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Book Review | Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible

  • Greg McNeilly
  • Jul 30, 2022
  • 6 min read

Updated: Mar 19

Nothing Is True And Everything Is Possible
Nothing True & Everything Is Possible

NOTHING IS TRUE, AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE: The surreal heart of the new Russia | Peter Pomersantsev, Public Affairs, (2014), p243. 


In his trenchant critique, 'Nothing is True, and Everything is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia,' Peter Pomerantsev plunges into the heart of a society in the throes of a postmodern nightmare. With the agility of a seasoned raconteur, Pomerantsev lays bare a Russia adrift in a miasma of cynicism and illusion. In this place, reality has been renamed by capitalism's grind and communism's demise.


Pomerantsev’s Russia is a phantasmagorical realm where Soviet ideology crumbled, only to be replaced by a kaleidoscope of narratives and conspiracies that would make Baudrillard blush. Truth is not merely elusive; it is an obsolete commodity, trampled underfoot in the mad scramble for power and wealth.


The author casts a cold, unflinching gaze on the proliferation of 'fake' news and propaganda, tools wielded with Machiavellian skill to shape public consciousness. Pomerantsev depicts the Russian media landscape as a hall of mirrors where fact and fiction merge indistinguishably, and integrity is rendered quaint.


However, Pomerantsev contends that the rot is more profound than mere media manipulation. He delves into psychological warfare, where the state, in its quest for control, has turned to the dark arts of mind manipulation. This has engendered a sort of Orwellian hysteria among the populace. This mass delusion, fostered by a toxic blend of intimidation and deceit, paints the state as the sole bulwark against chaos and corruption. It casts dissenters as enemies of the people.


Amidst this misinformation and fear, Pomerantsev discerns a nascent resistance undercurrent. Russia's youth, weary of manufactured realities and hollow certainties proffered by their rulers, embark on a quest for authenticity. They search for an anchor in a sea of absurdity. Pomerantsev's encounter in a Moscow museum, where a group of young Russians grapple with Soviet terror legacy, is emblematic of this burgeoning skepticism. It is a spark of defiance against the prevailing narrative.


Pomerantsev's prose, imbued with a lyrical quality that belies its incisive content, paints a portrait of Russia that is as captivating as it is disquieting. His narratives, replete with encounters ranging from the avant-garde to the ultranationalist, are rendered vividly, bringing New Russia's surreal landscape into sharp relief.


Yet, beneath this tapestry of the bizarre and the banal, a current of deep unease runs. There is a feeling that beneath the veneer of normalcy lies a society teetering on the brink of an abyss. 'Nothing is True, and Everything is Possible serves as a commentary on contemporary Russia and a meditation on the nature of truth. This occurs in an era where digital manipulation has blurred the line between the real and the simulated.


In conclusion, Pomerantsev’s work is a testament to the power of questioning, challenging complacency, and allowing falsehoods to flourish. It serves as a clarion call for those who continue to seek truth, however elusive it may be, in a world where reality is under siege. 'Nothing is True, and Everything is Possible' is essential reading for those who wish to understand Russia and the existential crises of our post-truth era.



QUOTES


  • "The Kremlin's strategy is simple: to create a world where nothing is true, and everything is possible." (p. 3)

  • "In Russia, reality is a flexible concept, always subject to revision." (p. 12)

  • "The Putin regime has perfected the art of 'managed democracy,' a system in which the appearance of democratic processes is maintained while a small coterie makes the actual decisions of officials." (p. 23)

  • "Russia's leaders have learned to use the language of democracy against itself, employing terms like 'freedom' and 'human rights' to justify policies that are anything but." (p. 35)

  • "The goal of the Kremlin's propaganda machine is not to convince people of a particular viewpoint, but rather to create a sense of chaos and uncertainty, to make it impossible for anyone to know what is true and what is not." (p. 51)

  • "In Russia, the line between fact and fiction has long been blurred, and the distinction between reality and fantasy has become increasingly irrelevant." (p. 64)

  • "The Putin regime has turned Russia into a vast, virtual reality game, where the rules are constantly changing and the outcome is always uncertain." (p. 82)

  • "The surreal heart of the new Russia beats strongest in the realm of politics, where the absurd and the bizarre have become the norm." (p. 107)

  • "In Russia, the politician is not just a leader, but a performer, an actor who must play the role of the wise and all-knowing guide." (p. 123)

  • "The Putin regime has reduced politics to a form of entertainment, a spectacle designed to captivate and distract the public, while the real business of governance is carried out behind the scenes." (p. 141)

  • "The new Russia is a land of illusions, where the truth is whatever the Kremlin says it is, and reality is whatever the Kremlin wants it to be." (p. 160)

  • "The Putin regime has created a world where nothing is true, and everything is possible, a world where the imagination has become the ultimate weapon of control." (p. 179)

  • "In Russia, the future is not something to be anticipated, but something to be fabricated, a product of the imagination that can be molded and shaped to suit the desires of those in power." (p. 205)

  • "The Putin regime has turned Russia into a laboratory of the surreal, a place where the laws of physics and reason are suspended, and the impossible becomes possible." (p. 227)

  • "The new Russia is a land of magic and wonder, where anything can happen, and nothing is as it seems." (p. 243)


OUTLINE

I. Introduction

  • Overview of the book's theme: the surreal nature of contemporary Russia

  • Introduction to the author's background and perspective

II. The Surreal Landscape of New Russia

  • Description of the eerie and absurd atmosphere in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union

  • Examination of the country's transition from communism to capitalism and the resulting social and economic changes

  • Analysis of the impact of propaganda and manipulated media on the population's perception of reality.

III. The Power of Propaganda

  • Discussion of the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion and creating a cult of personality around President Vladimir Putin

  • Examples of how propaganda is used to manipulate public sentiment and suppress dissent

  • Analysis of the effectiveness of propaganda in creating a sense of shared identity and purpose among the Russian people

IV. The Cult of Personality

  • Examination of the persona of President Putin and his image as a robust and decisive leader

  • Discussion of how Putin's image has been carefully crafted through propaganda and media manipulation

  • Analysis of the impact of Putin's cult of personality on Russian politics and society

V. The War on Reality

  • Exploration of how the Russian government has sought to undermine the idea of objective truth and reality

  • Discussion of the tactics used to discredit opponents and silence dissenting voices

  • Analysis of the implications of this assault on reality for Russian democracy and civil society

VI. The Rise of Fake News and Alternative Facts

  • Examination of the role of fake news and alternative facts in the Russian media landscape

  • Discussion of how these concepts have been used to manipulate public opinion and obscure the truth

  • Analysis of the Impact of fake news and alternative facts on the Political process and civic Discourse

VII. The Weaponization of Culture

  • Investigation of how culture has been weaponized in Russia to promote the interests of the ruling elite

  • Discussion of how art, music, and literature have been co-opted to serve political purposes

  • Analysis of the impact of this politicization of culture on free expression and artistic freedom

VIII. The Future of Russia

  • Speculation on the potential consequences of the surreal landscape of new Russia

  • Discussion of the possibilities for change and reform within the Russian political system

  • Analysis of the implications of the current situation for Russia's relations with the West and the global community

IX. Conclusion

  • Summary of the main points discussed in the book

• • Reflections on the significance of the surreal heart of new Russia for understanding the country's present and future trajectory.


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