The Pete Quiñones Show Reading Solzhenitsyn's '200 Years Together' w/ Dr Matthew Raphael Johnson - Part 46
Jun 21, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Matthew Raphael Johnson, a researcher and former professor specializing in Russian history, joins to delve into Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's '200 Years Together'. They humorously blend personal anecdotes with literary analysis. Key topics include the complex dynamics of Russian and Jewish identities shaped by media and journalism, critiques of media representation in early 20th-century Russia, and the cultural impact of artistic expressions like those of Pollock and Warhol. The conversation sheds light on historical biases and contemporary perceptions.
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Jewish Control of the Press
- The Russian nationalist circles blamed the Jewish community for controlling the press.
- This view was so widespread it was humorously called the "Pale of Settlement of the Duma."
Press as a Tool of Corruption
- Russian press was out of control and heavily Jewish-influenced before revolution.
- Journalism was born corrupt, spreading lies, not truth, shaping flawed public opinion.
Defeatist Press Role in War
- Press was openly defeatist during Russo-Japanese War, sympathizing with revolution.
- Defeatism in press aimed to destabilize society and question government legitimacy.
