Have you heard people say in interviews, “I’d rather die than get vaccinated against the coronavirus?”
Let’s try to logically analyze this statement. It seems that there is something worse than death, and that is… the opportunity to avoid death. But those who are fanatically against vaccines do not see it that way; they see it as a conspiracy by some “dark forces” that is aimed against humanity and, particularly, Armenians, and it is worse to be a victim of that conspiracy than to die.
To be honest, I did not think that people in the 21st century still live with the prejudices that our faraway ancestors had tens of thousands of years ago.
But that is reality, and the same “logic” is used by people in “political” elections. “It’s better for Armenia to become Turkey than for Kocharyan to return.” Or the opposite- “… than for Pashinyan to stay.” In other words, they agree to having their state be destroyed or disappear, so long as their dreaded politician does not take power. Hatred that is based on the same cave-like fears.
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When I predict that the main competition in the upcoming elections will be between Pashinyan and Kocharyan, that does not mean that this situation is pleasing to me, or that I as a citizen am preparing to vote for one of them.
That means something else. The majority of our electorate consists of “cave people” who share the aforementioned mentality (of course, they are not to blame; these qualities were “developed” over the past 30 years). In addition, the situation must be more desirable for the current Prime Minister if he were able to understand reality more adequately. In 2018, he had a high-quality electorate that consisted of smart, mature young people full of faith.
The government lost those people’s trust, and I do not think that is solely a result of the defeat in war; they did not notice changes politically, economically, or spiritually. That segment of society, naturally, will also not vote for Kocharyan; in general, I doubt that those people will participate in the elections at all.
What remains is “cave people” on both sides with their “undeveloped” qualities, prejudices, and apocalyptic fears. They are thinking about dying “alternatively” instead of living. This is the entire problem.
Aram Abrahamyan
