The previous weblog
regards Corruption in Brazil - pertaining to the same causes,
symptoms and cures as elsewhere in the world – was posted for three
weeks to ensure the strength of a very important message.
No sociological system,
from neighbourhoods to entire countries to unified econo-political
blocs can survive if the everyday actions of its member-stakeholders
seek self-serving, short-termist exploitation over the values behind
basic decency.
The paradoxical distant
history of Russia - one divergent between the archetypical hardy,
hard-drinking, village peasant and the 'Arcadia' created by the Czars
in their Fabergé Egg,
bubble-like world - is thankfully little more than a bad
memory. And the dire authoritarian personal restrictions of the
supposed antidote...Communism..even with its positives of mass
high-culture, a now long failed ideology; as is possibly being
re-played again today with the landmark talks between the USA's
President Trump and N.Korea's leader Jong-Un Kim.
Russia, like the other
BRICs, experienced the creation of new economic opportunities, much
assisted by sector and trade liberalisation, FDI, and even the
re-routing of enormous locked state-owned funds to generate a new
era. One that saw the emergence of a new middle class as soon as a
decade after Gorbachev's Glasnost and the Perestroika restructuring
programmes began in the mid 1980s. Much assisted by Reagan's then
still relevant previous silver-screen persona as meld of the honest
pioneer and frontier-lands sheriff – so setting the perception of
'responsible capitalism' - the Iron-Curtain became dismantled and a
new world was born for millions.
It was not easy,
especially for the older generations given the disappearance of the
previous engrained certainty, but a new entrepreneurial spirit
emerged that lawfully replaced and so contracted much of the previous
'black-marketeering' that had existed as part of everyone's life,
from food to tractor parts, though never acknowledged.
As also well
documented, the transition was not easy, as those in immediate
positions of administrative power were inevitably approached by those
with money and/or threats, to ensure much from enormous national
commodities operations down to local licensing rights were gained by
those who wanted things to go their way to themselves exploit the new
opportunities for commercial gain.
President Putin is
today revered by his people, precisely because although inevitably
connected to such 'business-people' through his rise through the
ranks, his origins were very humble, an upbringing which demands
responsibility at an early age, which together with the study of Law
so requiring critical thinking, and service with the KGB in foreign
intelligence before entering politics. Essentially a background which
made him very serious and essentially conservative. This mirrors his
mass electorate; as seen by the mass applaud for the repulsion of the
deliberately provocative 'liberal invasion' of the 'Pussy Riot'
episode disregarding the sanctity of the Church.
To those outside Russia
in the West, the mass of the agricultural, industrial and services
employed middle-class and the balance of their lifestyles as
progressive traditionalists, is seemingly an anathema; even though
that stance be the norm for all EM middle-classes, and so arguably
today the 'new global norm'.
That Russian 'New
Wealth' amongst the Oligarchs and their 'clans' (family and
business), was inevitably strategically spread around the world, and
given the size of that wealth running to millions and billions of
Dollars, it went into property assets (so altering the character of
upscale locales), new foreign businesses and luxury trinkets.
So, it is no surprise
that the average European and American who has either personally
seen, but more likely watched on Lifestyle TV - view “Russians”
and their accompanying status symbols as either unwanted
nouveau-riche cultural interlopers (ie the old residents of
Knightsbridge), or paradoxically far lower down the socio-economic
ladder, as the new arbiters of luxury (ie the media-fed,
high-lifestyle influenced youth).
Robbie Williams was the
star performer at the opening ceremony of Russia 2018 World Cup, and
for good reason – he juxtaposed that schism in his own vocal and
visual 'artwork'.
His song and video of
'Party Like a Russian' summed-up both the oppositional antipathy and
aspirational envy of those who view the Expat 'Russians', whether
from a corner table in Quaglino's (of St James's) or from a day-trip
to Harrods from the suburbs or provinces.
In that song video
Williams mimics, mocks and praises this actually rare, but seemingly
archetypal, 'New Russian'. He illustrates the ego-driven mentality
that uses agenda-centric ploys and tricks for the gain of 'big
money', together with the assistance of well-dressed 'heavies' for
the ultimate influence of physical intimidation.
Essentially, a “don't
give a f**k” attitude about anyone else to obtain their aims, which
will in turn again feed the ego through the belief of others'
admiration.
All the while, seeking
to both enter the sphere of high-society whilst also deliberately
illustrating their greater wealth. The perplexing element being the
cultural recognition that true high-society does not treat anyone of
any standing with disrespect. The innate paradox is the re-moulding of an ego and attitude created upon the
effective diminishment of others to have one's own way, to the need
to be thoughtful and considerate to those supposedly 'beneath you'.
This was the brilliant
sub-text of the 'Party Like a Russian' video - in which Robbie is
besuited in bling, whilst surrounded by his all female entourage of balletic maids, and allusion to the marrying-game of as 'this seasons' debutentes offer themselves as prospective new wives.
It was filmed in the
stairwells, library and Great Hall of Hatfield House, Hertfordshire; the seat
of the Marquis of Salisbury, and early home of Elizabeth I; where a
portrait of the Queen shows “eyes and ears” on her dress,
illustrating a spy-network that operated in a panoptican and
all-knowing manner – much like any form of institutionalised power;
and of course akin to the methods of the old KGB.
And almost as if life
follows art in a subtly orchestrated pattern, the Russian World Cup
opens at the same time that Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visit the town
of Salisbury, where the Russian nerve agent attack took
place.
Given the tensions
between the UK and Russia over the last 5 years or so, ultimately
which way international relations go, is yet to be seen, but as the USA puts itself
first within the context of international trade, the 2018 World Cup
offers the opportunity for the UK to operate as true global diplomat,
a role it will obviously require as BREXIT (in what ever form) is
pursued.
But for now, for the
remainder of the majority outside the 1%, whose lives are far beyond
the all-consuming concerns of gaining or losing portions of enormous
wealth as the economic and political tides sway, beyond the need for
cultural balancing acts to climb the slippery pole, and beyond the
intrigue of spy-networks that inevitably comes with the 1% territory,
the 'common' global citizen, whether young, old, male, female or even
a football fan or not, can enjoy the atmosphere and original intent
of international camaraderie...an ideology that the TV cameras and
commentators of the 2018 World Cup will themselves project around the
world.
And the very fact that
President Putin saw the innate humour in having Robbie perform, given
the mocking tone of his video about oligarch Russians, illustrates
that even though Putin is officially required to convey power and
impressive status, his head and heart are amongst the common people.
And lastly, just to
inform of an 'in-joke', the reason Robbie gave a seemingly offensive
- but actually cheekily-meant 'single finger' during the performance
- was to echo the end of the video itself, an intended parody of a
parody, a meta-physical circular in-joke...or to quote Churchill... a
humouristic “riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”.
It seems that Vladimir
and Robbie enjoyed the joke.
