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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 17, 2022

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I don't have much to add about Zelensky's personality, but I would strongly urge everyone to consider that in 5-10 years time you might have a very different memory of the person and the country. Many events and considerations that took place in the first weeks of the war (some of which are likely really not that heroic) are totally unknown right now and Ukrainian government essentially outlawed any real opposition and critical journalism. Western media is in full war footing.

At some point emotions will cool down and Westerners will mostly forget about the country called Ukraine. Just like how nobody even seemed to have realized the recent political happenings in Iraq while it used to be the center of the world for a while. The incredible cost of rebuilding an already crazy corrupt, poor and now depopulated country will become an uncomfortable topic. You will start to hear Ukraine more in connection with Hunter Biden type of corruption stories than "heroic grandma quotes inspired by brave president" stories. Zelensky's hero status will hit the realities of ruling a country like that (is there any past Ukrainian president not totally discredit by now?).

I have the grim prediction that unless if he dies before the end of the war, he will probably go down in the history as someone whom we would prefer to forget.