Homo Soveticus: They Are Back!

When I was growing up in Moscow, we joked that harsh Soviet reality gave birth to a new human species – Homo Soveticus, a Soviet version of Homo Sapiens. Homo Soveticus was that secretly insecure, exhausted, angry human who was too tired for politeness, too narrow-minded for freedom, and too thick-headed for dissent.

Strangely, I see more and more of them here, in the “cradle of democracy.” Thick as a brick, with a different set of slogans but an identical approach to actual freedom of thought. Always self-righteous, always with the majority. Always ready to stomp the enemy.

And when a popular topic comes up, everybody feels a little bit of social pressure to define their position, and to tell their comrades which side they are on. And within any group, there is always a “right” side and a “wrong” side.

Just like in a good ol’ communist party meeting. Stand up and confess before your comrades. And just like in a communist meeting, the comrades chant slogans at you until you agree with them.

We are all being judged by algorithms. Somebody is playing a devilish game.