Tbh I have a well documented bias toward overestimating opponents capacities. I think Putin’s actions makes a lot of sense considering the results of his previous wars and the general lack of (serious) responce from the West, but I agree his most recent speeches and actions do not strikes me as perfectly rational.
If he is to be believed as genuine, as interviewed by Oliver Stone in 2017 (see: The Putin Interviews), then his stated goals are prosperity and security for Russia. But he somewhat betrays another goal of his that he doesn’t explicitly state: He is concerned about his and his family’s prosperity and security, particularly after he leaves office. I do get the sense his stated goals are genuine but his unstated goals would override them if necessary. Not exactly revelatory nor a great insight to say that a politician is primarily concerned with saving their own skin but Russian politics strike me as even more dangerous and cut-throat than Western politics. The risks for him are likely much higher.
Tbh I have a well documented bias toward overestimating opponents capacities. I think Putin’s actions makes a lot of sense considering the results of his previous wars and the general lack of (serious) responce from the West, but I agree his most recent speeches and actions do not strikes me as perfectly rational.
What’s he maximising? Population? Hectares? GDP? Respect?
The feeling you get when you manage to change history with your own country at Europa Universalis 4 ?
Is he a gamer?
The point is that anything maximises something , for an arbitrary something.
Games have well defined but arbitrary winning conditions. Life had a poorly defined but non arbitrary winning condition.
If he is to be believed as genuine, as interviewed by Oliver Stone in 2017 (see: The Putin Interviews), then his stated goals are prosperity and security for Russia. But he somewhat betrays another goal of his that he doesn’t explicitly state: He is concerned about his and his family’s prosperity and security, particularly after he leaves office. I do get the sense his stated goals are genuine but his unstated goals would override them if necessary. Not exactly revelatory nor a great insight to say that a politician is primarily concerned with saving their own skin but Russian politics strike me as even more dangerous and cut-throat than Western politics. The risks for him are likely much higher.