108 Comments
User's avatar
Andrii's avatar

Hello, Mr. Snyder. As a Ukrainian artilleryman I want to thank for your work!

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Jan's avatar

Questions:

How do we prepare for the possibility of chaos during and after the mid-term elections in the US?

What steps or actions can we take here in the US should the House and Senate flip to Republicans? My concern is that there appear to be many Republicans who support Trump and his lies.

I have been canvassing for local Democrats where I live. We have some Republicans running who are extreme. For example the person running for County Executive has been funded and supported over time by Koch money, active in ALEC, Some people running for school board accuse the

schools of “grooming” children and want to ban books. If these people are elected, what actions might be effective to counter them?

Ukraine: if Republicans take control of the Legislative branches, my feeling is that they will block funding and support to Ukraine. What actions we can we take if that indeed does happen?

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Vicki Disrud's avatar

Yes, our community has someone running for school board who posted all the teachers who promote and/or practice meditation and Yoga (Both at school and at home) PLUS their personal cell phone numbers. Because he claims it should not be done in our "conservative" classrooms. This served as his campaign.

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Sue P's avatar

hi - I have been watching Prof Snyder's Yale course and just upgraded to paid subscription here, in deepest gratitude. But I am not sure what he means by 'just sign in' later this morning to participate in the live discussion. I use substack on my laptop web browser, not the app ... maybe I'm already in the right place? Can anyone give me some advice about how to get to the right place in order to participate? Thanks in advance.

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Vicki Disrud's avatar

I also don't know how to sign in. I'm wondering if he will send am email with a link or if the link will appear when it's time for the discussion to begin?

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

Thanks for trying, though. Another dead end.

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Laura Donna's avatar

Peggy, it is just another post he made and the back and forth of people replying to it. We expected the "conversation" to happen on this thread. All of it is still there, but you need to return to his main substack page or look at what happens after clicking on the link above....all the comments underneath. It is not a "discussion" per se.

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

Oh, thank you! I found it and am reading it now. I thought conversation meant oral/audible. Some people were talking about the headphone icon (which I couldn't find on this or the last post) so--this is certainly a work in progress, for me! While noodling around, I did find the audio recording of the lecture at Boston University on genocide. That was something I needed to hear. Thanks again for the explanation!

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Lor's avatar

I’m delighted to hear you will be engaging with us Prof Snyder. I’m looking forward.

The Friday time conflicts with your colleague Ruth Ben Ghiat Lucid weekly time/hour. I am hopeful that you will record your comments this week? I don’t want to miss either opportunity. Thank you so much.

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john brunner's avatar

Lucid begins at 10:00 a.m. PST. This begins at 10 EST.

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Alice Schaffer Smith's avatar

Does one click somewhere on an email to "sign in"... Not clear to me the system to be part of the live discussion. Thanks. Used to zoom with links.

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Alice Schaffer Smith's avatar

Do you record these? Thanks. Alice Smith Palo Alto CA

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Peter Pronay's avatar

Hi, I am from Slovakia, formerly part of Czechoslovakia and part of the soviet bloc from 1948 until 1989. Since 2004 member country of the European Union. Those 18 years since re-joining the democratic world have by far not suffice to teach tha majority population about the benefits of democracy. The majority wants simple answers and cannot embrace freedom of choice. Which results in voting for populists.

Ukraine shows a strong will to become democratic, but has no experience with living in freedom. How long might it take a free Ukraine to embrace freedom a use the tools of democracy in a reasonable way? I am not talking about Kyiv and the big cities, I am talking about the nation as such.

Thank you for eye opening insights into the history of Ukraine, Russia and Eastern Europe.

Peter

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Penelope Lane's avatar

Thank you for a very valuable post.

You may be interested to know that in Australia, where I live, we have exactly the same problem as you describe for Slovakia. And we have had a full-fledged democratic system since 1901! What is more, we also have compulsory voting, with fines for those who fail to vote.

Inexperience with democratic systems is certainly a part of the problem in some countries. BUT in countries like mine, sheer laziness and arrogant complacency lie at the root of voting for populists. The less educated here just love simplistic slogans delivered in 10-second soundbites.

It's probably a good idea to keep in mind that there's a section of the population everywhere that is ineducable in practical terms. Education and hands-on experience certainly help, but they are far from being a universal panacea.

Good luck to you and your country—keep at it!

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bob's avatar

Thank you, Mr. Pronay, for sharing your observations about adopting democratic practice and process.

Have you studied work by Prof. Nicolai Petro, who researches and provides commentary (well documented and non-politicized) on domestic political and cultural trends in Ukraine? I have found that Prof. Petro, along with people e.g., Prof. Snyder and Prof. Serhii Plokhii (the two together, ex. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBDNo3Upg-0 ), very actively useful for re-constructing my historical events base for thinking participation in events in Ukraine, Russia and the region.

Have you suggestions for study? Without doubt, historians such as the above and others, e.g., Tony Judt, provide empirical information of use, and they often provide insights into common human tendencies and capacities for thinking differently about cooperation and mutuality instead of continuing misunderstanding, mutual suspicion, and confrontation leading to conflict.

In RE work by Prof. Petro, possibly the following are useful:

with IPP Vienna, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkO0Rj93Xl4 ;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmfT3Q--moo

Once again, thank you, and I am grateful for suggestions for learning and improving developing real foreign relations alternative tools and perspectives.

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Andre Włodarczyk's avatar

Too little has been done to publicize in general media the horrific kidnappings of Ukrainian children, orphans and women into deep Russia. The filtration camps and forced "migration" of millions is not a topic of many conversation. I understand it is very hard to get a reliable data, however, we all should make a special effort to talk about it and document whatever can be documented.

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Nathalie Farman-Farma's avatar

I hope you will make the conversation available to listen to at a later date. Thank you x

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Jan's avatar

How do we “sign in”?

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Karen Heller Key's avatar

Two questions for your consideration.

1. Over the past five years we’ve experienced more and more deeply troubling events and changes in American culture and society that some of us understand as representing a descent into fascism. This past week alone we have right wing conspiracy-driven violence against elected officials and their families, a surge of threats against poll workers and against synagogues. You have a great deal of experience writing and speaking to Americans about what we’re experiencing – from your perspective, what the biggest challenges to helping people actually see and understand what is happening around us?

2. In the incredibly valuable You Tube talks you posted four years ago you addressed the role of what you called cyber colonization – the impact in the real world of what’s happening in the unreal world of social media. Could you talk about this phenomenon today – that is, the role of social media platforms in preferencing extremist content and spreading dehumanizing and violent conspiracy theories and movements?

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Cheryl McGee Wallace's avatar

Q: Why hasn’t Russia been able to break with its history of authoritarianism? Could you please recommend books on this topic and a general history of Jews in Easter Europe?

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Mary Nichols's avatar

I too do not know how to sign in. Anyone figure it out yet?

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Luba Kielbasa's avatar

I just figured it out! On the app: Go back to the previous page (article page “Live discussion at 10am”), at the top right of the page there’s a little icon that is a headphone. Click on it and it will give you options to join.

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Carol M's avatar

On my substack the headphones just read the invitation. Other suggestions?

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Luba Kielbasa's avatar

I’m guessing that once 10am EST occurs, it’ll be the live discussion instead of reading the article.

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

You would be guessing wrong... 🙄

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Luba Kielbasa's avatar

Looks like he’s using a post format, not audio. Check out the next article link.... “november....”

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

Not on my MacBook. Installed app on my phone. Still no headphones icon.

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Luba Kielbasa's avatar

Looks like he’s using a post format, not audio. Check out the next article link.... “november....”

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

No help there either.

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Luba Kielbasa's avatar

It’s in the chat discussion of the next article. It’s not an audio discussion.

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Sara Frischer's avatar

awesome thank you

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Joshua's avatar

Is it possible in the future on another day of the week? The talk will take place once Shabbat has already started here I’m Europe.

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Joanna Denis's avatar

Sunset starts at 5 pm today, or 17:00. This meeting will start one hour earlier. I'm also in Europe. You may be able to make at least part of the meeting before Shabbat starts. Shabbat shalom.

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Joshua's avatar

In Warsaw sunset is at 16:00 and I have to help others prepare before. G!d willing in the future.

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Joanna Denis's avatar

I understand. I also made an error, for which I apologize. I'm in Germany and we are only 5 hours ahead of New York, not 6. We live in Chicago so I made an error. Sorry. Have a good Shabbat.

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Joshua's avatar

Shabbat Shalom

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Peggy Clancy's avatar

Yes, please. I have tried everything I can think of. Tried suggestion above. Still nothing.

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Vicki Disrud's avatar

In the U.S. does anyone else see the creepy parallels between Russian propaganda and conservative/republican propaganda? Concerning disregard for simply taking here Mexican children, or there Ukrainian children from their families. One day a conservative homeschool family posted a creepy video about feeling insecure about their child's homeschool education that launched into, it's ok because homeschool children are protected from corrupt left and liberal evils.....to a rage against Lithuania. I shudder to think what could have happened to the U.S. had Trump won a 2nd term. Worse yet what could have happened to Ukraine (worse because controlled not fighting and free) and to Europe. It would make a great Philip K. Dick similar to, The Man in the High Castle alternate universe novel.

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