‘Zombifying’ Russia
MOSCOW— The West in general and the United States in particular are hatching all manner of diabolical anti-Russian plots, if reports in the state-controlled news media are to be believed.
Yet the latest example of what is being portrayed as American skulduggery might be a stretch, even by the elastic standards of Russian television.
Beware the so-called fidget spinner, a hand toy that spins and has become a rage in Russia and the United States, particularly among middle-school students.
Such a harmless trinket, you might think, would be destined for a moment in the spotlight followed by a long fall into oblivion, where it would join pet rocks, Beanie Babies and New Kids on the Block.
Perhaps not so harmless, according to one recent report on Rossiya 24 suggesting that Russia’s opposition parties were trying to lure young supporters and raise money by hawking spinners. (The fact that many of the participants in recent nationwide demonstrations organized by the anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny were young Russians had to be explained somehow.)
“It is a mystery why it has become so popular in Russia right now,” the television reporter said. “Who is promoting this to the masses so actively?”
Cut to a clip of a video blogger selling spinners during anti-corruption demonstrations in June under the banner “Spinners from Navalny.”
The reporter then held up another piece of evidence from his investigation: a spinner bought at a Moscow children’s store packaged with writing only in English. “Not a word in Russian!” he cautioned.
Commentators piled on, noting that the spinners might indeed be an attempt to “zombify people” so that they could be manipulated.
Russia’s consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, got into the act, announcing it would investigate the toys.