BS. There was no "atmosphere of fear". Unless of course your parents did nasty and anti-social things. At age 6 you just started to go to school and were proud to be the Little Octobrist. Unless of course you already learned all your country's (and USSR) history at age 4...
It is insider's memory. You didn't know it is all too wrong because you didn't know what was right. Only "special" people traveled to non-commies countries and could see the different life. Those not traveling just worked hard and lived their life.
Rephrasing Al Capone's famous quote:
"You can get further with a kind word and a mighty patent portfolio than you can with just a kind word."
"I've got some amyls. We could either party later or, like, start his heart." -- "Cheech and Chong's Next Movie"