(A Smarter) Russia's Opportunity

I'll admit: I have no idea when a certain broad spectrum of our US governing class is going to stop being tantalized by the legend of a Trump-Putin-Satan Masterconspiracy to Subvert Democracy and Freedom Everywhere in the World.

And even then - in the event that (what's left of) the storm finally does blow over - I don't imagine this decade blossoming into one of the great ages of Western love for Russia, or Western hope or trust in Russia. Indeed, even among those on our side who wish her well, or have no particular beef with Moscow, there don't seem to be many who have any great faith in her - what shall we call it? - democratic potential, or (geo)political versatility. In short, I haven't noticed many who believe that Moscow is capable of doing anything really novel or surprising, and least of all on the geo-economic and geopolitical fronts. I mean, what are the options, right? Russia + China - USA. Russia + China + Germany - rest of Western Europe/USA. Russia + China + Europe + Iran - Saudi Arabia. Or even + Saudi Arabia. The possibilities are far from endless. Nor even terribly interesting. Unless, of course, one's aim is to enhance the prospects of some new strains of pandemic spreading even faster throughout Euro-Asia.

But most discouraging of all, I find, are those on both sides, pro- and anti-, who believe that any Russia, good or bad, authoritarian or liberal democratic, is by nature condemned to be a behemoth - i.e., an empire and hegemon. And that that holds true no matter how far she may shrink to her so-called natural, "non-imperial" boundaries. In essence, for her to cease being a beast would be to cease to exist.

I don't know if that's true. I sincerely hope it is not, and I most emphatically do not want Russia to cease to exist. Or even shrink to unrecognizable borders. One thing I'm all but sure of, however:

The more Russia keeps on trying to imitate, rival, envy, model herself after or compete with certain other (more or less stupid as well as brutal) behemoths - of which I count four as the principals - the more she continues to dream of being, say, a Counter-USA, or Co-China, or rival Europe or Saudi-foil or whatever, the more she is guaranteed to make a royal - or rather imperial - ass of herself. If not some yet more obnoxious and destructive species of animal. 

Now it may be that she has no choice but to remain, or become, a hegemon of one kind or another; or else deconstruct. Personally I doubt it, but either way: better a smart ass than a dumb grizzly. By all means let her be the kind of intelligent empire that knows how to do something really useful. The kind of subtle, patient and respectful hegemon that knows how to cultivate what has seemed like a lost - if not dead-and-buried - imperial art, since at least the end of the Cold War. Or more likely, since the geopolitical eclipse of the British Commonwealth in the 1950s. (Bearing in mind that even during that decade, what was left of the British Empire comported itself anything but honorably in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.)

I'm thinking of the kind of relative giant who knows how to stand in the breach and intercede for the relative pygmies. Who knows how to protect and buckler, to bolster and rally the common interests of certain smaller, rather less gaudy, bombastic and pretentious nations. Including not a few in Europe, Asia and Oceania. And in particular those nations that, in a sane world, would have every wish to go on trading with the likes of a USA, or an EU, or PRC or KSA, but have absolutely no desire to be swallowed up or partitioned, hegemonized or globalized by ANY of them. Much less pandemicized by them.

In short, here is what Russia needs to do, it seems to me, if she plans to be a sensible, measured, more or less humane sort of hegemon. As distinct from that Opposite Kind we've been overblessed with, over this past generation, across virtually every continent of the globe. And about whose occupations the Middle East in particular could write volumes.

She needs to secure - as opposed to enticing or dallying or playing around with - the good will and trust of a certain kind of niche country. I.e.,  the sort of country that gladly sees the point of being on good terms with a good-natured behemoth, or two. Perhaps even three. But has no wish to be either the pawn or the plaything, much less the meal, of four merciless Leviathans.

Of course I can't predict how big a niche it may turn out to be, or how many such countries Russia is likely to find. But right off the top of my head? - and especially in light of certain still-unfolding "global health" events - I'd say there are tons of them.

The Barely Mentionable Word

So help me God, I'll say it again:

Call me ignorant and simpleminded. (Lord knows I've been named worse.) It's just that, among all the various things I've  been reading, I can't believe what I keep failing to read during these days of (supposedly) rampant pandemic. In particular there is one key, utterly essential word that I seldom if ever run across, whether by word of print or word of mouth. Yes, even from ostensibly Christian quarters. I mean the one indispensable ingredient, apart from which all our best recipes for confronting, controlling and subduing this viral monster are so much blind flight, and whistling in the dark.

Which is to say, of course, prayer. But not just as our usual means of getting "what we want," or of submitting to what God wants ("ALRIGHT! I'll go along quietly! JEEZ!"). But prayer also as the means to our understanding of what is already there  - of precisely whatever God has already allowed to be placed in front of us. And of how to deal with it effectively, according to that Narrow Way that truly optimizes the real, God-discerned well-being of any place, and of any people living in it. As distinct from our own many bold and glorious, if not global, agendas for addressing those same issues.

Because, regardless of whether we're supposed to be enforcing and extending the lockdown, or scaling it back, or mitigating or minimizing it, or even lifting it altogether, the fact remains:

In prayer alone do we have the one thing utterly necessary, not just to the right execution of any of these measures, but to the right choice among them, for every tiniest locale, region, country and megacountry (any two of which, even as neighbors, may be vastly different). As opposed to just connecting with them, you know, facelessly and globally, in the usual brutal human way. Neither just prayer as a last resort, but as the vital concomitant of every stage of every resort we attempt.

Think of it - that same language of God apart from which Love itself is barely audible, and can barely utter its meaning: how is it that this strange, yet anciently intimate and familiar tongue, is something I hardly hear mentioned as strategy or tactic - or even weapon - in this conflict? Much less the primary and foundational weapon of all.

Maybe it's because of what prayer requires - indeed demands - in order to be truly knowledgeable, penetrating, separating, like the Word of God, of joints and marrow, soul and spirit. And because once prayer is duly armed with this requirement it becomes so - well, Divinely hard to politicize. But let me see if a few metaphors can help. (You're also welcome to come up with some of your own if you like.)

Think of prayer as a vehicle that only moves at its right speed - neither too fast nor too slowly, not too soon or too late - only so far as it is fueled by love. And think of love as the one proper fuel that moves our prayer most accurately according to the nature of the thing - of that creature or situation - for whom we are praying, or about which we are praying. Finally, consider this kind of prayer as the humblest, directest, most readily accessible way of loving someone with whom we vehemently, even politically, disagree. Or even despise.

Because in a sense there is no creature, human or otherwise - not even a coronavirus! - the essence of which prayer cannot know, cannot discover, cannot draw out from its hiding place, as it were, and into the open, so that at last it can be seen by us even as God sees it. Nothing can be long hid from prayer so long as our praying is fueled, not by hurt or fear or anger or frustration, but by love. Indeed, there are some creatures so timid, so guarded even when they do evil or great harm, that they can only be known, only emerge from their disguise or covert or lair as love draws them out. The reason is that our dealings with them only become fruitful - only get to the heart of them - inasmuch as we see and know them for what they are, and not merely for our own image of them. Or worse, through the bubble of our own favorite narratives and preconceptions. Even something as miserable and vile as a coronavirus is a problem we can hardly afford to politicize, whether we veer to the ("callously" impatient) Right or to the ("tenderly" self-righteous) Left.  Indeed, the more "clever" and slippery and persistent any threat, the less we can afford to politicize it. Much less conspiratorialize it. (There: now you can call me REALLY simpleminded.)

Again, for what they are. But for that degree of clarity, love alone is what opens every window and unlocks every door into the house, so to speak, of any created thing. Including those we need to overcome, or develop immunity to.  And prayer alone - humble, unpresuming, trustful and loving prayer - is our one complete, our one more-than-scientific objectivity.

(Edited.)

The Logic of Modern Love (a "hidden" side of our New Domesticity)

"Well, to be honest, it never was just a Modern thing. In fact, almost since human life began, this 'Modern Love' has nearly always been the way that practical, workaday, results-oriented people  have gone about their lives. And not just in big commercial operations, but especially within effective marriages and households.

"So why is it so confoundedly hard to understand?

"Once again, I'll start from the beginning. There are obviously, self-evidently two (2) distinct sides to charitable, giving, sacrificial love. Likewise there are two (2) distinct and appropriate objects to which each side is properly directed.

"There is that side of Love which is agitating and stressful, and which makes demands, and places expectations, and expects nothing less - do you hear me? - NOTHING LESS than whatever perfection is appropriate to the particular task, situation and context in hand. Because NOTHING LESS THAN THAT is what's required for the good of the Whole Operation. Now as I said before, this love has its own proper object and outlet. That is why we have humans. And then there is that other side of Love, which is calming and soothing, and which nurtures, and reassures, and accepts and supports and gives strength. This love too has its own proper object and outlet. That is why we have animals.
 
"To sum up (since you don't seem terribly bright): Consolations are for animals; expectations are for humans.

"Any questions?"