Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World
Quote | Reply
http://time.com/...rbachev-putin-trump/

I'm just putting this here for whatever it's worth - it's an interesting perspective.

Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's, Gorby's place in history was not necessarily something I understood or appreciated at the time, other than being a good person to talk to if you needed somebody with a map of Florida on their noggin.

Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador
Quote Reply
Re: Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World [Travis R] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Travis R wrote:
http://time.com/...rbachev-putin-trump/

I'm just putting this here for whatever it's worth - it's an interesting perspective.

Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's, Gorby's place in history was not necessarily something I understood or appreciated at the time, other than being a good person to talk to if you needed somebody with a map of Florida on their noggin.

I've always had some admiration for Gorbachev. More so in my more lefty college days, but I still think he's worthy of respect.


<<Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's,>>

How many times did you get held back...;)
Quote Reply
Re: Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World [Travis R] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Quote:
I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's



Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
Quote Reply
Re: Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World [Travis R] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Since you were too busy in 5th grade for multiple years, you probably don't remember the greatness that was Gorby's Pizza Hut commercial.



Travis R wrote:
http://time.com/...rbachev-putin-trump/

I'm just putting this here for whatever it's worth - it's an interesting perspective.

Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's, Gorby's place in history was not necessarily something I understood or appreciated at the time, other than being a good person to talk to if you needed somebody with a map of Florida on their noggin.
Quote Reply
Re: Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World [wimsey] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Why did you respect him. The carefully cultivated image he had after the USSR fell really isn't factual. He didn't want to break up the USSR and had no intention of allowing it until it was too late. In the end he was outmaneuvered by Yeltsin, which is funny because Gorby is revered as being the intelligent one. He did open up the USSR allowing for more freedom and he wasn't Stalin. Those seem to be his biggest claims to fame.

wimsey wrote:
Travis R wrote:
http://time.com/...rbachev-putin-trump/

I'm just putting this here for whatever it's worth - it's an interesting perspective.

Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's, Gorby's place in history was not necessarily something I understood or appreciated at the time, other than being a good person to talk to if you needed somebody with a map of Florida on their noggin.


I've always had some admiration for Gorbachev. More so in my more lefty college days, but I still think he's worthy of respect.


<<Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's,>>

How many times did you get held back...;)
Quote Reply
Re: Gorby Speaks on the Current State of the World [jwbeuk] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I still do respect him, not "did".

Though I'm not sure what elements you're referring to exactly, I'd say that any image that is "carefully cultivated" is bound to gloss over some less admirable parts and run the risk of over-emphasizing others. I'm comfortable admitting that's probably the case with Gorbachev - as well as pretty much any global leader.

But I give him credit for loosening the Party's control over the internal management of Russia (e.g., allowing for some level of multi-party elections; appointment of non_party members to gov't positions; loosening of restrictions on the press) and on its management of client countries (e.g., abandonment of the Brezhnev Doctrine), even if it eventually got away from him and didn't pan out the way he was trying for. He also played a meaningful part in nuclear anti-proliferation efforts. I think with the benefit of hindsight many people see the collapse of the Soviet bloc as inevitable - which it may have been, but there was no guarantee that it would collapse in a way that avoided large scale bloodshed. I think he deserves credit for managing a relatively soft crumble of the empire.




jwbeuk wrote:
Why did you respect him. The carefully cultivated image he had after the USSR fell really isn't factual. He didn't want to break up the USSR and had no intention of allowing it until it was too late. In the end he was outmaneuvered by Yeltsin, which is funny because Gorby is revered as being the intelligent one. He did open up the USSR allowing for more freedom and he wasn't Stalin. Those seem to be his biggest claims to fame.

wimsey wrote:
Travis R wrote:
http://time.com/...rbachev-putin-trump/

I'm just putting this here for whatever it's worth - it's an interesting perspective.

Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's, Gorby's place in history was not necessarily something I understood or appreciated at the time, other than being a good person to talk to if you needed somebody with a map of Florida on their noggin.


I've always had some admiration for Gorbachev. More so in my more lefty college days, but I still think he's worthy of respect.


<<Being that I was in 5th grade for much of the 80's,>>

How many times did you get held back...;)
Last edited by: wimsey: Jan 27, 17 12:36
Quote Reply