The talented artist Lilit Pipoyan announced that she is resigning from her mandate as a member of the Yerevan City Council. The comment of a fan of the current government, “The scum is cleaning. How many masks were revealed?” In other words, My Step or Civil Contract is getting rid of the extra layer, and after that there will be pure “steel” revolutionaries who will lead our people to a brighter future. For example, although I do not agree with Lilit on many issues, if I intended to argue with her, I would definitely take into account her creative work and mental horizon. The problem is that the masses on Facebook do not have that respect, I even suppose that those who called her “crap” did not hear her performances.
But the problem is not the individuals. I remember the comment of a well-known Civil Contract member after the last elections, the meaning of which was, “Did you see how the people got rid of the intellectuals?” And again, this would mean that I have to get upset on behalf of intellectuals. It is an indicator of a bigger, longer process – a process that, of course, started much earlier than 2018. If I try to describe this process in a few words, it can be called a “decline in national ambitions.”
If we follow the theory of the Russian philosopher Lev Gumilyov, then in the history of every nation there is a passionate rise, the highest “acmativ” point, followed by the fall (passionate rise). By that logic, we had a rise in 1988-91, a high point in 91-94, and then the decline began. What are the features of decline? When people say, “We are tired of great dreams and great efforts, let us live in peace with our daily worries.” That process started, I repeat, in 1994 and found its fixation in this year’s parliamentary elections. People with political interests or, at least, preferences will, of course, tend to blame this or that leader or party. But I have to say something sadder: it is a natural process.
And since the prevailing mood is the desire to live in peace with everyday worries, there is no public demand for modern science, education, culture, a developed economy, and a strong army. Therefore, there is no demand for qualified scientists, teachers, artists, or serious business owners. (This is where this enmity towards thought and intellect comes from). The ideal is the Asian market, the fair, where there will be an opportunity to buy and sell Turkish palaces. Now, they say, the borders with Turkey are opening, and there will be a wide opportunity for that.
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What should we do in that case? It is also clear to me to prepare for the next ascent. Just like in Soviet Armenia in the 1960s and ’70s.
Aram Abrahamyan
