ICYMI: The scandal du jour in Russia right now is the “Medics’ Ball”, held yesterday, in which 400 black-tied doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others got together for some high-society chic — with no social distancing or masks (though a vaccine and/or a PCR test were de rigueur). 
Most commentators are understandably indignant: what message are these doctors sending, when Russia’s suffering a large-scale third wave, and as many as 2/3 of citizens refuse to get vaccinated? (Including as many as 1/3 of doctors!)
But just to take this up a notch on the Edgar Allen Poe Scale (a little known standard measure of macabreness), take a look at the invite: “Restoring class traditions”. («Сословие» more properly translates as “estate”, in the French aristocratic sense, but class is clearer, IMO.)
Russian sociologists, including Simon Kordonsky and Ella Paneyakh (inter alia) have been writing about the increasing rise of “estates” for years now, but more in an implied sense. It’s really rare — and still quite shocking — to see people claim the mantle like this.
Ok, I’m going to go away and think about this for a while. (@russophiliac @MaxTrudo, did you see this?)
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