Western nations can live the way they want, as long as they don’t impose their choices on others, the Russian president believes
All cultures in the world should be respected, including those that other nations may find weird, like the gender-obsessed culture seen in the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
“Respecting the peculiarities of peoples and civilizations is in everyone’s interest. Actually, it is in the interest of the West too. As it loses superiority, it is quickly becoming a minority” culture-wise, the Russian president assessed during a speech on Thursday.
That said, Western culture should be respected just like any other, Putin said.
If Western elites believe that they can incorporate into the minds of their people, their societies things that I personally find somewhat weird, and which are apparently in fashion, like dozens of genders, and gay pride parades, so be it. Let them do whatever they want.
But the West has no right to impose their cultural preferences on other nations and societies, he said, adding that Russia does not lecture others on how they should live, and does not want to be lectured either.
Putin declared that his country has chosen to maintain “traditional values,” and went on to explain what he means by the term – not a universal set of rules, but many creeds that different societies created for themselves.
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“Their difference from the so-called neoliberal values is that in every case they are unique, because they stem from the traditions of a particular society, its culture, and historic experience,” the president stated.
That is why you cannot force them on somebody. You should simply respect them, cherish what each nation picked for itself over centuries.
The approach, Putin believes, is shared by most of humanity, unlike what the Western nations promote.
The remarks were part of a keynote speech that Putin delivered at the Valdai Discussion Club, an international event hosted by Russia, where senior Russian officials voice ideas about global issues for other nations to discuss.
READ MORE: Putin calls for ‘dialogue on equal terms’ with the West
In his address, Putin warned that the US and its allies are hurting themselves by trying to force other nations to be more like themselves. Political and cultural diversity is key in solving problems that humanity faces as a whole, he argued.
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