XANDER BLAKELY
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FAQ 3. Tell us about the negative effects of capitalism in Novosibirsk. Do you feel that benefits outweigh the costs? Without a doubt the benefits outweigh the costs. The costs, however, should not be ignored. Part of the reason I felt compelled to write this book is to point out the hidden costs of capitalism. Gone are the naïve days when we in the West could pretend that we were liberating the slaves of communism from their shackles. The burdens of freedom are not to be laughed off lightly. Siberians have endured more turmoil (economic, political, cultural) in one decade than all that we in the West have overcome in the entire century. In the haste to discard communism, I'm afraid the baby may have been thrown out with the bathwater. Russians survived communism by the strength of their friendships. Friendships in Russia, sadly, are becoming as ephemeral and superficial as they tend to be in the West. Who has time for such friendships anymore? There is money to earn, bills to pay. Time is the biggest casualty of capitalism, in America and in Novosibirsk. I'm confident that the pendulum will swing back again and Siberians will reject the relentless pursuit of profit in favor of a more balanced lifestyle. I look forward to moving back to Siberia when that happens. |
