Back in the mid-90s, I have noticed willingness among some government circles to show that “people do not accept the opposition.” Therefore, groups of people are sent to the rallies who are trying to counteract the opposition speakers. I remember this was done by “yerkrapahs” in the summer of 1994, and, for example, in May 2005, oligarchs’ bodyguard “specialized groups” were operating near the “Nairi” cinema-house. This tradition is sometimes remembered even to date. I do not know which of the technology textbooks this “trick” is taken, but my impression is that it will not function in Armenia. Surely, there will be individuals who are against some things. I, for instance, am for any opposition activity, but I am against adventurism and the mania to go for clashes at any cost.
But the main mass in Armenia is always unhappy (to the point, they were unhappy during the Communists times too, but were silent) and would listen to any speaker with great pleasure, who would say nasty things in this-or-that degree of severity addressed to the government. It was so 20 years ago, so it is now and so it will be 20 years from now if our world outlook is not changed.
American business consultant and lecturer Stephen Covey calls the world outlook as a “scarcity mindset” (I am the author of the translation and it may not be successful, but the meaning is clear). Accordingly, the quantity of goods in the world is limited, and what has not reached you has reached someone else. It turns out that the whole humankind, by pushing each other, strive to reach this one pie, trying to bite a bigger piece, and if you see someone’s success in any sphere, you are sure that this one has stolen this success from you, has deprived you of something and has plundered you. We install this specific mindset in our children at home, in the kindergarten, at school, and our politicians exploit this specific world outlook to reach their goal.
This is the opposite of the “abundance mindset”, according to which everything is abundant in the world and is enough for everyone, having by one does not automatically mean “deficit” by the other and life is not a race for comparing and measuring with the other. Moreover, when you share your success, knowledge and joy with others, nothing becomes less from it, on the contrary, it becomes more. This makes people in general reach mutual victory in the families, different groups of people, work staff and the society, rather than one wins and the other loses.
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In addition, such mindset is in line with today’s post-industrial and information era. The more are the specialists in the high-tech sector, the more is the work and consequently, the jobs. That is why it is important for our small country, where there is an endless ocean of opportunities.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
