I refer to them as Sashas and Lyoshas.

Sashas are sophisticated urban power-strivers who seek to become highly
successful and important. They see the world from the standpoint of how
people can be conquered and used. To them, every emotion, every
motivation, every need and every belief in ta person's head is
something to be manipulated and used to get power over them - power,
that is, to also twist other people to his (Sasha's) advantage.

To a Sasha, it does not matter whether the motives are good or bad.
What matters is how it can be exploited and appropriated; and to that
effect any methods are justifiable. A Sasha does not see the world from
the perspective of good and bad or right and wrong; he sees it from the
perspective of what serves him - particularly, serves his drive for
power. Indeed, in many regards, a Sasha sees anything that has
compassion or ethics or goodness as being stupid and weak - and, while
he may present to other people a front of congeniality, the people
close to him, like the people who stand in his way, learn otherwise.

A Lyosha is a country brute, usually Mormon or right-wing Christian,
who intimidates everyone in his community. He also serves a social
function: To intimidate poeple who would otherwise desire to go to the
country, hitchhike across America, see how life happens outside the
cities and suburbs in which they wre raised, or see if they can make it
in the country. THe specter of a Lyosha is used to frighten
adventuresome youngsters in the same way as is the specter of Bubba
with big penis in a prison. The difference is that, unlike a Bubba, a
Lyosa is regarded a law-abiding citizen, and instead of being used, as
a Bubba is used, in a justifiable role of discouraging criminal
behavior, a Lyosha is used in the utterly illegitimate role of
discouraging exploration and acquisition of knowledge and wisdom.

Although both Sasha and Lyosha are Russian names, most Sashas I've
known (and Lyoshas I've encountered) have been American. The Sashas
pride themselves on their strategic intelligence; the Lyoshas, on the
strength and righteousness that they believe they possess. In contrast
to the black Bubba, Sashas and Lyoshas are predominantly white. And
while Sashas may think themselves smart (and Lyoshas may think
themselves righteous) it takes an Ilya to see through both and assist
the wounded they leave in their wake.
Ilya Shambat

aka

DR ROCKET
The International Man Of Mystery



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