Potemkin Village
P is for …...
I usually like to start the year with some positive pieces but something polluted the end of 2021 in style. There is a saying taking candy from a baby. This was a state sponsored candy stealing session. The difference is that the babies were older and fighting cancer.
So let me start this story of pessimism. I first read about it in Quora. The writer was known to be biased against Russia but I felt that story felt questionable. I mean which person can find it in themselves to rip off children? Suffering with cancer? On Christmas? So I did my own research. A Russian state own media offered to sponsor 300 presents for children in a cancer hospital. They were planning to film the presents being given out by Santa. Except that the 300 boxes of presents turned out to be empty.
Let me try to explain the situation. Somebody at a m̶e̶d̶i̶a̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶a̶n̶y propaganda department felt that it was fine to wrap up and give out 300 empty boxes to cancer patients in a children’s hospital just to have a “feel good” piece. I have been to state events where props were used in lieu of the actual present. But the props were never meant as the gifts and were usually discreetly collected after the event.
So the passing the buck game started when the (alleged) cat got out of the bag. First the presents were stolen¹. Then it was a case of misunderstanding that the presents were to be delivered on the third of January in the New Year. And it is supposed to be 30 presents instead of 300.
Clarification: Potemkin was not trying to deceive anyone with his public decoration of certain cities.
¹ Some people planned a heist to steal 300 children’s presents from a company. While choosing to cover their tracks by putting back the empty boxes in the wrapping. And then putting the presents back into their original position. If I were the police, I would be questioning the person who dare to raise this theory.