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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 3, 2022

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You keep repeating the same point, and keep failing to look at the other side of that line: of what things look like for pro-Russian countries. They're doing worse. Much worse. The Poles know this, the Ukrainians know this, just-about everyone who isn't an internet contrarian knows this. Why do you insist all of these people are wrong?

Worse by what metrics?

Economic? Aesthetically, culturally, spiritually...?

All of these people are wrong because they contradict themselves when they say they don't want to look like Brussels yet take steps to align themselves further with Brussels.

From a historical point of view, most people's current behavior is wrong. The fact that outgroup birthrates are cratering is a signal that something they are doing is wrong. History will be written by those who will show up in 50 years.

Worse by what metrics?

By yours and mine alike. You keep returning to birthrates, birthrates, birthrates the way many on the right do, and Russia is at a cool 1.5tfr, with ethnic Russians skewing even lower than that. My nation skews higher than that, as does most of the EU: be they Czechs, Danes, Irish, or Romanian, these people will do better at 'showing up' in 50 years than the Russians will.

All of these people are wrong because they contradict themselves when they say they don't want to look like Brussels yet take steps to align themselves further with Brussels.

Again, Brussels does not have any battalions, and neither does the ECHR. This is 'old man yells at cloud' levels of silly. The Poles get to do what they want within their territory, the Germans get to do what they want in theirs, we Dutch get to do what we want in ours, and blithely insisting that surely the spooky EU will always get its way is, plainly, wrong. I genuinely want to know if you have anything to back these ideas up that isn't mere assumptions; scaremongering about the EU is plentiful and easy, precisely because it doesn't defend itself much and makes for a wonderful scapegoat. It even does many things, in regulation and diplomacy. But turn Warsaw into Brussels? Absolutely not.

From a historical point of view, most people's current behavior is wrong.

That's been true for a thousand years or more. Is that really the best you've got?

The fact that outgroup birthrates are cratering is a signal that something they are doing is wrong.

Indeed, the Russian state is a failed one and the morally correct course is for it to step aside in favor of people who can correct this. Yes.

be they Czechs, Danes, Irish, or Romanian, these people will do better at 'showing up' in 50 years than the Russians will.

Not if they succumb to the EU/NATO.

Again, Brussels does not have any battalions

The most powerful weapon has been TV for a while.

Brussels opens the market and the borders, the American propaganda apparatus takes care of the rest.

But turn Warsaw into Brussels? Absolutely not.

That was a quote from Mariusz Błaszczak Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence Responsible for all activities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.

Indeed, the Russian state is a failed one

Russia is transitioning from a state-mandated atheist country to a more Christian-friendly one. Of course they have a long way to go, after the soul of the Russian people was crushed by nefarious ideologies.

In some ways, Poland is going the other way.

Not if they succumb to the EU/NATO.

Denmark is a founding member, Czechia and Romania joined as soon as they could. Talk sense.

The most powerful weapon has been TV for a while.

Powerful enough that all of Europe rallies behind Ukraine regardless of ideology - Hungary, Serbia, and Belarus nonwithstanding.

That was a quote from Mariusz Błaszczak Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence Responsible for all activities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.

Yes, and this works out for them just fine. It also works out for the rest of the EU just fine. It doesn't work out for the worldview you keep insisting is right, but EU citizens and leaders don't need to entertain your worldview as much as I choose to.

Russia is transitioning from a state-mandated atheist country to a more Christian-friendly one. Of course they have a long way to go, after the soul of the Russian people was crushed by nefarious ideologies.

Russia is transitioning towards being a crater, a more northerly Balkans, a wasteland, or halfway Islamic itself. The United States is far better at being Christian - and so is Poland, so long as you are Catholic.

In some ways, Poland is going the other way.

Polish tfr trended down for years upon years until it joined the EU, and it has only ever gone up since then. Getting free money works. It has never not worked for them.

Did you have a view that statistics seem to back up, too? None of what you're saying checks out, and these numbers aren't secret or hard to find.

Poland's tfr is at 1.4, Czechia 1.5, Denmark doing better at 1.8 vs 1.6 for Russia per CIA factbook.

Russia's tfr has been going up since 2000 as well, despite never joining the EU.

I'm not wishing any harm on the peoples of these countries, but the writing is on the wall when you see the cultural production of the EU/US block. Poland will look like Germany, France, Italy, UK and all of these deeply US-aligned countries in 20 years.

Of course 40 years ago a lot of people in these countries were opposed to 3rd world immigration, but now that opposition has been obliterated, just like the current Polish resistance will be obliterated in time.

The United States is far better at being Christian - and so is Poland, so long as you are Catholic.

The pope himself is a big proponent of 3rd world immigration to homogeneous European countries.

American Christians are often barely Christian in name, with churches admitting female priests and perverts of all kinds, and most egregiously incentivizing kids to bring in more customers with a bonus structure akin to the sleaziest car dealerships.

Getting free money works. It has never not worked for them.

Until the money stops. See Greece. Greatness comes from struggle.