Being sad, unfortunate and suffered has become a custom in Armenia. It is not only a custom but also encouraging. If you have the kind of look and conduct, people appearing on your way consider it something like a “sign of quality”, worthy of respect, praiseworthy. The suffered person is talked with respect and half-whispered as if his suffering is some kind of achievement or virtue. “Did you know?…” and the lengthy story of misfortune follows with relevant comments and champing.
And vice versa, smiling, successful and well-to-do people in Armenia are looked askew, being happy, smiling and established mandatorily deserves suspicious comments with a furious look. “What has happened that you are happy? What are the grounds in this ownerless country for being happy? Either he pretends or is the enemy if this nation.” You should share the suffering, the discontent and boredom of everybody to become a part of the gray and impersonal mass and be boiled in the common pot of suffering together with everybody.
This, of course, is the main “trend”, which is typical mainly to the older generation. To the point, both the millionaire oligarch and the unemployed living with allowance may have a suffered look, which proves that the material wealth is not a “panacea” here. The youth that I saw this summer in Baghramyan street, as well as (by the video) at the concerts of the “System Of A Down” and Kanye West are beyond these standards, they are not ashamed of being happy, they are not afraid to love, they are not afraid of laughing publicly.
The news on the marriage of more or less known people, which should only be an opportunity to wish them happiness, causes pus and poison. The logic, presumably, is as follows: why should they be happy when I suffer? But the entire problem is that you, irrespective of the circumstances of your life, can also be happy. The main reason why it is not so are the “requirements of the surrounding”, furious looks that accompany happy and successful people in your environment. This “culture of suffering” makes you walk in this life in a miserable and unhappy look.
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It, in my opinion, is the highest manifestation of adaptation. No need to give tribute to this culture, poisonous looks and comments should not compel anyone to give up him feeling the pleasure of life. If the “public opinion is put on one scale, and your joy and happiness on the other scale, then it is obvious which one is more preferable. Do not be afraid of being happy, this is my New Year wish.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
