A few days ago, I watched a conversation between Ukrainian publicist Vitaly Portnikov and writer Yulia Latynina, who was effectively expelled from Russia. Many referred to this as a “debate.” According to some estimates, user approval was 90/10 in favor of Portnikov. I believe that number is objective. And I think you won’t be surprised if I tell you that I’m in the 10 percent.
Claiming that the empire is a negative phenomenon from all perspectives and in all circumstances, and that all kinds of evil deeds and disgusting manifestations come exclusively from Russia (the Soviet Union), is a “trendy” opinion that is also prevalent in some Armenian circles. We have a special “brigade,” a propaganda team consisting of several dozen people, that broadcasts this narrative across several platforms daily.
But in this case, I am not interested in the subject of the dispute, but in its style. The problem is old, you could say it has a history of thousands of years, but it has become especially acute in the age of social media. On one side, there are activists, propagandists, “trolls,” “fakes,” etc., and on the other side, there are thinking people who allow themselves to doubt and ask questions. The former are liked by about 90 percent in any society, the latter by 10 percent.
It is easy to live when there are no shades, no details, and everything is completely clear. Activist/propagandists are the bearers of such an approach. In Armenia, they can be “Nicolakan” (the largest and the most vulgar mass), but they can also be “Kocharianakan”, “Dashnakcakan”, and even “Bagrat-Srbazanakan”.
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However, in the history of mankind, the opinion of the 10 percent who live outside of these patterns is important and forward-thinking. If it were not for that 10 percent, there would be no progress in any field, and no inventions would be made.
As Mark Twain wrote, if you’ve noticed that you’re on the side of the majority, that’s a sure sign that it’s time to change.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
