Michael Malice

I see in my family too, and like other Russians I know, there is this pride in ruthlessness.

And this kind of like, I'm so tough, like nothing's going to affect me.

Like, yeah, we're going to suffer, but it's for a greater good or for the long term and not to be kind of sentimental or squeamish about things.

Like that was a big part of it.

But not to the extent that like, for example, like if you see someone suffering and that's being used as a mechanism to get you to change your opinion, you're like, they're not going to get to me.

Like that is very much part of that Russian psychology.

Right.

I think still largely no.

I'm not going to be manipulated by someone else's suffering or weakness.

That kind of thing.

I think that's really part of it to this day.

I remember, I knew someone who was, him and his fiance were Russian, and they had this big fight.

She took off the ring, right?

And he's like, that's it?

And just like the way he told the story to me, she's like, what do you want me to say?

Oh, don't leave me, baby.

I can't live without you.

Like that nasty cruelty.

You don't think Americans are a higher trust, more kind society than Russia, even today?

That's like a January before the war.