking about Simone Weil's essay on THE ILIAD - how force turns people into things:
"To define force - it is that x that turns anybody who is subjected to it into a thing. Exercised to the limit, it turns man into a thing in the most literal sense: it makes a corpse out of him," but "how much more varied in its processes, how much more surprising in its effects is the other force, the force that does not kill, i.e., that does not kill just yet. It will surely kill, it will possibly kill, or perhaps it merely hangs, poised and ready, over the head of the creature it can kill, at any moment, which is to say at every moment. From its first property (the ability to turn a human being into a thing by the simple method of killing him) flows another, quite prodigious too in its own way, the ability to turn a human being into a thing while he is still alive. He is alive; he has a soul; and yet — he is a thing. An extraordinary entity this — a thing that has a soul. And as for the soul, what an extraordinary house it finds itself in! Who can say what it costs it, moment by moment, to accommodate itself to this residence, how much writhing and bending, folding and pleating are required of it? It was not made to live inside a thing; if it does so, under pressure of necessity, there is not a single element of its nature to which violence is not done."
What I have also been thinking about is how the souls in things escape their prisons - as in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian souls have Ukrainian culture -- art, music, literature, nature, activity, history and dreams -- to help them persevere as does Ukraine. 🇺🇦Ще не вмерла Україна!🇺🇦
My thoughts and deepest hopes to you for a hugely successful launch! Thank you for everything you do, Dr. Snyder!
Thank you for this post---and your dedication to Ukraine, its people, institutions, and traditions. Yes, we only know virtually what they experience daily. A brave people, dedicated to freedom and truth. Keep up your dedicated work and writing, Prof. Snyder!!
You, Professor Snyder, in your goodheartedness, command all my respect. Thank you.
You may make typos on the fly, Dr. Snyder, but your kindness and heroism is only more beautiful. A thousand hugs.
I read, kept and also gifted a copy of the first On Freedom. Can’t wait for the new one. You’re a voice of sanity in insane times. Keep up the good work.
The public book culture in Ukraine, expressed in new stores and cafes, is defiant.
I visited the USSR in the late 80s and the obligatory guide told us that there were no cafes in Moscow as the Kremlin wants to prevent people from gathering. #ProtectDemocracy 🌻
My experience, as well, there and in Ukraine in the 70s, Kirsten. Hosting the rather boisterous Galarnyk family with one in a wheelchair was a bit much for the Intourist guides.... But, wherever we went, my father (who spoke both Ukrainian and Russian) knew how to show us the culture, the history, the persistence of the Ukrainian spirit amidst the insistence on oppression from the Soviet regime at the time. Professor Snyder's writings and teachings and speaking engagements solidly represent this persistence.
I worked for the airlines then in Stockholm and I flew Aeroflot once to Copenhagen as the other flights were full. Worst ever. Russia sure know how to destroy not only their own, but other countries as well.
Aeroflot was definitely 'flying by the seat of your pants'.... Noisy, bumpy, dark.
And nasty crew 😉
Thanks to your writing, Prof Snyder, it is possible for some of us to feel something of the experience of the courageous Ukrainian people. It is an utter shame that so many, especially in the US, seem to be either incapable or unwilling to, first, read about such things, but, even if they did, to translate the words to feelings about what is going on in Ukraine. The unceasing brutality launched and continued at the inspiration of mainly ONE man against 38 million people is horrible in the true sense of that word. That others in the world allow such cruelty to continue is abominable. of course, we must feel some empathy for Donovan's universal soldiers fighting for the Russians although they are really the ones to blame. If it were only so simple as to put down all the guns and walk away, but one must understand that the Ukrainians are fighting for something way beyond the distorted, greedy and cruel wishes of ONE man who could stop it all tomorrow, IF it is correctly portrayed by the media. Everyday I wonder how deep the perversion is amongst the Russian people.
I really appreciate this column on releasing your book in Kharkiv.
Unfortunately, many Americans don't seem to realize that Russian attacks by air are designed to destroy as many human lives as possible, not only to make Ukrainians as miserable as possible and thereby susceptible to ceding land to Putin to make it all stop, but to destroy all that makes Ukraine Ukraine.
Putin seems to have no regard for human life, whether Ukrainian or Russian; the word for that type of person is "psychopath". So the Ukrainian people, as well as the peoples of the Atlantic Alliance and NATO, are dealing with a genocidal psychopath, something which should not be forgotten once realized.
Well-said! However, for Putin I'd make it "has not regard for human life". A true force of Evil.
Definitely!
“eliminating a culture, making it untenable…”. that sentence you wrote could easily apply to our situation in the US. The great effort and energy from MAGA to foment violence and block the will of the people.
You’ve saved my having to say the same thing. It’s unfortunate that more people can’t seem to realize the mental and cultural damage being done under our noses my all the hate-filled flying monkeys that is the trump/vance(story creator)campaign.
Thank you Dr. Snyder, I'm glad you'll be home safe. Those poor Ukrainians, they have been so courageous and brave, we need to do everything within our power to defeat Putin. Someone needs to assassinate that evil man
You speak and write in the "first person," that matters to me. The meaning of the word FREEDOM needs to be clarified in the American mind. Thanks in advance for your effort. Reading your post today made me think of what the word freedom means in Ukraine and what it means to me. I'm not compelled to dive under a desk or run to a basement; I'm FREE! Thanks for explaining that to me. You made me THINK!
The classic Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong song "War", so passionately sung by Edwin Starr resonates today in Ukraine. "Ain't nothing but a heartbreaker, good only for the undertaker!"
That these strong and deeply courageous people can mine the depths of their spirits and culture in the midst of Putin's genocidal war as you describe is nothing short of a magnificent example of human beauty
Looking forward to reading and reviewing! Thank you so much!
Looking forward to another one of your books. I pre-ordered the day it was announced and now Amazon says I'll have it by tomorrow. I'll be on the lookout for you on Rachel Maddow's show.
Thank you.
I have been thinking about Simone Weil's essay on THE ILIAD - how force turns people into things:
"To define force - it is that x that turns anybody who is subjected to it into a thing. Exercised to the limit, it turns man into a thing in the most literal sense: it makes a corpse out of him," but "how much more varied in its processes, how much more surprising in its effects is the other force, the force that does not kill, i.e., that does not kill just yet. It will surely kill, it will possibly kill, or perhaps it merely hangs, poised and ready, over the head of the creature it can kill, at any moment, which is to say at every moment. From its first property (the ability to turn a human being into a thing by the simple method of killing him) flows another, quite prodigious too in its own way, the ability to turn a human being into a thing while he is still alive. He is alive; he has a soul; and yet — he is a thing. An extraordinary entity this — a thing that has a soul. And as for the soul, what an extraordinary house it finds itself in! Who can say what it costs it, moment by moment, to accommodate itself to this residence, how much writhing and bending, folding and pleating are required of it? It was not made to live inside a thing; if it does so, under pressure of necessity, there is not a single element of its nature to which violence is not done."
What I have also been thinking about is how the souls in things escape their prisons - as in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian souls have Ukrainian culture -- art, music, literature, nature, activity, history and dreams -- to help them persevere as does Ukraine. 🇺🇦Ще не вмерла Україна!🇺🇦
https://youtu.be/rnMPE_nZ-jc?si=tXMTolXMn0Um1SzP