Every time “Vesna” launches a campaign, we inevitably face a flood of defeatist comments claiming that everything is meaningless: that we—activists and civil society in general—are too few, no one listens to us, and we won’t achieve anything. At some point, we started wondering why this happens and concluded that this is the discourse of propaganda, which has the ability to self-replicate.
It’s somewhat like a virus—it can infect even opponents of the regime without them realizing it. They genuinely spread the idea of futility, thereby playing into the hands of the authorities. But how did this virus emerge in the first place? We know that the authorities have spent years forcibly making society obedient and passive. But they achieved this not only through repression but also through prolonged and consistent indoctrination.
The regime uses three simple ideas that quietly take root in our minds, settle there, and begin to reproduce themselves. Here they are:
1. Any action is extremely dangerous
Activism is indeed dangerous. You already know why. However, the goal of repression is not only to punish specific individuals but also to intimidate everyone else. As a result, the authorities succeed in making fear all-encompassing for many people—every action seems extremely dangerous, with no differentiation. This is their aim: to create an imagined danger in addition to real danger.
In reality, different actions carry different levels of risk. This is a simple idea worth remembering, as for many, an overestimation of risk becomes an insurmountable barrier: people are afraid to even sign petitions or send appeals to deputies, even though these are objectively some of the least risky actions.
Of course, risk always exists. When there are no laws or rules, anything can happen at any time. However, it’s important—though difficult—to assess probabilities: for example, the chance of being detained at a picket is 90%, while the real consequences of sending a letter to the State Duma may occur only in 5% of cases.
The all-encompassing fear instilled by the authorities paralyzes people. Rational risk assessment and a clear understanding of the level of risk you’re willing to accept, on the other hand, create room for action.
2. Being against the authorities is the domain of a small group of oddballs
Propaganda always tries to portray opposition members as a small group of strange and irrelevant “troublemakers.” This is meant to make joining them both frightening and shameful. The effect is achieved very simply: television repeatedly emphasizes the “two percent” of discontented citizens, supporting this claim with manipulated polls and the suppression of dissent. Then, a basic psychological mechanism of conformity takes over. Almost all of us want to belong to the majority, and that’s normal.
In reality, though, the “pro-government majority” is also an imagined construct.
First, it’s created through “opinion polls”: officials and propaganda constantly present us with fantastical numbers reflecting Putin’s and the regime’s support, which do not correspond to reality. Their goal is to falsify the majority. It’s enough for people to believe in its existence to start joining it.
Second, the costs of dissent have been rising steadily. Year after year, engaging in activism or even just questioning the country’s direction has become more dangerous. This forces people to hide their views—and sometimes even reconsider them for safety. This fuels the spiral of silence and strengthens the pro-government discourse as the status quo.
Third, we generally draw conclusions about society based on incomplete data and numerous false assumptions. For example, we make a simplistic connection: there are no protests, so everyone supports Putin. Or we use personal experience as an objective measure: many of my acquaintances support the regime, so everyone supports the regime. This only helps propaganda build the illusion of a pro-government majority.
3. Everything is meaningless
This is the most important strategy of propaganda: to convince you that everything is meaningless. Do you think Putin is just a “macho” who believes that “giving in” is shameful? It’s not that simple. Never meeting citizens’ demands is a powerful tool for shaping public consciousness. The authorities want to show that collective actions and public campaigns never yield results under any circumstances—so there’s no point in participating.
What’s important to understand to avoid falling into this trap?
First, remember that there are examples of successful public campaigns. Even the anti-war campaign may already have had results. We don’t know what Putin and Russia’s military leadership would have done if not for protests and widespread anti-war agitation. Measuring such influence is very difficult, but we are confident that a broad public campaign is a deterrent to the regime.
Second, recognize that the voice in your head saying “everything is meaningless” is the voice of the regime. You don’t need to listen to it—on the contrary, you need to fight it. This doesn’t mean grabbing onto every activity without thought. Criticism should always remain, but it shouldn’t stop you from taking any action at all.
Third, keep in mind that spreading the idea of “everything is meaningless” to the outside world plays into the authorities’ hands. Imagine that no one does anything: no one signs petitions, writes appeals to officials, distributes leaflets, or creates anti-war graffiti. Who would be happiest about that? Exactly.
