From time to time, usually, at least once a week, information about skirmishes, shooting, street hooliganism, fight, scuffle is being reported. Of course, such incidents take place also in other countries, including highly developed ones. But such cases in post-Soviet countries have a peculiarity: usually, either officials (the businessmen themselves), or their relatives are meddled up with those. The reason is too obvious: impunity, “dissoluteness”, cynicism is considered one of the “components of success.” Why does a man strive for a position? In Armenia and other post-Soviet countries, the answer to this question is unequivocal: for money. But there is also another question: why does he need money? It is not possible to sleep in two bedrooms at the same time. Eating a kebab at an hour does not fit into the framework of satisfying natural needs either. So, there is a “higher” goal: to exercise “dominion” over people, to prove that you belong to the “elite”. How? First of all, through unpunished criminal behavior.
Illegal self-affirmation is specific to Armenian culture. If you are a “bold guy”, enough to pass over two solid lines while turning, creating a traffic jam (if there are no cameras, of course), or if you are savvy enough to hide the taxes, this, of course, speaks of your “merits” in itself and brings you closer to the “elite”. But such things are obviously not enough to be “elite”. Elite’s “baptism of fire” is taking a pistol (it is desirable, of course, to be a self-firing one), getting out to the streets of Yerevan, Gyumri, or any other city, and openly shooting. In this case, you become the “elite’s” own folk. So, how come has “daddy” gain money and position, if his “bold guy” son cannot “punish his abusers”?
On the one hand, of course, this is because of the weakness of the state, which is not able to restrain these young men, on the other hand, officials and rich people educate their children in the spirit of criminal values. Having a position and wealth itself is not shameful. It is abnormal when it serves not for the benefit of people but for self-affirmation with “criminal methods”. And it is very natural that this self-assertion has a boomerang effect over time. It’s still good when the boomerang strikes “the dissolute one” himself instead of their children and grandchildren.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
