Mikhail Shishkin refuses to represent 'criminal' Russian regime (6)

[Elena Gapova]

Politkovskaya does not belong with this discussion: she was directly
involved with politics in her professional life and made her position clear
at all times, while this conversation, I believe, focuses on a kind of
"intellectual privilege" specific to (some) artists, writers, producers,
directors etc.

I constantly see anti-Putin intellectuals taking a political stand
regarding the "regime" and its "brainwashing propagandistic media"
(esp. TV) and, at the same time, living off the projects they do for these
very media (TV series, entertainment shows, even their own "авторские
программы"). This "delineation" between one's "political position" and
"professional moneymaking" seems a real moral problem to me (not that I
condemn anyone; my observations are of a general kind and were just spurred
by Mikhail Shishkin's statement). A political position, in this case, is a
very useful commodity: it exists "separetely" of one's real life and can be
applied according to one's needs.

e.g.

2013/3/7 Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com>

> This is well said - thank you, Ainsley!
>
> It is indeed wrong to suggest that anything short of the courage shown by,
> say, Politkovskaya, is false and pointless.
>
> R.
>
> On 7 Mar 2013, at 21:22, Ainsley Morse <ainsler at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> > It's clear that Shishkin is not putting his life and career at risk (and
> maybe even helping the latter), but it's really cynical and fruitless to
> suggest that he should not have made this statement, or that it will not
> have any impact in the public consciousness. When successful mainstream
> public figures make strong critical statements against a government that is
> openly and persistently decreasing quality of life for most of its citizens
> (call it fascist or corrupt and oligarchic), we should praise them and hope
> to see more such figures speak out as well.
>

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