I’d argue it’s an objectively true statement that, of all the people alive today, Putin has singlehandedly caused more death and suffering than anyone else. The gap between him and whoever is second is likely orders of magnitude. Yet, when I read discussions about him, Russia, or the war in Ukraine, I almost never see the kind of hateful, nasty, and mean comments directed at him that I regularly see aimed at Trump, Elon, or even ordinary Republican politicians. Why is that?
Bonus question: Why be so nasty about it in the first place? There’s nothing wrong with criticism, but I struggle to understand the need for such meanness. Even when I agree with the sentiment, reading comments like that feels toxic. It poisons my mind too. I don’t like being angry, and I avoid it for practical reasons as well. Anger clouds my judgment, and I think it does the same for others and thus should be avoided.
And your proof of this is… what?
Because Putin is not a product of the US. Trump is, and, to a large extent, so is Musk.
The war in Ukraine has so far caused around 300k deaths. I can’t think of a person alive who’d be responsible for more deaths than that.
The (so-called) “War On Terror” unleashed by George Bush has caused about 900,000 dead. That is just the death DIRECTLY caused by warfare and not the far, far greater number of people dead through indirect causes such as starvation and disease as a result.
Or does it only count in your book when the people dying “look like us”?
Yeah as bad as he is, Putin isn’t event the worst Russian dictator if we’re going by body count. Stalin is still miles ahead.
Stalin is dead
Putin is a scumbag, but he still has a long way to go to even beat George Bush Jnr, and he doesn’t even scratch the paint on Henry Kissinger’s record levels of crimes perpetrated against humanity.
Paraphrasing someone relevant: That’s just percentages.