Russian Suffering Matters. Cancellation Doesn't.

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine now in its third month, the demonization of all things Russian continues in the West. Russian athletes are prohibited from participating in sporting events, Russian artists prevented from performing, and an Italian university even “postponed” a course on Dostoevsky. As Tal Fortgang observes, “cancel culture is directed not at Russia the violent invader, but at people who have been made into avatars for Russianism.”

Fortunately, a pushback against this cancellation has begun. Gary Saul Morson distinguishes between “Putin’s Russia” and “Pushkin’s Russia”; David Thomas explains why Russian classical musicians should be permitted to perform; and Sohrab Ahmari spells out his “favorite things” about Russian culture. Considering the pros and cons of cancelling Russian culture, Tim Brinkhof wonders whether it makes sense for the West to treat ordinary Russians the same way it treats Vladimir Putin and his collaborators.