John.

An excellent synopsis of the "need to dominate". This could be turned into its own Medium article. I have an article in the works about sociopaths and psychopaths in politics.

In 1994, I was teaching English in Slovakia. Part of the Slovak national identity is the 900-year oppression from the Hungarians. I think the Slovaks are getting over it. But I still wonder that had history taken a different turn in the fall of the Great Moravian Empire, the Slovaks would have been happy to dominate the Hungarians. Being big just makes this part of human nature easier to manifest.

Just as there are personal mental illnesses, there are national mental illnesses. The "four writers" are making this more clear in the case of the Russians.

it will require a framework or political system where free thought, free speech, and free action are celebrated.

Yep. We need a new kind of democracy, one that allows us to explore our own psyche--both nationally and individually. Right now current system gives too many people an "out" not to take this life journey.

BTW, my main reason to be on Medium is to promote an alternative democracy. Check out my byline, if interested.