So you raise a really great point– namely, the required canonization of culture resulted in a certain cheapening and degradation of many cultures. I, personally, completely agree with that assessment and so I ask the following in the most humble of ways: can you recommend a source which says something to that effect because I have not seen anything like that anywhere other than the profoundly anti-Soviet sources like Pipes, Conquest, Service, etc.
Again, I’m absolutely not trying to challenge your statements here– I’d just like to see something new here and/or understand where you’re sourcing this statement– if it’s from Pipes or similar, that’s great, but maybe you know something I don’t is all.
Во поле береза стояла is a profoundly saddening song that only a Russian is capable of writing and as you rightly point out, was reduced to absolute meaninglessness in its Soviet incarnation. Next article: 202005151929 Part 6 - Soviet Union