In the first half of the 1990s, there was a popular phrase, “new Russians”. For instance, there were also new Armenians, Georgians, Moldovans and so on. We are talking about the people who during the transition to market relations, due to luck or by chance, have become rich, were able to steal something of the huge possessions of the Soviet, have seized and privatized and so on. In the anecdotes and humorous sketches, these people were represented as images astonished of their unexpected “happiness”, who do not know how to talk or think and had no idea how to spend their money, making these expenses within their poor understanding and taste. In short, exactly like our business deputies of the National Assembly.
As you can see, in this sense, there are “new Russians” or “new Armenians” like before. Simply, 20-25 years ago, this phenomenon was new and deserved the attention of amateur and professional satirists, and now it has already become commonplace, and we, the journalists, are writing about it when any such “new Armenian” scatters the pearls of his mind in the parliament or takes part in the subsequent shooting or stabbing in participation of his “bodyguard”. Purely in terms of content, however, these Armenians are “old” because they do not put great goals before them and are living with a limited psychology of grabbing something. These people are the descendants of the Soviet tsekhoviki (owners and operators of an illegal, underground factory), storekeepers looting the “national property” and corrupt secretaries of the district committee.
Generally, often, from the first word or the first glance, I can distinguish between the old and new Armenians. He who crosses the street in the red light or in a prohibited place and then stuck in the middle of the street by running in-between the cars, he is an old Armenian. (But, pay attention on how the number of these “stuck” is reduced in these 10-15 years). He who asks me on the street, “what will be the end of these people (the nation, the country)”, or “should we hope that the things will be good”, he is an old Armenian. Similarly, old are those who conclude their each “narration” with such “philosophical” conclusion, “This world is all on cheating.”
What is the “antiquity” of all these people? Irrespective of their social and material status, they think that it is possible to live by inertia, by a life of a plant, on the one hand, not limiting their own petty ambitions, on the other hand, not striving to be developed and improve themselves. It could be lived so, being enclosed in the self-sufficient Soviet system, which in our case, was one of the options of the Asian bazaar.
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But especially, in the last 5 years, I more and more see true “new Armenians”. They, normally, are mostly young people, they are disciplined and goal-driven, they know what they want from life, and most importantly, they are not waiting for the goods to be poured on their heads from somewhere. I see such young people in the ranks of “I am Against” movement and in Baghramyan Avenue during the “Electric Yerevan” protest.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
