Recently, a remark was published in aravot.am about Ruben Filyan, a talented writer who has long ago ended his lifeway in India, Goa province. Personally, I do not know him because I do not belong to that generation and the surroundings. The “Bohemian life” in general and all that bore this conventional name in Yerevan in the 70-ies is too far away from me. However, I have heard about him still “then,” I have read his wonderful prose as well we Armen Shekoyan’s memoirs about the writer. I’m sure that people like him have shaped a significant shade in our public life, a shade that, unfortunately, is gradually disappearing.
In early 70-ies, overcoming all ideological and “censorial” barriers, the spirit of the youth movements evolved in the West in late 60-ies reached the Soviet Union, including Armenia too. The rock music, the “hippies,” the non-conformism, the eastern, especially the Indian philosophical and religious teachings, despite the Soviet official culture, were becoming the values for a particular layer of our youth. Of course, the “rednecks” and the “rabiz”, on the one hand, and the careerists with badges (nowadays, simply the “name” of the badge is changed), on the other hand, were making the majority in those times too, but in the 70-ies, there existed youth circles in the capital environment that were bearing the imprint of “freedom ideology”. It contained some kind of extremism, but also a sound approach, largely and a contrast to the rules adopted by the game.
Our today’s youth, its healthy part (leaving the “redneck” and the “komsomols” aside) are much more pragmatic. It has its good and bad sides. It is good that people set real goals before them and try to implement them; it is bad that the thinking has become more standard, “computerized.” Yes, they admire “System of a Down”, but purely as a phenomenon of culture, they are not particularly interested in the ideology of non-conformism of the rock.
And where were the capital “Bohemia” youth of the 70-ies who are now over 60 years old? I am afraid most of them are not in Armenia now, in 25 years all layers of our society emigrated, including the intellectuals. And those who are left perhaps are unable to formulate their opinion. This is true not only in Armenia. “Rolling stones”, yes, is still singing, gives wonderful performances, but against what they are now protesting, what they do not agree with, at whom they put out their tongue, it is not quite clear.
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Indeed, it’s hard to imagine “hippie communities” be established in Armenia, such things are contrary to our cultural traditions. But, I repeat, in the 70’s the “spirit of rebellion” existed in some circles of the youth. Who has it nowadays? Perhaps, only Shant Harutyunyan.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
