Lately I had a very interesting conversation with the experts of Armenia’s and Georgia’s information field, who recorded rather sad reality. The contemporary people do not need information (and consequently, journalism). They want to read opinions, by the way, not all opinions, but only ones that coincide with their own mental stereotypes and thus they are pleased, they feel joy and sometimes delight as well.
Let me bring the freshest example. American businessman Ilon Max has set the heavyweight rocket “Falcon Heavy” to fly to the universe by “Tesla” electro-mobile produced by himself, which has come out to the open universe and “photographed” from several sides. It is a beautiful, fantastic, at some point, even a mind blowing and, of course, a commercial initiative in its nature. It is clear the realization of that project has induced jealousy and envy in the millions of citizens of Russia, inasmuch as back then the Soviet Union was in an equal competition with the United States in the field of universe, and the contemporary Russia falls behind the US hopelessly.
And here a blogger writes that, according to him, Max has not set any rocket to flight, everything is staged and made up with the help of a computer. It is an opinion which, as they say, has a right to exist. Dozens of thousands of Russian citizens liked that opinion, shared it and commented on it, forasmuch as that opinion that opinion has entered into a resonance with their “patriotic” feelings. People are not interested that the mentioned blogger has not brought up any fact, any photograph and any video tape to substantiate his opinion.
That is, it is not important how serious or authoritative the given source is, whether several sources have been brought in line with each other or not, whether facts have been brought forth? A sole thing is important – does the given publication coincide with the opinion of the mass of people or not?
In Armenia, as known, there are people who are filled with hostility towards the Russian “everpresident” Vladimir Putin. When you give them a negative opinion on Putin taken from a not famous website or blog, those people are delighted as a child and share that opinion (on social media): “You see what they told about that bad person?”
Well, I do not speak about publications about the Armenian authorities. It is enough only to mention the name of any official and put any negative, or, desirable a swearing, and the success of the publication is provided. Moreover, that delight is felt both by ordinary users and people with high intellect having scientific degrees.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
