Knowledge is the antidote for fixed ideas
Russian oppositions call the federal channels of the country a “zombobox,” meaning that the political and news channels contribute to the population of Russia becoming a zombie, speculating the “patriotic” theme at their own. This “patriotism” includes the belief that Russia can only be an empire, that it has no friends and allies, but only “subjugated nations”, on the one hand, and enemies, on the other hand. The integral part of this aggressive campaign is, of course, the notion that Ivan the Great, Stalin and Putin were the greatest leaders of Russia, who correctly perceived the meaning of the “Russian idea”.
But let’s think. Isn’t the American television just as the same “zombobox”? Isn’t the news similarly one-sided. In the same Ukrainian war, the Russians are hiding that they are not only arming the “homeguards”, but also directly through their military servicemen are participating in the war. The Americans are also hiding that civilians are killed by the Ukrainian armed forces, including children.
The “zombobox” of the one side shows atrocities by Ukrainians since “Maidan revolution”. The other side shows atrocities by Russian during the war in the East of Ukraine. And we here, in Armenia, have chosen one of the sides die to known reasons, Russian “zombobox” is cordial to the majority. Depending on which side we worship, we “classify” the events, in one case, we are blind, on the other hand, we are filled with anger and condemn. As to what extent Americans tend to democratic values, it is also a topic of discussion. They do not like Russia’s autocratic regime, but, let’s say, against the Saudi Arabia brutal regime, they seem to have no objections. Those who do not like the “Russian messianism,” why should they like the “American messianism”? This country has taken on responsibility to spread out some values around the world, hasn’t it? It can be assumed that there are nations in the world who do not adhere to these values.
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By saying “Americans” or “Russians”, I mean, of course, the government authorities of these countries, the political elite, rather than the people, who like all other peoples, are worthy of respect. In my opinion, people living in that and other countries, we all need to take steps to avoid becoming a zombie. Here, only “personal approach” is possible, it seems to me there is no universal “public solution”. The only remedy both in external and internal “front” is the education and expansion of spiritual experience. This is a daily work, which I visualize not as much as a meditation, nirvana as acquiring new knowledge. The man who comes home after work and directs his goofy look at the TV, has great chances of become a zombie. Fixed ideas are born in dark places, in intuitive and non-conscious “corners” of the soul.
And how to distinguish whether the person is zombie or not? It’s very simple. If a person is spiritually free, he does not seek to subjugate another, on the contrary, he tries as much as possible to save many people from becoming a zombie. And vice versa, if you are under the influence of some fixed ideas, then you will definitely want to “invest” these ideas in others’ heads. In other words, the one washing the brain of the other already has a washed out brain.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
