I appreciate the presentation of Elvira Bary on the deeper reasons why people can be made to support an authoritarian leader and follow him even into war. I hear the word “normal” in this context as acceptance of the human condition at the instinctual level, as well as humility towards her own ability to withstand some of the strong forces involved that make people fall for dictators.
This her own description of what this presentation is about:
Why do seemingly decent people support dictators like Putin and war in Ukraine?
After years of conversations with Russians—from intellectuals to taxi drivers—I discovered that logic and facts rarely matter. Instead, hidden emotional scripts shaped by ancient survival instincts take over. This isn’t just Russia’s problem; it’s a human one. If you want to understand the unseen forces that drive ordinary people toward authoritarianism—and learn how to recognize and resist these instincts before it’s too late—this video is for you.
00:00 Why Dictator Supporters All Sound the Same
02:14 What Is a “Vatnik”?
09:30 An Ancient Instinct in a Modern World
11:43 A Crisis of Identity
16:08 Could You Become a Vatnik?
18:32 How to Connect with a Vatnik