REMINDER - Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ with Dr. Ian Garner

Author of ‘Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth’ joins Team Bette for our ‘Speakeasy’ Today, March 12, 4 pm PT; 7 pm ET - Daylight savings reminder!

Looking so forward to seeing paid members at our upcoming ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom with special guest Dr. Ian Garner - author of the upcoming book Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth, a brilliant and vitally important exposé on how the Russian Federation is actively indoctrinating its youth toward fascist ideology.

There is still time to become a member before our event today at 7 pm ET - 4 pm PT - and please note daylight savings time change! Here is a link featuring membership rates:

Dr. Garner lived in St. Petersburg in the mid-2000s “before the madness of the patriotic turn that Putin pushed the country down in the early 2010s,” he said.

“It was a liberal city, a European city,” he said. “There was one glorious street where there was a straight club and a gay club owned by the same owner, you could follow you dream, follow your heart, it was great. Young Russians just wanted to be at peace with the world.”

I am listening to his gripping RadPod interview again, and we have so much to learn from him. Not only is Russia indoctrinating its youth using influencers and social media, but we are doing literally nothing about the fact that the techniques are being deployed in America and other western nations.

“This is one of the things that alarms me the most,” he said. “This is something that is real, Russia is already trying to influence our young people in the same kinds of ways. It can’t send heavies over to beat up young gay kids as it has done in the last 15 years using football hooligans. But it can reach out on Reddit forms, TikTok, and the problem that we have is our smart phones are just part of day to day life.

“We cannot stop using them, and therefore we are vulnerable. And yet, government just does not seem to be taking it seriously. I don’t know whether it’s a willful ignorance. It’s a lack of electoral appeal - lack of democratic motivation in doing this - is it a vote winner to go tackle Russian disinformation, maybe not? Are they naive? It’s very frustrating to see how this has quite openly gone on. We know it’s happening.”

He said on Russian social media forums the popular hashtag to refute detractors from the Ukraine War is “we’re not ashamed” - and that weaponized irony is prevalent.

It is clear, we have to push back and part of how the Bette Dangerous community does that is by holding these Zoom salons and exposing our members to great minds in this fight - among our previous guests were Jen Senko, Craig Unger, Wes Clark Jr. and Jason Van Tatenhove. Thank you to members of this community who support the work of our guests. As you know, I believe it will be the historians, artists, filmmakers, authors, poets, musicians, and activists who see us through these dark days.

Everyone of our paid members who registers for the ‘Speakeasy’ will receive a copy of the first chapter of Dr. Garner’s book. I ask that you do not share it with anyone outside of your household, and to please read it before the event so you can think of questions you might have. In addition, please watch his interview on RadPod - as I noted, it’s quite moving and you will learn a great deal. 

Please support Dr. Garner’s work, by preordering his book here: 

UK: Amazon

US: Amazon US

Global: Book Depository

For more info: igarner.net

It’s not too late to become a paid member, and join our ‘Speakeasy,’ and have access to the archives and members-only chat threads.

Thank you all so much and look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday! Registration info for paid members below.

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