SOCIETY: Russia Today

I've been thinking a lot lately on what's going in Russia. I love its strikingly beautiful language, in fact, I always did, I've got few Russian writers, directors, actors, musicians, designers and etc. whom I admire completely and even though I've never been able to appreciate some of their ways now I feel entirely free to yell "Are you completely bonkers?!". Racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia disgust me thoroughly. Civilized society imagine some dreadful monsters living there so for all of you I tried to reveal a secret or two about that mysterious land of vodka, ear-flaps and bears.

Can you recall how many struggles had the West had before reaching the very point of understanding that freedom of speech as well as freedom of individual choices is an inevitable part of creating a «better place to live for us all»? Today Europe is clearly undergoing some kind of a mid-life crisis, deliberately trying to reevaluate certain choices and directions which may (I sincerely hope) eventually lead to some grand changes or even indicate the beginning of a new era. 

Meantime, thanks to notorious years of communism, Russia took a first bite of the apple from that Tree Of Knowledge when everyone else in the garden was full. No wonder, it's acting like a raging teenager now. I mean, we all have gone through that outrageous lifestyle choices, poisonous anger, disrespect for authorities and painful mood switches varying from god complex to self-loath. Are you going to tell an angry teen what to do and expect one to listen to “that bloody nonsense”? Generation gap is a tricky thing, didn't you know?

Sometimes they are walking on the edge, those kids, make your fists clench, your teeth grit but they do not understand why you are so concerned. Do what wise parents do – repeat every phrase up to 20 times a day, pretend like you remember what it is like not to give a f*ck what others might think and be a centre of the Universe, be consistent, patient, win their confidence, be harsh but don't let them down. I'm begging you, don't let them destroy their future, at least, for your own sake.