Why do people strive to become government deputies or officials? For many, the answer is obvious: to improve their material situation, gain control over businesses, acquire real estate in Armenia and abroad, and enjoy the many privileges that come with power.
But human nature is more complex, and purely material self-affirmation is never enough. These individuals need to constantly prove to themselves—and to others—that their success is solely the result of their incredible talents and unique merits. Not due to flattery, manipulation, or political games.
And to do this, they must continually “assert dominance” over others—to prove that they are the chosen ones, the anointed ones, while the rest of us, at best, are “Opel-driving rascals.”
What does a slave dream of? Most people instinctively answer: “A slave dreams of freedom.”
Read also
That is the wrong answer.
If a person is forced to humiliate themselves—and in Armenia, where power operates as a de facto monarchy, humiliation is a prerequisite for becoming a government deputy or high-ranking official—then, as compensation, they seek to humiliate and degrade everyone they can.
And they believe that in addition to the opportunity, they also have the right. Because, as I mentioned earlier, they live under the illusion that their position is not a result of political favoritism but of divine grace.
I see this high level of obscenity not only as a result of low culture and poor family upbringing but also as a consequence of the situation I described above. Their attitude toward journalists serves as a litmus test.
For the past 34 years, that attitude has not changed.
Their hostility toward journalists is a form of aggression—a means of self-affirmation through which those in power attempt to mask their deep-seated inferiority complex.
A word of advice to my colleagues: whether or not you respond to the crude behavior of these third-rate officials is entirely up to you.
But whatever they say, don’t take it too seriously.
I believe I’ve already explained why.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
