The campaign of the municipal elections is held, although less active, but roughly through the same scheme as the one of the National Assembly. It is obvious that the opposition candidates, who are fighting for a place in the City Council of the capital, must say that everything is terrible, everything is stolen and plundered, Yerevan is being destroyed, etc. But right after they come to the power, we will see tidy buses which will be driven by shaved drivers who adore Mozart’s operas.
But this is the nature of pre-election campaigns, and not only in Armenia, but also in any country where elections are held. Marie Le Pen, for example, says that France and all of Europe is collapsing, that migrants have “eaten” the country, and if no decisive steps are taken, they will finally “swallow” it. Macron, of course, responds that the opposition’s propaganda is aimed at stirring up passions, causing anger, and not at solving problems. And both are right in their own way, since one’s job is to stir everything up, and the other’s job is to try to ease and smooth everything out.
To distinguish between true and false not only media literacy is needed, but political literacy as well. As, in case of media, people have begun to slowly distinguish between flashy titles, made up information based on “reliable sources”, and the real media, as well as people start to learn to distinguish between the rational grain of arguments, counterarguments, and pure political rhetoric in pro-governmental and opposition campaigns. The rhetoric, by its definition, must be simple and superficial. Demand begets supply here as well: campaign in any country and in any case, cannot be very serious, because it is aimed at the broad masses. And this audience in mind, it is impossible to avoid, as today’s young people say, “platitudes”.
All these talks will last only two more weeks. Well, another 2-3 weeks probably will take to talk about how the elections were rigged. Thus, the marathon that took several months will end. For a time, life will go on smoothly without any cries, chants, and “platitudes”. But the political forces “will regain” and will demand to dissolve parliament and hold early elections, or to change the constitution. So, we will not be bored for long.
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Aram ABRAHAMYAN
