“Scientific researches” about which nation considers itself the happiest, which nation’s women are the most beautiful, whose nails are the longest, whose gene is the oldest, etc, to put it mildly, arouse suspicions in me. It is, in my opinion, quite suitable for light summer reading, such as the predictions about what is in store for tomorrow, next week or next month for each zodiac sign. Both are just for fun: those who believe, I think, are extremely naive. “British scientists’” researches on “the most-” sweet, smart, gluttonous, libertarian, etc. nation have the same value. I even dare to say that the “corruption perception index” also does not provide Bible truths: if it’s “perception”, then it’s subjective. I can shout all day, “they are thieves and corrupt”, being one of them myself. My “perception”, thus, will be of no value.
And now it turns out that we are the “most moral” nation in the post-Soviet territory. Why? Because one of the periodicals has published surveys on how representatives of those nations are dealing with different “moral” issues. The question is not how we came to be in such “leading positions”, but what the organizers of survey consider moral.
Only one of the selected topics is related to morality: abortion. Suppose, in Armenia, more than in other countries, it is considered immoral. However, as in the case of corruption, one thing is to “consider”, another thing is to live it accordance to your opinion. All other criteria, in my opinion, are “neutral” from the point of view of morality. For example, sexual relations before marriage is a personal matter of any human, it is impossible to determine the degree of human morality by its presence or absence (if anyone sets such a problem at all). The same is with sexual orientation: whose business is that, whether a “natural” murderer and bribe taker is more moral, or a “homosexual” who abides the law?
The rest: drinking alcohol, taking drugs or smoking also have nothing to do with morality. The last two are definitely harmful to health. Whoever agrees with that is his choice. Using red wine in moderation, by contrast, is healthy, but it also does not say anything about the “moral image” of a person.
In general, the “moral nation”, “talented nation”, “industrious nation”, “evil nation”, “ungrateful nation” qualifications are of the same value, as the statement: “those who were born under this zodiac sign are enduring with a tolerant and stable character”. How can you say the same thing about at least half a billion people?
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
