Russian here. Speaking of Dugin, I'm not a fan of his ideas about archaic way of living, and I don't personally know anyone who likes them. I consider him to be a hypocrite who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk – unlike German Sterligov, who actually lives in a village without modern technology that he founded and built.
However, there's a sad fact about Dugin. He experienced a personal tragedy – his adult daughter was murdered, likely for political reasons. So, while I'm not a supporter of his ideas, I can never judge him for these ideas considering what he went through. Maybe advocating for these ideas is his way of surviving his tragedy.
As a Russian how would you characterize Dugin? Over here he’s usually considered a fascist (which I don’t think is technically accurate, though he is authoritarian) or grouped with neo-monarchist type “trads.”
I’ve always had a dark view of him. His writing gives me a veiled nihilist vibe. He seems like someone who is bitter about something. He lives in a fantasy world and wants people punished if it can’t be real.
Not a unique thing. This is the dark side of many idealists and romantics. The more someone lives in a dream the more they often hate the real world.
I agree that the attempt on his life is sad and I’m sure further radicalized him, though most of his ideas predate that. Who do you think it was? I always had three possibilities: Ukraine, anti war Russians, or the Putin regime itself for some reason.
However, there's a sad fact about Dugin. He experienced a personal tragedy – his adult daughter was murdered, likely for political reasons. So, while I'm not a supporter of his ideas, I can never judge him for these ideas considering what he went through. Maybe advocating for these ideas is his way of surviving his tragedy.