Vladimir Pozner's talk at the Cleveland Clinic

Here's a very insightful talk Vladimir Pozner gave at the Cleveland Clinic.

As Churchill wittily noted Russia was and still is 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma'. I happen to live in this country yet I hardly understand its culture. I have to deal with many of its quirky ways every day and I keep wondering as to where it all comes from. History gives a lot of answers.

A man with an interesting multicultural background, Mr. Pozner is endowed with sound judgment and keen acumen for understanding intricate political and historical processes. His views on the state of affairs in modern Russia corroborate many of my own thoughts and observations. If you're interested in Russian culture and the underlying basis of it, this speech provides an interesting perspective. I absolutely recommend this to those who came to Russia from other countries as it might make you look at things somewhat differently and understand what makes this country tick a little better.

By the way, don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that I agree with everything he says and that I can vouch for every word here. In fact Mr. Pozner's integrity can be questioned, for he was spreading propaganda on behalf of the Soviet Union. But what is important is that he has repented. Putting all this controversy aside, he undoubtedly is a very intelligent man with quite a unique experience that enables him to make adequate judgments about Russian culture. So I think it's worth familiarizing yourself with some of his views.

[Originally posted on Facebook on November 17, 2013]