The Danger of Outdated Thinking

Ten years ago . . .
In 2012, I had the opportunity to present a virtual session to the Ukrainian Taxpayers Organization on nonprofit management. While I couldn’t be there in person, I felt a great deal of warmth and appreciation from the hosts and the conference attendees. They sent me this lovely speaker gift, a music box in the shape of an iconic Ukrainian image. Every day I see this in my office and think of how I connected with people far away.

Fast Forward to Today
As I write this, the Russian Federation led by Vladimir Putin, is invading the country of Ukraine. He decided that Ukraine is a “threat to the security of Russia” because it wants to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

For some reason, Putin thinks that the Cold War is still raging, and that East and West are fighting for dominance in a post-WWII world. He thinks he can re-create the Soviet Union. Perhaps we should not be surprised by his behavior as he often demonstrates his rigid, controlling thinking that springs from his education and service as a former KBG agent.

Despite his tanks rolling through the countryside as they head for the capital Kyiv, the world that informs his decision making no longer exists.

The Soviet Union controlled all information and propaganda in the old days. Today, Putin cannot, despite his best efforts, completely control the information available to the Russian people. Many of them have expressed outrage at the actions against Ukraine, and some are already going to jail for speaking out. In the Soviet Union, few would have spoken, and most would have ended up disappearing.

The reception in Ukraine is also not what they might have expected. Resistance to the Russian invasion is strong, despite the odds being against the Ukrainian people. They are not accepting it, and they are not rejoicing that Russia is coming.

A sovereign country is under attack. People are dying and being injured. There is international outrage that might lead to action. This is not the world of Soviet satellites, though. Too many people have been free and independent with access to information for too long.

There is no longer a wall in Berlin. The removal of the Berlin Wall is a symbol of all the walls that have fallen over the last 30+ years. The world warmed up and it moved forward.

While Eastern countries may be on the rise, the Cold War “East v. West” war, which was based on Western-style representative government v. communism environment no longer exists. Making decisions based on that old thinking have made the world a more dangerous place for all of us.

But then again, that’s the way Putin has always done it.

Sound familiar?

Rogue Tulips supports the right of Ukraine to be a free and independent country operating without interference from Russia – or any other country.