- 2 days ago
9 global trends are reshaping Russia—and the world. You won’t believe #3.
👉 What World Leaders NEED to Know about Russia: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6d9EIByxz1AdkmIOYUlrDd0rmByq5zSN
We live in a world more connected than ever before—where ideas, fears, and chaos now spread faster than facts. But how a country absorbs these global shifts depends on what’s already broken inside.
Today, we’ll uncover 9 global trends—shaping the future of every nation—that are hitting Russia especially hard. From identity crises to information wars, from dying communities to rising authoritarianism—these aren’t just headlines. They’re pressure points.
Video Chapters:
00:00 Nine Global Trends
00:50 Trend 1: A Crisis of Male Identity
04:35 Trend 2: The World of Post-Truth
06:43 Trend 3: The Destruction of Traditional Hierarchies
10:06 Trend 4: The Rise of Technocratic Power
14:51 Trend 5: Sympathy as a Weapon
17:31 Trend 6: The Authoritarian Turn
21:02 Trend 7: Disruption of Life's Chronology
24:11 Trend 8: Escapism
26:35 Trend 9: The Impact of Technology
👉 JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY Sign-up for news about the New Book here: https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/
MY HISTORICAL
👉 What World Leaders NEED to Know about Russia: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6d9EIByxz1AdkmIOYUlrDd0rmByq5zSN
We live in a world more connected than ever before—where ideas, fears, and chaos now spread faster than facts. But how a country absorbs these global shifts depends on what’s already broken inside.
Today, we’ll uncover 9 global trends—shaping the future of every nation—that are hitting Russia especially hard. From identity crises to information wars, from dying communities to rising authoritarianism—these aren’t just headlines. They’re pressure points.
Video Chapters:
00:00 Nine Global Trends
00:50 Trend 1: A Crisis of Male Identity
04:35 Trend 2: The World of Post-Truth
06:43 Trend 3: The Destruction of Traditional Hierarchies
10:06 Trend 4: The Rise of Technocratic Power
14:51 Trend 5: Sympathy as a Weapon
17:31 Trend 6: The Authoritarian Turn
21:02 Trend 7: Disruption of Life's Chronology
24:11 Trend 8: Escapism
26:35 Trend 9: The Impact of Technology
👉 JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY Sign-up for news about the New Book here: https://elvirabary.com/elvira-barys-newsletter/
MY HISTORICAL
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00We live in a world more connected than ever before, where ideas, fears, and chaos now
00:06spread faster than facts.
00:08But how a country absorbs these global shifts depends on what's already broken inside.
00:15Today, we'll uncover nine global trends shaping the future of every nation that are
00:20hitting Russia especially hard.
00:22From identity crisis to information wars, from dying communities to rising authoritarianism,
00:29these aren't just headlines, they are pressure points.
00:34I'm Elvira Bari, an author born in the USSR, and in this video, I'll show you how these
00:39global forces are quietly transforming Russia forever, and why the ripple effects matter
00:46far beyond its borders.
00:53One of the most significant trends shaping our time is the crisis of male identity.
00:59Historically, the natural role of men in our species has been as breadwinners and protectors,
01:06with their success measured by the respect they earned from other men.
01:11In traditional societies, men belonging to the same group were constantly together, competing,
01:17communicating, and helping one another.
01:19However, industrialization and the rise of Soviet power disrupted this traditional way of life.
01:28First, men were sent to factories where they had little opportunity to distinguish themselves
01:34or show initiative.
01:36Secondly, their earnings were strictly limited by state set of wages, and the vast majority of
01:42Soviet men had no chance for career advancement.
01:46Third, the constant migration from villages to cities and from job to job broke apart traditional
01:53bonds, and many men lost their crucial sense of brotherhood and mutual respect.
01:59Additionally, all Soviet citizens lived in tiny rooms within communal apartments, often with
02:05unfriendly neighbors, leaving men with no private space to be alone or connect with other men.
02:11The result of this disruption was widespread alcoholism.
02:15Alcohol provided a temporary escape, allowing men to feel better for a short time.
02:22It also helped them interact with strangers.
02:25In a sense, Soviet men were seeking in beer bars what their ancestors once had naturally, simply
02:33through their way of life.
02:34Self-respect, the ability to relax, a sense of self-worth, and the feeling of being needed.
02:41I have a separate video on why alcoholism was so prevalent among Russian men.
02:46Be sure to check it out.
02:48But alcohol led to the destruction of health and a different kind of catastrophe.
02:54Drunken men lost their value in the eyes of women.
02:58From other men, they longed for respect.
03:02And from women, they craved admiration.
03:05Even if a man does not drink, it is extremely difficult to win the admiration of modern women.
03:12In today's world, women no longer rely on men for physical survival.
03:16And the rise of social media and pop culture has created unrealistic expectations for romantic
03:23and personal fulfillment.
03:25Many women now expect perfection in multiple areas.
03:29Finances, appearance, and relationships, leaving average men feeling inadequate and frustrated.
03:35This growing sense of alienation is leading to a rise in right-wing political movements
03:42where conservative ideologies offer an illusion of a return to a time when men felt respected
03:49and valued.
03:50This is a global trend.
03:52But in Russia, it has become especially acute, particularly in poor rural areas and national
03:58outskirts.
03:59Phones are available to everyone.
04:01Everyone is connected to the internet and women have a very clear idea of what the ideal
04:08man should be.
04:09If you are just an ordinary guy from a sunken bricks village, you have no chance of improving
04:17your life or status.
04:18Your only hope is to go to war where you are very likely to die.
04:23Clearly, this trend won't change with the end of the war because the money will run out
04:28and the population isn't exactly looking forward to the return of soldiers with post-traumatic
04:33stress disorder.
04:39In the past, governments could suppress dangerous ideas by controlling speech and restricting
04:46access to information.
04:47But with the rise of the internet, it has become impossible to fully censor inconvenient narratives.
04:54But savvy public relations experts have long found a way to deal with this problem.
04:59They began flooding the media space with dozens of conflicting narratives.
05:04Particularly impressive results were achieved when the issue was something complex that the
05:09average person did not really understand, such as what COVID-19 is and how to protect against
05:15it, whether or not to engage in global trade, how and where to save money or what's happening
05:22in foreign politics.
05:23Additionally, online everyone claims to be an expert.
05:27And it's very difficult for an outsider to figure out, does this confident, passionate
05:33person truly understand the subject?
05:35Do they generally want to share the truth or are they just working for money?
05:40Since most people do not have the time or energy to thoroughly research everything, they simply
05:47lead the decision-making to their authorities and adopt the position that will never be the
05:52full truth.
05:53A stark example of this is how Putin and his regime convinced much of the Russian population
05:59that there are Nazis in Ukraine, despite many Russians having family members or friends
06:05living there who could easily verify the truth.
06:08When speaking the truth is punishable, people avoid expressing their opinions, and only those
06:14with the power to speak out are heard.
06:16This creates the illusion that the whole country is in line with the president.
06:22In reality, the dilemma looks like this.
06:24Do you support Vladimir Putin or should we send you to prison for 10 years?
06:30As a result, the ability to make collective decisions and take action becomes extremely difficult
06:36because there is no common understanding of what is good and what is bad.
06:47For many centuries, European civilization adhered to the concept of the Great Chain of Being.
06:52This hierarchical structure of existence placed God at the top, followed by angels, humans, animals,
06:59plants, and minerals.
07:00Every person had their place in this hierarchy, and their sacred duty was to fulfill the role
07:07assigned to them at birth, without challenging the existing order.
07:11If the lower ranks sought to rise, it would lead to rebellion, civil war, epidemics, and death.
07:18Under such a system, all power was seen as divine.
07:21If a ruler appeared out of place or did something wrong, it was expected that the people should
07:27simply endure.
07:28After all, the common person could do nothing to change it.
07:33The belief was that it was right to trust the ruler, because they knew better.
07:38Until recently, this was true, as rulers had far better education and a broader worldview
07:44than peasants or craftsmen.
07:47Gradually, the press and especially the internet began to erode the perception of rulers as demigods.
07:53Leaders started giving interviews and even speaking on social media, which often seemed bizarre
08:01and left people bewildered what he is even talking about.
08:05This is insane.
08:07Investigative journalists learned to uncover the elite's hidden bank accounts and expose
08:12corruption schemes, leading to a collapse in trust.
08:16In the US, the Watergate scandal was a turning point, revealing that those in power didn't behave
08:22like flawless gentlemen.
08:24In the USSR, the illusion of power was shattered not when Nicholas II abdicated, but during Yeltsin's
08:31rule, when his drunken antics and scandals were splashed across the press.
08:36People didn't know much about Nicholas because the country didn't read newspapers, but Yeltsin's
08:42decline was visible to all.
08:44Putin managed to seize power partly because he appeared to embody the right type of ruler,
08:49confident, athletic, educated, and multilingual.
08:53But over time, it became clear that Putin and his entourage were simply stealing resources
08:59from the country.
09:00Leading opposition figure, Alexei Navalny and his team exposed intricate corruption schemes
09:06revealing the dark side of Russian power.
09:09His videos gathered millions of views on YouTube, simultaneously shocking people and fostering
09:15a bitter realization that no one could be trusted.
09:19If someone rises to power, they will inevitably become corrupt.
09:24When Navalny was arrested and ultimately killed in prison for speaking the truth, it destroyed
09:30any remained hope for higher justice.
09:34In the past, the government at least pretended to care about legality.
09:38Now, the rule is simple.
09:40The strong are always right.
09:42In this reality, smart people adapt, align themselves with the stronger force, and live
09:48like barnacles clinging to a shark.
09:50But trust is gone.
09:52There is no longer a sense that God's lieutenant is watching over you, knowing what's best.
09:58The ruler might not even have the necessary qualifications, or they might be looking out for their own
10:04interests, not yours.
10:11Over the last few decades, two fundamental shifts have reshaped our world, and not everyone
10:17has fully grasped their implications.
10:20First, politics and power were once incredibly distant from the average person.
10:25People had no say in international treaties, trade agreements, or development priorities.
10:31But the moment an ordinary person got their hands on a phone connected to the internet,
10:38they become participants in the political process.
10:42Millions of anonymous voices gathered in large groups, elevating those who spoke their values.
10:50Popularity became capital, a resource that easily converts into power.
10:54Additionally, these known names started expressing their opinions, which, while often not supported
11:01by evidence, became a formidable force.
11:04A million unfounded opinions can be incredibly powerful.
11:09This power is easy to manipulate if you have the budget to promote a certain narrative
11:14or the means to silence dissenting voices.
11:17The second shift is that, over the past few decades, a new class of technically skilled professionals
11:25has amassed great wealth.
11:28This includes both well-known billionaires and ordinary IT specialists earning more than
11:34the average worker.
11:35These individuals are confident in their expertise and believe they understand how the world works.
11:41Therefore, they believe they know how things should be run.
11:44But there is a problem.
11:46Standing in their way are millions of regular workers with smartphones, who are easily manipulated
11:53if you know how to press the right buttons.
11:55But they don't necessarily see them as obstacles.
11:59Instead, they aim to keep them in check, occupying their minds with appealing narratives and ensuring
12:05they vote for the right way, whether in elections or in everyday life on social media.
12:12The issue with technocrats is that they oversimplify how society operates.
12:18Their approach is that of an engineer.
12:21They have 24 hours in a day, spend years building their careers, and they have little interest
12:27or expertise in their humanities.
12:29Worse, they often disdain the humanities, believing that fields like anthropology, psychology, or sociology
12:36is worthless because they don't lead to making millions.
12:40This leads to a pattern.
12:43Technocrats believe they know best how to run the country.
12:46They manipulate public opinion to their advantage, assuming that this will lead to efficiency and
12:53progress.
12:53Their decisions ignore the findings of modern human and social sciences because they simply
12:59don't recognize the value in these fields, but they won't bother learning, as they already
13:05consider themselves smarter than everyone else.
13:08Technocrats are captivated by the future, by science fiction, and by their promises of what's
13:14to come.
13:14They want to rush into a new, perfect world and avoid dealing with social issues as they
13:21see them as trivial.
13:23When they gain power, they tackle these problems with force, driven by a desire to reach their
13:30goals faster.
13:31In Russia, we see the undeniable influence of technocrats.
13:36Yes, they make sure the machinery of government runs smoothly, but society as a whole feels
13:42the strain.
13:44After all, people are not just cogs in a machine speeding toward a bright future, nor are they
13:50fuel for that machine.
13:51Interestingly, the most technocratic concept of all is Stalinism, with its obsession with
13:57efficiency, scale, and progress.
13:59We all know where that led.
14:02If you are interested in more details, check out my novel The Prince of the Soviets.
14:06It tells the story of a reporter working for a Western news agency in Stalin's Moscow,
14:12where foreign journalists took the place of the Russian aristocracy.
14:16The Bolshevik rulers may have gotten rid of counts and princes, but they see that they
14:21still needed a royal court and an elite society of their own.
14:26Those who attended their grand events and interacted with administrative assistants saw much more than
14:33than the average person, both in the West and the USSR.
14:38This is a captivating tale of how people tried to build a bright future, only to end up constructing
14:44something resembling the Incan empire.
14:47Find the link to the novel in the description below.
14:55Every elite faces an age-old problem, how to prove to themselves and to others that they are special.
15:02At its core, it is a battle for attention and status.
15:07In the past, this was achieved with curly wigs, red heels, and white skirts that could barely fit through a
15:14door.
15:15However, the ability to buy expensive things on credit shattered the system.
15:20Now a person with a moderate income can buy an expensive car and appear just as wealthy as the CEO
15:27of a major corporation.
15:28Do you know what many Russian immigrants buy first when they settle in America?
15:34A Tesla.
15:36They often live paycheck to paycheck, but they make sure to post nice photos for their friends and family on
15:42Instagram.
15:43By the way, Instagram is banned in Russia.
15:46But that doesn't stop everyone from using it.
15:49Ordinary people now have better access to food and education than their ancestors did.
15:54And in terms of appearance, the aristocracy no longer seems all that different from the middle class.
16:01The problem of flaunting wealth shifted to ideology and morality.
16:06Now you need to show everyone how kind, generous, fair, and morally upright you are.
16:12You must stand up for the weak and the oppressed without actually doing anything, just talking about it.
16:19Declared sympathy immediately boosts your status and popularity.
16:23Declared sympathy must be displayed loudly, visibly, and the more visibly, the lower your status actually is.
16:30A famous actress can simply post on Instagram to demonstrate her sympathy.
16:35But for those lower on the social ladder, it only counts if it's backed by tangible actions.
16:43And that's when sympathy can turn into violence.
16:46Because what could be more impressive than doing good with your fists?
16:51In the United States, this manifested in riots by demonstrators fighting for all that is good against all that is
16:59bad.
16:59In Russia, the elite showed sympathy for Russians living in Ukraine, the Baltics, and other countries.
17:06A whole narrative of fighting against Russophobia emerged, a fear of Russians and Russian culture.
17:12The elite loudly expressed their sympathy, celebrated rallies around the flag,
17:16and happily watched their own fame and authority grow on the wave of nationalism.
17:22Meanwhile, those lower on the social ladder converted all of this into violence and went off to kill Ukrainians.
17:36When the Soviet Union collapsed, many believed history had come to an end.
17:41It was thought that from now on, all countries would become democracies,
17:46nations would live in harmony, and an era of global peace and prosperity would begin.
17:52In reality, what happened was quite different.
17:56Globalization led to the free movement of people, goods, and capital.
18:00And the global security system, largely funded by the US, allowed for international trade.
18:07However, in countries where wealth is generated not by innovation, but by natural resources or cheap labor,
18:14democracy never took hold.
18:16Local elites may have pretended to be democracies, holding elections and drafting fancy constitutions.
18:23But they had no intention of relinquishing their power or their sources of income.
18:30Democracy works well in places with diversified economies, where no single source of wealth dominates and no one can control
18:38it.
18:38But in countries where strategic locations allow elites to control trade routes, democracy struggles.
18:46These elites will make money from trade, use it to fund police, military, and bureaucracy,
18:50and ensure that no one challenges their control over the nation's wealth.
18:56All authoritarian regimes follow the same path.
18:59They suppress opposition.
19:01Democratic countries criticize them for it.
19:04And dictators view this as an attack on their sacred right to manage the riches they've won in a tough
19:12battle with political rivals.
19:14They then blame America and Western Europe for all their problems, using this as a rallying cry to unite the
19:21people around the flag.
19:22If there's enough money, the dictator can stay in power for decades.
19:26Eventually, thoughts of Granger set in.
19:28And they may start a war.
19:30Which is exactly what we are seeing in Russia and other similar countries.
19:34The problem with authoritarianism is this.
19:38Democracies, for a time, find it beneficial to trade with authoritarian regimes
19:43because dictators can maintain favorable prices for raw materials by controlling everything in their countries.
19:50This means authoritarian regimes effectively get other countries addicted to their resources like a drug.
19:57So, authoritarianism strengthens at the expense of democracies and then it attacks them.
20:05Democracies find it difficult to abandon such cooperation.
20:09Sometimes they have no alternative.
20:11And other times, the alternative is just too costly.
20:15In the end, authoritarianism is the major issue of the 21st century.
20:20It's fundamentally against human nature because our species has existed for hundreds of thousands of years
20:27in small family groups with a hierarchy where the leader's actions were always checked
20:33by how their inner circle regarded them.
20:36But with the rise of civilization, the system became distorted.
20:41The leader still focuses on their closest circle.
20:44But their decisions affect countless people they don't even know.
20:48This is unnatural for our species.
20:51No one should have so much power that they can wipe out the lives of others
20:56based on their mood without facing any consequences.
21:05Our birth rate is rapidly declining and the population is aging.
21:10I've discussed the causes of this in a separate video, which you can find in the description.
21:16Some people may think there's nothing wrong with this.
21:19After all, there are too many people in the world anyway.
21:22But in reality, the quality of life we have today is a direct result of having a large population.
21:29In the Middle Ages, humanity didn't develop much not because people were less intelligent,
21:34but simply because there weren't enough hands to do the work.
21:38The wealthiest and most influential countries were those with favorable geography and large populations.
21:46However, it's not just the number of people on the planet that has changed.
21:51The composition of the population has changed as well.
21:54A hundred years ago, the average Soviet citizen was a 20-year-old young man.
21:59Today, that's a woman over 40.
22:02Soviet people used to be active, militant and full of enthusiasm.
22:07Life was cheap and the idea of dying for your country or for Stalin was quite appealing
22:13as it increased your social value.
22:15Today, Russians are only willing to go to war for a lot of money.
22:20And not even all of them.
22:22And nobody is willing to die for Putin.
22:24Just look at the rebellion by pre-Goshen.
22:26His troops marched towards Moscow and the population was posting memes and selfies on social media.
22:34The decline in birth rate has led to a significant shortage of workers,
22:39forcing businesses to bring in migrant labor.
22:42This is already changing the landscape of Russian cities.
22:46For example, in my youth, there were almost no people from Central Asia in my home city of Nizhny Novgorod.
22:52Now, they work in construction, cleaning, municipal services, retail, delivery and warehouses.
23:00The city simply cannot do without them.
23:03The fact that people are living much longer also puts an increased burden on the healthcare and pension systems.
23:10It would be fine if people lived longer in good health.
23:14But that's not the case.
23:16The government either has to constantly treat half the population
23:20or admit the failure of this system,
23:22allowing people to live out their days as best as they can, at their own expense.
23:28There's another aspect to long life.
23:31In the past, generational shifts happened quickly for natural reasons.
23:35But that's no longer the case.
23:38Young people now need to have a lot of skills and resources to compete with older generations
23:43and be considered suitable for starting a family.
23:47Moreover, wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of the elderly
23:52and they are reluctant to share.
23:55The total wealth of society is increasing.
23:58But it's not reaching the younger generation.
24:01As a result, the younger generation feels suppressed,
24:04finding it increasingly difficult to strike out on their own
24:08and begin to build families.
24:15Trend number 7 gives rise to trend number 8.
24:19Mass escapism
24:20On one hand, life for nearly everyone on our planet
24:24is much more comfortable when it was a century ago.
24:28However, we now face far more fears,
24:32psychological issues, boredom, and concerns about self-fulfillment.
24:36Our expectations of ourselves have shifted dramatically.
24:41In the past, simply being able to provide for yourself and your family
24:45was enough to be considered successful.
24:48Today, success is defined by the media and social networks.
24:54But reality makes it incredibly difficult to meet these standards.
24:58As a result, what we want and what we can achieve often no longer align.
25:05Life in the real world is becoming more challenging from a psychological standpoint,
25:11which is why many people are retreating into imaginary worlds,
25:15where life feels far more engaging and productive.
25:18This is changing our consumer behavior and altering the structure of our time.
25:23We are spending it on entirely different things.
25:27Our sexuality, birth rates, and crime rates are all decreasing.
25:33The reason for this is that people are seeking adventure not in the real world,
25:38but in their imaginations, on social media or in virtual reality.
25:43In Russia, this trend looks like people wanting to escape the reality of increasing totalitarianism.
25:49The war affects everything, yet everyone acts as though nothing significant is happening.
25:57There is no talk of the war, and discussions about the future are non-existent.
26:03Entertainment must be as far removed from reality as possible.
26:07Women binge-watch melodramas and read romance novels about billionaires,
26:13while men play video games.
26:16There is another form of escapism.
26:19If you live in a desolate corner of the world with no chance of escaping poverty and misery,
26:26you might consider joining the army.
26:29In this case, death doesn't scare you as much as a life without prospects.
26:39New technologies are already transforming our world and will continue to do so at an even faster pace.
26:46Artificial intelligence is making work significantly easier,
26:49and robots are now performing surgeries.
26:52On the other side, our phones are already tracking us.
26:55I've long noticed that when I mention a product, related ads start appearing in my social media feed.
27:02People's movements are easily tracked, and their data is readily available.
27:08This isn't limited to government officials.
27:11In Russia, the government is building databases on everything, from food orders to airline tickets.
27:18These databases are available on the black market, often sold at lower prices by government employees.
27:25This has real consequences.
27:27For instance, I'm currently helping a fellow writer create a film about the war in Ukraine using AI.
27:33But we need real actors for voiceovers because AI-generated voices sound artificial.
27:39So far, we have not been able to find any professional Russian-speaking actors.
27:44Everyone is afraid of being tracked, blacklisted, and never working again in Russian cinema or television.
27:51I completely understand.
27:52For an actor, it could mean the end of their career.
27:56As a result, we may have to abandon the Russian part of the project and shoot everything in English instead.
28:01The war itself has become virtual and distant.
28:06The people launching rockets into peaceful Ukrainian cities are simply government employees living in large cities,
28:13riding public transport, and going to work.
28:16After killing someone else's children, they attend school concerts for their own kids.
28:21And they are fine with it because they see war as a video game.
28:26The Ukrainian and Western press report on missile strikes hitting residential buildings.
28:31But in the Russian media, nothing like this is shown.
28:35Information is available online, but it requires effort to find.
28:40And why look for it if it's uncomfortable?
28:44Despite all the progress, there is one area where new technologies have made little headway.
28:51Mental health.
28:52It's not improving at all.
28:54A large number of people rely on antidepressants and other medications just to maintain control.
29:00And some lose that control.
29:02Among those making decisions that impact the world's future,
29:06many clearly need professional help for their mental health.
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