Russia's War in Ukraine by Yaron Brook
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- The war in Ukraine continues nearly a year and a half since Russia’s initial invasion. In this talk, Dr. Brook will illuminate the causes and consequences of this war. What were the factors that led to it, and what is its current status? What lessons can we learn about the state of our culture by looking at the response in the West to the war in Ukraine-especially the response of the American Right?
Recorded live at OCON 2023
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Thanks!
Yaron has literally changed my life some years ago - I already was in my mid 30s when I first saw him on Lex Friedman, and he kind of blew my mind - I thought "wow, this guy speaks my mind, and does it much better than I ever could and would!" :DD Of course there is some stuff I disagree with Yaron on, especially the corporate finance and market stuff, but still. I am Eastern European and I thank God for him being a beacon of light in the sea of Joe Rogans.
I agree, and I'd like to add that he's a great person. I've met him in person several times.
Great comment.
Dr. Brook is a very passionate, honest, interesting, not boring, logical, inspiring presenter.
Yaron is criminally underrated
More like criminally uninformed
Not only a good opinion, but a heroic picture of intellectuality is presented here.. as always by Yaron Brook
Not really. Standard neo con speak.
@@conveyor2 So criticizing neo-conservatives as worshippers of totalitarian dictators is standard neo-conservative speak?
@@denismijatovic1239 The dictators are in the West as much as elsewhere. Remember lockdown or is that a conspiracy theory now?
@@denismijatovic1239 A coup by VIctoria nuland is the real totalitarian, not some fake bullshit media spun narrative of what dictator is.
This is a great talk! I completely agree!
I love this guy, I always learn something new from him.
Does Yaron approve of the Canadian Parliament's ovation for one Yaroslav Hunka, a literal nahtsee?
right ?!? 😂this talk hasn’t aged well .. counteroffensive failed .. oh no i just reported news.. i most be pro russia
Does one act justify another?
@@fredpope6352If you're pro-russian, then you can replace your living place from one country to another where libertarian ideas are not allowed. Go ahead.
Im enjoying the talk and i really rate Yaron but the camera keeps moving around and it's really distracting. Try zooming out next time.
Yaron Brook is very good....
It is true, that Yaron Brook is very good. I don't understand only injustice commited to Craig Biddle. If you interested to understand, what I'm talking about, see "Of Schisms, Public and Private" of ARI New Ideal and Biddle answer in his name site, discord "Misused Words, Made-Up Rules, Fabricated Evidence, and an Argument from Intimidation"; Biddle has provided many other related sources. It is very sad. I'm sure, that pride and integrity is essential for egoism and validity of pro-capitalists, so you must know. I hope, that good in these people defeat evil, that they will do eventually the right thing.
Extremely unconvincing on why the best endgame is na all out Ukrainian victory, at whatever cost. Would Yaron accept the right of the people to choose whether they want to leave Ukraine? Or does he think, for example, that people in Crimea are somehow pro-Ukraine but they joined Russia against their will?
Self-determination, as a principle, is the reason that Yaron hates Libertarians and vows to never platform or debate them. He has said many times that he would like to see a world with vastly fewer countries.
@@justifiably_stupid4998 very bizarre if true. How about a single, planet -sized country. I suspect that's not really his ideal
@@DimitrisAndreou a single government for an entire world? 🤔 I wonder if people who advocate against borders understand what it implies.
Wouldn't be obvious that it is the best for Ukraine becoming independent? If Ukraine follows Minsk Treaty, everything is fine and everyone is happy. Of course, US and NATO would be happy cause they have their agenda, they don't care about Ukraine people.
The Crimean referendum on joining Russia was such a sham, that even the (Russian) Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights called them out on it.
I'm Russian, and I can admit with true joy, that all that is very thoughtful. So good to hear so articulate, clear and true speech. Thank you for reminder, that good and just exist and live. I'm so tired from horrors and stupidity, glad that I have found this source of reason. I never wanted to live in middle ages and never wanted this war, and I'm sure, that Ukraine has an unconditional right to self-defense (but not right to command Ukrainians to die), and Russia should lose, because it has not valid reason for its effort, pay reparations and take all the blame, to start anew.
I hope and choose as I can do for that selfishly, that Capitalism wins and we will live as human beings, not as altruists.
P. S. Stop injustice to Craig Biddle. Why are you doing this? It is lower than your dignity. Maybe, you think, that it is your destiny to advance freedom, not anyone else, but not reason and ability of any man, who cares about it? Only you should be selfish? Do you don't like the competition? If you have some self-doubts, that forced you to behave like this, you should face them, not evade them. What in the end you can possibly get from such conflicts and contradictions? His elaborations has an overwhelming much thought and clarity, than any of you, his foes. But I can respect your talent, effort and ability. So, please, stop doing this before much harm. I'm sure, that he is a good objectivist and you should never attack him. (If you interested to understand, what I'm talking about, see "Of Schisms, Public and Private" of ARI New Ideal and Biddle answer in his name site, discord "Misused Words, Made-Up Rules, Fabricated Evidence, and an Argument from Intimidation"; Biddle has provided many other related sources).
Surprising. These are all things that's been touted on war-hungry media for the past year and half. I was looking forward to a more intellectually honest presentation by Yaron.
War hungry? This was an invasion launched by the Russian dictatorship.
The good old argument from intimidation
Good video. Hello from Russia
Does anyone else remember when Putin said to Bushie Bush: "You know George...Ukraine is Not a Country". Bush was apparently speechless because no response was heard.
He had answer when Georgia was attacked by Russia in 2008: he sended Navy Forces to shores of Romania and Türkyie. In the next day Russian millitary campaign on Tbilisi was ripped off.
My respect for you is growing big-time. Bravo
The Finland in NATO counter argument is such a trope. What did he think Russia should do? Open up a 2nd front on Finland while they were tied down in Ukraine? It was either Ukraine in NATO, or Finland in NATO and Russia made its choice.
You clearly have not even understood what was being said with regard to that topic.
@@denismijatovic1239 What haven't I understood? Mentioning Finland is not a real argument against the case that this is about NATO expansion. Mentioning Finland is a flimsy, superficial non counter to the NATO expansion premise. Putin himself already explained his position on Finland, but he ignores that Putin addressed that trope already when it first came out.
@@dwl3006 Exactly. How many times have invading armies marched through Finland to try to conquer Russia?
@@thomashenderson6049 Apparently, during the Russo-Finnish war Stalin invaded Finland because he was afraid of the Germans using it as a staging point to invade the Soviet Union. A few years later: lo and behold. But I need to do more reading on that issue to know it in detail.
Don’t worry, we gonna deal with Finland later:))
Okay, I've listened twenty minutes in.
Yaron Brook promised he would explain how Russia's aggression upon Ukraine is something we in North America or Western Europe should worry about.
For those with greater patience than mine, did he ever explain why we (in the USA or in Britain or even in Germany) should care? (Remember, we Objectivists are not altruists; we don't believe in spending billions of our money rescuing EVERY NATION, EVERY FREAKIN' VILLAGE from "aggression" or from any other problem. We're supposed to be supporters of an essentially rationally SELFISH foreign policy -- allying ourselves with other nations based on our long-term self-interests.)
An authoritarian Russia had control over Ukraine throughout most of American history (18th, 19th, most of the 20th centuries). (...And, as well, eastern Poland, Finland, the Baltic states, etc. were part of the Czarist Empire). Did this ever affect our American prosperity, our security in ANY way? ....Does Yaron ever explain this?!? What deleterious effect did this geographical fact have on America -- the safety or happiness of its people?
What we learned in the Spring of 2022 was that Russia is in fact, from the perspective of a military power, MUCH WEAKER than we had thought earlier. The Russian military is SO WEAK that it utterly failed to overrun Ukraine (its capital Kiev, the agriculturally rich central part) in the month or two after the initial invasion. We know that they wanted to overrun most of Ukraine (including its capital, Kiev), because clearly Kiev was the target in February and March of 2022. Most of us thought Ukraine would go down almost as fast as Poland did to Germany in September 1939. ...The invasion of Ukraine has been an unmitigated DISASTER for Russia and especially Putin.
With the above in mind, how is Yaron convincing Americans and Britons -- and, at this stage (considering the revelation of Russia's embarrassing weakness in its fight with Ukraine), even Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles -- that Russia constitutes a serious security threat to any of us?
Why does he want us to continue spending BILLIONS of our money on Zelensky's effort to regain the Crimea and a few provinces in eastern Ukraine which are Russian ethnic majority anyway?
Why does he even want the U.S. to remain in NATO? What security interest of the United States is served by our continued membership in NATO? ...Other than a purely altruistic one (which the neo-Cons would invoke)? ...Has Yaron Brook become a neo-Con? Because, he wasn't 20 years ago -- when he was a hawk against the Islamists. (Let's remember that the Islamists -- the Wahaabists, particularly -- attacked the United States on September, 11th, 2001. Islamists frequently attacked the West for many decades with terrorist attacks. Putin an his allies have NEVER attacked the West. The most he has done IN THE WEST was to poison one or two Russian expats living in Europe.)
This speech was given at the recent Objectivist Conference. So, I'd like a knowledgeable Objectivist, here, who has listened to the entire speech, to explain WHERE in this speech (or, just explain generally) Yaron explaining what OUR SELF-INTEREST is in this far away conflict. (There are wars being fought, right now, in places like Ethiopia and Sudan and with the Burmese persecution of Rohingya; he never talks about THOSE conflicts. Why should we care if Russia retains control over the Crimea or a couple of provinces in eastern Ukraine?)
You had time to write this essay pontificating about a video you didn’t watch, not the time to watch the video? Amazing.
Yaron forgets about this teaser entirely. It is brought up in the Q/A and his answer, literally, is that Russia needs to lose so that it can discredit Tucker Carlson.
Incredible comment really. I haven't watch not even 20 minutes but for I know. It something like knowing your enemy and why they do what they do. So Knowing "The cause of Hitler's Germany". If I'm wrong I'll come here if I remember it
@@sybo59 What do you mean? I said I watched 20 minutes of it. So, obviously I'm "pontificating" regarding the first 20 minutes.
So, did YOU watch this video 'til the end? ...Not so amazing.
It's not so amazing that you're a fanboy of Yaron (and others are not), but why don't you answer my question since you DID watch the lecture all the way to the end?
@@Swaaaat1 Many people who follow Objectivism, particularly younger ones, may not know that the young Ayn Rand (aged around 25, a Russian immigrant to America, from a Jewish background, married for ten years, working as a scriptwriter and nascent novelist in the Los Angeles area) was an 'America Firster' in the run up to America's entry into World War II (which of course was due the Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor, immediately followed by Hitler's declaration of war on America like two days later).
She may have been in favor of "Lend-Lease" (to assist Britain), but she wanted America to stay out -- even as the Nazis overran countries like Belgium, Holland, France, Norway, and was threatening an invasion of Britain itself.
Russia isn't anything near the threat Hitler presented -- especially now that we can see how pitiful the Russian military is -- it can't even overrun its much smaller neighbor, Ukraine. They are barely holding onto areas dominated by Russian ethnic people.
...But, for Yaron Brook (Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Ayn Rand Institute), this struggle of Ukraine to get its eastern-most provinces back from Russia is something so important for America and the American people (or even for Britons and Germans and Czechs). ....He thinks this war is something that should be of a high priority to Americans.
I was hoping somewhere in this lengthy lecture, he'd explain why.
I guess I just don't have the patience to sit and listen all the way through. But seeing all these fanboy comments in the comment section about this being such an intellectually profound lecture, I was hoping SOMEONE who actually sat through the whole thing could give me some answer.
Clarity Clarity Clarity
Sorry Yaron but being a neocon and imperialist is the opposite of objectivism. We have no self interest in Ukraine whatsoever
You’re not an Objectivist, and you don’t know what neoconservatism is.
@@sybo59what an argument, lol, educate urself
@@justthesun Yaron literally wrote a book against neoconservatism. The OP, like several other dishonest commenters here, imply that they are Objectivists or know something about Objectivism. A weak attempt to drive a wedge. It takes a special kind of dolt to call anything Yaron said here “imperialistic.”
@@sybo59 Who are you to confer the title of Objectivist?
@@conveyor2 I’m stating a fact. The commenter is not an Objectivist, and doesn’t actually claim to me, but is using that word against Yaron as a weak rhetorical tactic.
The JP's quote is completely out of context. I'm 100% confident and as always I prefer to believe my own ears.
There's so much in this presentation to pick apart but I'll just point to one or two things
1. What makes Yuron think that Ukraine is beating Russia? He gives no answer. Blank out!
2. By his own logic it made sense for the US to go to war in Vietnam. Same essential reasons
3. He ignores the fact that the Ukrainian government is as corrupt as the Russian government
I'm not in favor of either country and agree with those that say the US has no national interest in getting involved.
I also consider Yurons arguments to be based on false premise after false premise. It's a tragedy what Yuron has done to the vastly superior thinking capacity of Ayn Rand through this farse of an institution that bares her name. Leonard Peikoff really dropped the ball on who he entrusted this institute
Don't know ever you're about, but
1. Blank out? Look, by all accounts, Putin is failing. Look at who's backing Ukraine. Yaron has said in the talk that the tides could change in Russia's favor if Ukraine's western allies flip. The winner has not yet been determined, but so far, Russia is losing. If you're on Putin's side, that makes sense why you have blinders on. I invite you to give us any indication that Ukraine is not successfully defending itself. ffs Finland is fast tracked to NATO. You trying to tell us that's a calculated strategy by Putin?
2. I dare you to explicitly state the reasons.
3. Yaron had stated numerous times that the Ukrainian government is corrupt. He didn't go as far as saying they're as corrupt as Russia, but that's because it clearly isn't. Study history.
As soon as war is declared, Yaron usually justifies collective punishments for "those people," specifically targeting innocent bystanders with sanctions, propaganda, embargoes, and death.
Dead Russian soldiers are a metric for progress in the war, discounting their voluntary military is staffed with 18yr olds pursuing their ideals of justice, as their government sell them lies about Ukrainian atrocities and WMDs.
All principles are discarded in favor of a utilitarian, victory at any cost fight for freedom. Individuals everywhere have a collective duty to sacrifice to preserve the Ukrainian government's power.
What is the realist consequence of Ukraine losing? The government politicians and military leadership will likely be exiled to Hawaii to live in million dollar mansions. Ukrainian civilians will gain more freedoms and live as the Crimeans have lived for the last 8 years.
1. The fact that Russia has to go into defensive stalling is a huge sign of winning. Plus it's a lot weaker then at the beginning. As long as the west helping, Ukraine is winning. So Yaron is right here.
2. No one has sent troops into Ukraine yet because it was wrong in Vietnam war. Well, it's one of the reasons. So your argument would be valid if US troops would be fighting russians now.
3. He explicitly mentioned that Ukraine is corrupt too. I'm afraid you didn't pay enough attention on that one.
Your statement that you're not taking sides means that you putting the agressor and the victim on the same level, which is immoral. If you are for the US to not be involved, it's alright, but at least condemn Russia for it's crimes.
1. Ukraine has reason to fight, to live, Russia has no earthly reason. Russia is blatantly irrational and stupid. Russian victory is impossible, because it is even unimaginable: for that, they must be right in their ego-centrism, that only russians exist in the world. But, actually, ukrainians is alive and not russians, entire contry, that cannot live under russians. They don't have any idea, how to manage Ukraine, even if they conquer it.
2. Iran and Russia --- is center of, in terminology of YB, collectivism from the right. Degree of their success is illusion of sense for idea of theirs. If, USA wouldn't be so middle-of-the-roaders, if they just gave Ukrainians full military aid and sanction, Russia wouldn't have a chance against it. Because, it can be defeated even with only Wagner, only Wagner haven't any idea and basis for its fight, and russians have no idea, what to think and do in any strange situation. Propably victory over Moscow, Chechnya as major ally and possible separatist and elimination of the Putin can be enough to stop Russia. Even victory over Moscow propably would be enough to cool the russia's drive and force it to peace, if West would be uncompomising. Third Reich and USSR is very similar and possibly not very useful to help any of them, but there is different case: restoration of empire with all of its ugliness. If it is not stopped, you will get Iran number two. That is clearly a threat to America. America is very vulnerable to religious fanatics, and you don't lose anything principal from this aid anyway. America can engage in its de-controls, and you can convince people to do it despite this aid, and you win more, than you just try to get into capitalism in one impossibly big step.
3. He doesn't ignore the fact. He said, that only difference, is dynamic to the West.
What a bs it is, he is crazy.
"Communist ideology is very similar to Christianity, in fact: freedom, equality, brotherhood, justice - everything is laid out in the Holy Scripture, it’s all there. And the code of the builder of communism? This is sublimation, it’s just such a primitive excerpt from the Bible, nothing new was invented.”
“Look, Lenin was put in a mausoleum. How is this different from the relics of saints for Orthodox Christians and just for Christians? When they say that there’s no such tradition in Christianity, well, how come, go to Athos and take a look, there are relics of the saints there, and we have holy relics here.”
- Vladimir Putin, January 2018
@Gorboduc
True communism is our holy faith. Testing construction and fighting. Only the truth of a personal example. Most people unknowingly are communist, role model might just different, that's all. For some it is Zelenskyj for other is Joe for some strange reason, while NATO is not much different then to Soviet they talk about unity and all that we who know the truth are familiar with, communism is marching through the planet is a beautiful sight to behold but only when are honest what you are then and only then can reach your full potential.
@@CGplay186 Is this 4D chess?
'Nuff said, SI gave you a thumbs up as a way to say "thank you" for proving me and Ayn Rand to be correct in our assessments those 55 years ago. You have demonstrated that the oh-so-scientific heralds of the future are as superstitious as their enemies, This is what I mean when I say "I'll let Reality do my dirty work for me", It is just a shame that the Dominicans and Brothers of the Christian Schools have to also be casualties as there are some genuinely good persons therin whom I have dealt with personally. But as was said in a letter to Ayn Rand by a fan recorded in CAPITALISM: THE UNKNOWN IDEAL, "only the Kremlin, the Vatican and the Empire State Building [her HQ at the time] know what is going on". Sig transit gloria Progressivismi or as Rand said "Lift the dark hood of your fellow traveller and see what he represents"
QED
A very one sided view and did the Ayn Ran Institute no favours. Virtually no mention of the USA role in starting the war and its desire to have no peace settlement or the role of the US puppets within NATO and Europe. If anything just a political statement against Russia.
as usual
There is no role of the USA in starting this war. What peace negotiations? Ukraine doesn't want that, and rightfully so, it will lead to further occupation, annexation, genocide, persecutions and war, including, maybe, global war. Are you a warmonger? Or you hold your breath that russia of putin's regime is negotiable contrary to compelling evidence?
I agree with much of this lecture, but the older I get, the more I dislike this entire idea of "Saving Western Civilization." It's a silly idea, and really is rooted in I think many on the right not wanting to accept that "The West" is mostly the source of the best ideas and the worst ideas of the modern world. Capitalism is indeed out of the Western Canon, but so does Fascism and Communism.
Pretty much everything that Dr. Brook talked about in this lecture originates in Western Civilization. And I'd argue that Russia is actually appealing to the Christian aspects of Western Civilization to the rest of the world to gain respect and sympathy. This isn't a battle over saving Western Civilization, it's a battle over the legacy of Classical Liberalism and the Enlightenment, as well as the maintenance of the secular structure of society that it founded.
Western Civilization has come to dominate the world, but Western Civilization also has a ton of bad ideas, as well as good ones. Even many of the bad ideas that we've seen come out of Islamism or Islamofascism were rooted either in ideas originating from the West or the failure of the Arab world (i.e. Pan-Arabism) to implement western political strategies, to liberate their nation states from Western control. Pretty much every ideological battle in the world since the 20th century, is the West against itself.
А где перевод,на русский,,!?
I think this guy is a lefty who really doesn't understand geopolitics very well
Didn’t agree w everything but a good speech overall.
What percentage of people living inside The Russian Federation are estimated to be non-Russian by 21l00?
I don't agree with Yaron's position. I stand with Russia, but it was, overall, a good speech. Thanks for the video.
Why?
Russia, which is Putin, is an evil thiug regime. How can you stand with Russia unless you are evil yourself?
You're standing with totalitarian regime, imperialism, genocide, war, annexation, persecutions, absence of liberty and human values, warcrimes and fascism. Not too great in my book.
Russia is an evil mystical regime whose people are depressed and oppressed to the point of sadness and hopelessness. What kind of nation could justify that king of dictatorial power where the people are left without any self esteem courage or happiness? I lived there for 2 years and witnessed the atrocities in the late 90s. It has become much worse since then but has always been an oppressed nation.
@@PUARockstar That sounds like Canada! (except for the imperialism part)
Now Yaron to be a Kantian with universal notice with his loud voice of relevance of somewhere over there..... but for nothing here at home. Yaron is evil.
this is a reductive and bias perspective
Console.WriteLine("this is a reductive and bias perspective");
Biased doesn't determine objective or not objective
Ok, let's be fair and meet in the middle! Let's see, what's the middle ground between Liberty and a murderous dictatorship that eats their young to feed a rapacious war machine serving the whims of an impotent tyrant? A dictatorship! Sounds fair. Thanks for letting me see the light!
@@brane4859prejudiced is a better term. Yaron knows exactly what Ukraine (the nation) thinks and desires. They speak in one voice and hold all the values that Yaron projects onto them.
"this is reductive" - the ultimate (practically) meaningless smear 😅
As long as the "West" believes those like this one - Yaron Brook - "West" is DOOMED !!!
P.S. he looks like and sounds like: "The Russians are coming. The Russians are coming. They’re right around. I’ve seen Russian soldiers! " - James Forrestal ....
Just stay away from the windows 🤣🤣🤣
Very true, I am laughing from the center of Moscow! I am coming soon, to take your toilets and washing machines