While I think you probably overstate the number of times you have seen people state the "Putin is not such a bad guy" I think your overall experience is not unique. It is very difficult to find any information to counter the preferred narrative. I recently started listening to a podcast called "Russians With Attitude" just to get something other than the standard narrative. It's imperfect, sure. But when people like Mika Brzezinski say, out loud on national television, that it is her job to tell people what to think, what other choices do I have?
While I think you probably overstate the number of times you have seen people state the "Putin is not such a bad guy" I think your overall experience is not unique. It is very difficult to find any information to counter the preferred narrative. I recently started listening to a podcast called "Russians With Attitude" just to get something other than the standard narrative. It's imperfect, sure. But when people like Mika Brzezinski say, out loud on national television, that it is her job to tell people what to think, what other choices do I have?
After reading the 'Russians With Attitude' Twitter timeline I'm seriously underwhelmed.
I'm not on Twitter and generally don't even follow links to Twitter posts so I have no idea what is there.
You and me both: neither of us as smart as we think, but thankfully, both human and able to keep on watching and thinking.