Born in the USSR, I was bred with a postulate: we are the good guys, while the West, especially the USA, are the bad guys.
And Ronald Reagan, as the leader of the bad guys, was the worst guy. Almost like Hitler. At least, I remember, back in my 3rd grade, Soviet propaganda compared him to Adolf. That was 1983, the lowest point of relations between the West and the East. There was a very scary NATO drills, ‘Able Archer.’ It frightened the Soviet leadership to death: there were really thinking America would attack.
BS. As it turned out very soon.
Then, there were Gorbachev and Reagan summits.
At this point, I, a humble middle school student, started to understand that we, the Russians, were actually the bad guys.
We had Lenin and Stalin. Millions of victims, from both internal terror by V.I. Uliyanov and J.V. Stalin, the Uncle Joe. More victims during the Second World War followed. As you know, the Soviet war doctrine didn’t appreciate a human life, not a penny. This is why the Soviet Union suffered unthinkable 27m losses, only partly caused by Hitler. The rest is Stalin. Still can’t imagine that considerable amount of people in Russia truly adore him. Idiots!
I now understand, that if you are an idiot, it doesn’t relate to your age.
Don’t get me wrong: Lenin was the icon of my early years, the best man in the world.
Since then, I’ve come a very long way.
Unfortunately, most of my compatriots didn’t get a very simple thing: if you are a bad guy, admit it. Rectify matters. Go forward. And, eventually, become a good guy. For your own good!
Back in the 90s, I was thinking Russia did exactly that.
Well, we didn’t.
Now, we have what we have: started a terrible war with our sister country and, now, according to numerous experts, losing it.
I think, for Russia to become a good guy, we didn’t pay enough with the break-up of the Soviet Union.
This shit is popping up now. Up to the fan. Soon, we will have to pay for it, ideologically, geopolitically, and, maybe, financially. I won’t even mention the countless lives that we have lost. Well, most of them have been coming to another country to kill their people for money. The folks that did nothing wrong to them. A nightmare. Yet, I read experts. I think to myself, so many things will change. Hopefully, in Russia, too.
Until this is done, I don’t see nice guys around my environment made up of the loyal ones, and coward ones.
Who Are the Good Guys?
Trying to identify the “good guys” in modern leadership has become ever more difficult. Around the world, too many politicians appear consumed by one goal above all others: staying in power. Election campaigns never seem to end, promises are quickly forgotten, and trust, once freely given, is now handed out cautiously — if at all.
Yet there are still figures who command genuine respect, and interestingly, many of them are women. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earned admiration for her calm, compassionate leadership during moments of national tragedy and the Covid pandemic. Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen has built a reputation for decisiveness and stability in uncertain times. Germany’s former Chancellor Angela Merkel became known as Europe’s dependable anchor during financial crises and international tensions, while Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has emerged as a powerful global voice on climate change and fairness for smaller nations. Whether one agrees with all their politics or not, these leaders project seriousness, competence and, perhaps most importantly, empathy.
In Britain, however, finding widely accepted “good guys” in political leadership feels increasingly challenging. Public confidence has been battered by scandal, division and endless political theatre. Prime Ministers come and go with astonishing speed, while ordinary people wonder whether anybody in Westminster truly understands their daily lives. The public mood often feels less inspired than exhausted.
So perhaps Britain searches elsewhere for figures it can genuinely admire. One obvious example is Sir David Attenborough, who has just celebrated his 100th birthday. For decades, Attenborough has quietly educated the world about the beauty and fragility of our planet without shouting, insulting opponents or demanding attention for himself. He informs rather than lectures, inspires rather than divides. In an age of constant noise, his calm authority feels almost revolutionary.
Many Britons also continue to place trust in parts of the Royal Family, particularly figures seen as duty-driven rather than political or merely entitled. Whether through charity work, public service or simply providing continuity in turbulent times, the monarchy still offers many people a sense of stability. Perhaps that is what people now seek in their “good guys” — not perfection, but decency, restraint and a feeling that somebody, somewhere, is still acting for the greater good rather than personal survival.
Who are the good guys?
When I was young the world was much simpler. There were good guys and bad guys. The bad guys twisted their mustache and tied the screaming damsel on the tracks. No more.
As you know, Benjamin Netanyahu talked Donald Trump into attacking Iran and dumbass did it. Now he doesn’t know what to do and how to undo what he screwed up. While he figures this out, he needs to talk smack, throw shade, gaslight, and in general demand that nobody mention those damn files.
Fifteen years ago, if the President and the Ayatollah made contradictory statements, I would not have wondered who is telling the truth. Today, and I hate to admit this, I tend to think the Ayatollah is more likely to tell the truth than the American President. The Americans are no longer the good guys by a wide margin. We committed murder and war crimes in the Caribbean.
This wasn’t the case for most of the twentieth century. Example: During World War II, the Americans treated Nazis better than we treat immigrants today. Think I exaggerate? Click here
There are reports that Trump’s prison camps have served maggot infested food. In full disclosure, I don’t know how common that is but it seems possible given ICE and the rates of death and lack of medical care in these camps. No, the Americans are not the good guys of my childhood.
I think most Americans would say Canada and I can’t argue with that. The ugly truth is many nations in Europe today are only a couple of steps behind MAGAs. A couple of countries come to mind as being moral but none really jump out – mostly because I don’t know enough about their domestic politics.
Colombia comes to mind but they have so much petty crime it’s hard to use the word moral when describing the place. Countries like Mexico have drug and corruption issues so I’m going to stick with Canada for now. By the way, I can really only talk about the Western Hemisphere. You may have another country in mind, let us know in the comments below.