Since the 90s, there has been a phenomenon that I do not think is very favourable for Latvia: the Latvian fear of not being where the action is – one must stand as close as possible to power and money. This pull is called FOMO – fear of missing out in English. This kind of thinking – if you are not in these circles, if you are not in this insider group, you will have a hard time. It was like that with Banku Baltija, it was like that with the Jūrmala festival...

(...)

In my opinion, a Latvian is very strong when they feel solid backup. Now that everyone is supposedly against Russia and against Putin and so on, when the vast majority holds this position, you risk nothing by joining this majority. But if suddenly, in five years' time, the situation were a bit different, I think that more than one Latvian could quietly adopt a different position. It seems to me that this is where this Latvian tendency to always be with the big crowd, with the majority, and not stand out, manifests itself. It is very easy to have principles when everyone around you agrees with you. It is harder to be principled when you go against the current. Like that famous case where one of Latvia's leading musicians sang at the Victory Monument around 9 May 2011, but now said that it should be removed. (...)

https://www.rigaslaiks.lv/zurnals/sarunas/varetu-krist-ari-zemak-21391