Putin’s Overture in EurasiaAsia
Minor
There appears to be many opinions about what is going on in
The Crimea. Most of it appears to be wrong, confused, or misdirected.
As this is not about knowledge but rather about
understanding, I will use no graphs, pie charts, names of great leaders past,
present, or future, and no list if historical dates. Again, this is about understanding.
“If you want to know something, Google it; If you want to
understand something, ask an old person.”
I have but two skills: an analytical mind and the ability to
speak in metaphors. However, if you don’t
want to hear it from me, hear it from Einstein. “You can’t solve the problem
using the same kind of thinking that caused the problem.”
The article has several parts and does rely on
metaphors. When you’ve finished the
article, you will have a better insight into Russia’s actions.
Our Hypocrisy
Respect means different things to different people. In some countries, people shake hands. In
other countries, people bow.
Now, people in the US who believe in treating others with
respect simply do not understand the concept.
He does not understand that other people do not want to be
treated the way he wants to be treated.
He counters with all people wanting to be treated with respect. He does not understand that respect means
different things to different people.
Case in point:
A pat on the back, a pulled pork sandwich, and a bottle of
beer. “Sit down, put your feet up, and
relax.” That may be okay for me,
however:
- ·
You don’t touch people in Muslim countries.
- ·
Muslims do not eat pork.
- ·
Muslims do not drink alcohol.
- ·
Don’t put your feet up!
First he is rude. Then he gets upset when other people don’t
feel respected because he treated other people the way he wants to be treated,
and in less obvious situations, he accuses other people of being snobs, elitists,
or falls back on the old canard, “Who’s to say what’s right or wrong?”
“Circumstances, if not consequences, will prove who is right
and who is wrong; too often when it is too late to benefit from the answer.”
The quotations of Slim Fairview.
Now we go further.
The Fallacy of
Win-Win Negotiations.
As form follows function (Bauhaus), I am using a metaphor to
enlighten. Also, there is an economics lesson thrown in for good measure.
You and your husband both work. You share the household
chores. Your husband asks you to do the dinner dishes for a week so he can
watch some protracted sports event. You negotiate. You make an offer.
You will do the dinner dishes every night except Thursday if
he gives up golf on Saturday to mow the lawn, trim the shrubs, and mulch the
garden. As a sweetener, you tell him he does not have to go with you to dinner
at your parents’ house on Saturday night.
He counters with what he calls a win-win offer. He will do
the dishes on Wednesday, he will do all the yard work, but on Sunday, and he
will go with you to your parents’ house for dinner on Saturday—to please you. Sounds like a fair offer, doesn't it?
If you get caught up in the paradigm too quickly you will
agree. And, you made an agreement and
you keep your bargains. Your husband made immediate concessions. You accept the deal. Now let’s look at the details, because
actually, you lose on every point. Here is why.
- There is no game on Wednesday night.
- You want the TV Thursday to watch a programme on Economics
- Your Dad dislikes your husband, but your husband loves your Mom’s Pot-Roast with gravy and mashed potatoes.
- However, the most important aspect is that you wanted the lawn work done on Saturday because you invited the women from the Economics Club at work to an al fresco luncheon ot your house on Sunday.
Now, the Economics
Lesson. Time, place, form utility.
You want to watch the Economics programme on Thursday
because that will be the topic of discussion in your Economics Club meeting on
Friday. Time Utility. The Rerun on Sunday night has no value.
Also, the yard work has time-form utility. In economics, the yard work is a “product or
a service.” On Saturday, the yard work
is very valuable. On Sunday, the yard
work is worthless. The condition of the
yard also has utility. In its present
form, it has no value. Once cleaned up
and made presentable, the yard has form utility
.
Your husband gives up nothing.
Now, this is not about respect v. disrespect; nor is this
about chauvinism v. liberation; nor is it about how to have a happy marriage,
empowerment, or conflict resolution.
This is about economics.
Why? Because, in global matters,
the military option is no longer viable—period! To understand this, let’s look at the hidden
agendas.
Your husband does not want the Economics Club meeting at
your house.
You don’t want him golfing with his Saturday buddies; you
want him to go golfing with his Sunday buddies.
Also, you want your husband out of the house all day Sunday.
(Form utility) Your husband is a good
provider, a great Dad, and helps out around the house without being told.
However, he does not “show well” at al fresco luncheons with the women from the
Economics Club.
There are also: deliverables and supply-chain
considerations. You want to show the
other women that you can handle deliverables.
The condition of the yard—form utility and the locations of the husband—place
utility. You can deliver.
Now on to the US v. Russia
Understanding.
The Military Option is over.
Ronald Reagan and his “Star Wars” build-up was not a military campaign
but rather an economic one.
The Nuclear Deterrent is nothing more than Diplomatic
Legerdemain.
Before Nuclear
Deterrence:
The USSR sends troops into Germany. German soldiers shoot back. The Headlines Read: Germany and Russia at War.
After Nuclear
Deterrence:
The USSR sends troops into Germany. The German soldiers do
not shoot back. The Headlines Read:
Nuclear Deterrence Works.
Russia and Syria
I pointed out while back that the negotiations over Syria
are not about Syria. They are about something else. When we find out what that
something else is, then we can negotiate that and that will resolve the Syrian
situation. We now know what that something else is. However, we don’t understand it.
The fight for the Crimea is about a warm-water port. (Time,
Place. Form Utility) In addition, this is not for military purposes. This is
for economic purposes.
President Putin
is attempting to form a Eurasian Economic Union; ostensibly, as a counterweight
to the EuroUnion. Not quite true. With
the condition of the EuroUnion Economy, President Putin is merely seizing an
opportunity, not land.
President Putin
has been a witness to China’s Economic Success and Diplomatic successes in
Africa and in Latin America.
President Putin
sees America’s lagging economy.
Indeed, we must also view Russia’s humiliations since the
collapse of Ivan Grozny’s Empirical Aspirations.
However, there is still more.
Insight into Human
Nature
Remember, Putin is seizing the opportunity presented by
Europe’s weak economy. Europe is too weak to rebuff Russia’s economic overtures
to Eastern Europe with Ukraine as a linchpin. And, Putin does not want to be Jimmy
Carter to Eastern Europe.
The Bloc shift to the
west was due to:
- ·
The Strength of Reagan v. Gorbachev.
- ·
The Runaway Success of the US Economy
- ·
The Seduction of Perceived Freedom
- ·
The Promise of Unbridled Economic Wealth.
That was then, this
is now.
- ·
The EuroCrisis
- ·
US Economic Crisis
- ·
Emerging Economies Slowdown
Now the Bloc Nations will be moving East.
The strict v. the
weak.
Over 55 years, I’ve seen this scenario play out so many
times that I can’t remember them all. Here are a few for illustration.
Mrs. Reardon, Mrs.
Burke, and Smitty.
The first two were 1st and 6th grade
teachers, respectively.
Each was known to be a terror. Very strict. Their students
complained about the constantly.
However, if other students said anything against the teachers, their
students would rebuff the criticisms with a vehement defence.
Almost the Stockholm Syndrome, but not quite.
And, I’ve been party to it, myself.
We had a boss named Smitty. Not disliked, or held in contempt, but generally
ridiculed by his "people". His people,
too, defended him against criticism. (I
personally, had no substantive opinion of him or his abilities.)
Then, one night, delivering "paperwork" to the local HQ, I encountered two upper middle-management Jackasses. After finding out where I was
from, and that that was where Smitty had been transferred to, tey began to make snide,
sarcastic, belittling remarks about Smitty.
In response, I painted a glowing picture of Smitty’s success at our Office.
Not because I liked Smitty, but
because I didn’t like the two middle-school smart-asses. or their attitude.
The difference? I
knew I was doing it.
50 years ago, then comedian Bill Cosby, now Dr. William H.
Cosby, did a monologue on an album about a shop teacher who used psychology to
get students to confess to any wrong doing.
“Yep. Somebody must have a really rotten mother to put a
bullet in the furnace.”
“Listen, I didn't put the bullet in the furnace and stop
talking about my mother.”
The psychology of it all seems to be universal and
universally understood.
After more than a half a century of watching the scenarios
played out, I don’t understand why people are confused about what is going on
in The Crimea.
The Bloc Nations Flirting
East.
- ·
Disillusioned by the failed promises of Western
Economic Success.
- ·
The Tendency of People to Forget
“It is a Universal Condition. We refuse to accept that all
alliances and enmities are transitory.” The Quotations of Slim Fairview.
- ·
The Excess of US Successes
- ·
The Witnessing to China’s Successes both
Domestic and Global
- ·
The Display of Western Excessive Military Power & Might & little to show for it.
- ·
That the Global Military Option is no longer
Viable.
- ·
Economics is the new Weapon of Choice
- ·
The Fallacy of Nuclear Deterrence
Remember the
Quotation of Slim Fairview
“China will succeed because China will do as we did and not
as we way.”
Russia will do the same thing with the offer of strong Military
Support and Protection and the Promise of Economic Well Being.
Surprise!
Warmest regards,
Slim
Slimviews and Sidestreetjournal are Unfunded, Unsupported,
Non-Profit web logs by Robert Asken writing as the blogger known as Slim
Fairview
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2014 Robert Asken Slim Fairview
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