All Segments
Moving from the Soviet Union to America | Podcast Clips
5 segments available
Vitaliy Katsenelson is the CEO of a value investment firm IMA, author of two books on investing, and a recently published non-investing book named “Soul In The Game”. Known for his uncommon common sense, Forbes magazine called him "The New Benjamin Graham." Vitaliy loves to read, listen to classical music, play chess, and write about life, investing, and music. Important Links: - Blog: [https://contrarianedge.com/] - YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/vitaliyk] - Twitter: [https://twitter.com/vitaliyk] - IMA: [https://imausa.com/] - Favorite classical music website: [https://myfavoriteclassical.com/] - “The Gateway Drug to Classical Music” Spotify playlist: [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tfsohjLty6IK2b2B8AGE0] Full Podcast:
Segments Timeline
Brainwashed by Cinema
Vitaliy Katsenelson reflects on his upbringing in the Soviet Union and how movies served as a powerful medium of brainwashing. He shares memories of films that portrayed Americans negatively, shaping his perception of the West and instilling a sense of distrust towards American culture.
"i was growing up in this soviet union kind of a soviet russia and i cannot like now looking back it's amazing how brainwashed i am i was it's just incredibly in fact what i realized how important movi..."
The Disappearance of Family
Katsenelson recounts a pivotal moment from his childhood when his aunt mysteriously disappeared, only to later learn that she had immigrated to the United States. This revelation sparked feelings of betrayal and confusion, highlighting the complexities of family ties and the harsh realities of Soviet life.
"story is not completely true and french fries um but um and so my father has two younger sisters the youngest one lived in moscow and we lived in romans so it's far away so i would come to moscow once..."
The Journey to America
Vitaliy explains the typical journey of Russian Jews seeking to immigrate to the United States during the Soviet era. He describes how many would first travel to Israel but then redirect their path to America, illustrating the challenges and hopes of those escaping oppression.
"like this is my aunt my father's sister like you know i know her parents yeah and and that is the first thought that came to me and then my father said well listen she lived in 1979 they and um which ..."
Underground Cinema Experience
Katsenelson shares his experiences of watching American movies in underground theaters in the late 1980s. These makeshift cinemas played a crucial role in shaping his understanding of American culture, despite the poor quality and dubbing, revealing the allure of Hollywood amidst Soviet censorship.
"and um uh and i think there was some american legislature that made it that very very simple um and um and uh this chained up uh in brooklyn and i like when he was watched moscow in hudson that kind o..."
First Impressions of America
Upon arriving in Denver, Vitaliy describes the shocking contrast between the cold of Moscow and the warm weather in America. He reflects on his initial perceptions of American architecture and lifestyle, marking the beginning of his journey in a new country filled with unexpected surprises.
"was now this is very interesting but you don't realize most american movies are kind of shot on the coast in hollywood or los angeles somewhere there so like my image my what was my perception of amer..."