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THIS MAY BE THE BEGINNING OF REAL INDEPENDENCE
Interviewer SIRANUYSH PAPYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/interview21722.html
Published: 13:19:23 - 11/05/2011
Interview with Siranush Dvoyan, literary critic
Do you agree that there is a lack of resource in the political sphere,
therefore the same persons have been involved in political events in
the past 20 years?
I think the problem is not the persons (although the persons too).
There is the issue of individuality above or outside the person. The
Armenian reality has always lacked individuality. People always have
difficulty changing their habits, themselves. Perhaps this is the
reason of the lack of resource. The question is when something is
generally individualized. I think the transformation from person
to individual occurs when a person decides to separate, part with
the habits that are familiar to him or he is used to, and create
new habits, socialize. In the time of separation and parting it is
impossible to imagine what resources there are which have not been
used. I think currently our "society" is in such a state. If only
the political platform is concerned, by saying political we imply two
poles, the ruling regime and the Armenian National Congress aspiring
to government. However, I think the political reality is not limited to
government systems. In this country there are people whose goal is not
government. They want to create a society, shape a culture of social
relations, which was never important for any of the three governments.
The shaping of the civil society has been in the focus of attention
after 2008, which was to enable shaping of individuality, in fact.
Let's try to understand what has been taking place recently. As far as
I've been able to follow the discourse, a dialogue is starting between
the government and the Armenian National Congress as the opposition.
For me, there is no essential difference between these two. Both are
government systems, one is based on oligarchy, the other is based
on authoritarianism. Social life, social relations do not set the
question of government (oligarchic, authoritarian, or which of them
is more progressive) because social relations beyond the person are
already relations of individuals. In Armenia the signs of this were
felt in the past one or two years, when a person becomes independent
from personality and seeks for individualization. This is an internal
process, which happens in people and is projected on the society.
You want to say that the society is more progressive than the mentioned
political wings if it is on the track for individualization?
In some respect, yes. The statements that the ideas of the Armenian
National Congress are progressive while the ruling regime's are not
lead to the consciousness that it is necessary to transform from a
savage state to more civil relations. And maybe the oligarchy was the
vice which made us think that it is possible to have an organized
system of relations which is not centered around one person but is
based on equal rights. Because we know that the Armenian environment
does not like systems, is unable to create them. The oligarchy
showed that it is possible but it is based on unequal rights. What
is happening in the government now may be the sign of reorganization
of the oligarchy as an authoritarian system. I mean the arrests
of high-ranking officials and the review of cases. I would not be
surprised if they recall October 27 and Vano Siradeghyan as well
because they are up for government centralization, and it is possible
only through "cleansing" in such savage relations as those in our
country. As to the layers of the society, as already such layers are
formed. Are they more progressive or not? Because they already realize
that they must make decisions on their own lives. If progressiveness
is independence of the individual from the system, then many social
layers, as separate groups, are more progressive today.
Are we again headed for snap or scheduled elections without a plan?
I don't think that elections, snap or scheduled, will bring about
big changes in Armenia, the same pattern may repeat with the Heritage
Party replaced by the Armenian National Congress or another party. It
makes no difference. The oligarchy may manage to become a centered
authoritarian force. Plans? If a political party tries to see where
the people belonging to this culture are going to in this country,
tries to coordinate and combine the small plans, which are the dreams
of different layers, and join them into a plan without centering them,
yes. At the moment, there is no such tendency.
Did the Armenian National Congress show at least once in the past three
years that it is not corrupt, it has distinct demands and pursues them?
Alright, I don't doubt anyone's or any party's or group's morality,
and morality is not much important if political deeds are concerned.
But what is the model of the society which the ANC wants to shape? If
it is an authoritarian system, the modern man cannot live with that
model. The incredibly rapid development of technologies has brought
people greater freedom and greater ability to be independent. Today
people are less dependent on others and wish to spread, enlarge and
not become centered. So how can authoritarian systems continue to
imagine their existence? The fact is that the quality of life in
Armenia continues to decline, immigration is growing, a terrible
mental degradation is underway, people's belief in political parties
is shattered. Maybe this process will restore self-esteem.
And this may be the beginning of real independence.
Interviewer SIRANUYSH PAPYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/interview21722.html
Published: 13:19:23 - 11/05/2011
Interview with Siranush Dvoyan, literary critic
Do you agree that there is a lack of resource in the political sphere,
therefore the same persons have been involved in political events in
the past 20 years?
I think the problem is not the persons (although the persons too).
There is the issue of individuality above or outside the person. The
Armenian reality has always lacked individuality. People always have
difficulty changing their habits, themselves. Perhaps this is the
reason of the lack of resource. The question is when something is
generally individualized. I think the transformation from person
to individual occurs when a person decides to separate, part with
the habits that are familiar to him or he is used to, and create
new habits, socialize. In the time of separation and parting it is
impossible to imagine what resources there are which have not been
used. I think currently our "society" is in such a state. If only
the political platform is concerned, by saying political we imply two
poles, the ruling regime and the Armenian National Congress aspiring
to government. However, I think the political reality is not limited to
government systems. In this country there are people whose goal is not
government. They want to create a society, shape a culture of social
relations, which was never important for any of the three governments.
The shaping of the civil society has been in the focus of attention
after 2008, which was to enable shaping of individuality, in fact.
Let's try to understand what has been taking place recently. As far as
I've been able to follow the discourse, a dialogue is starting between
the government and the Armenian National Congress as the opposition.
For me, there is no essential difference between these two. Both are
government systems, one is based on oligarchy, the other is based
on authoritarianism. Social life, social relations do not set the
question of government (oligarchic, authoritarian, or which of them
is more progressive) because social relations beyond the person are
already relations of individuals. In Armenia the signs of this were
felt in the past one or two years, when a person becomes independent
from personality and seeks for individualization. This is an internal
process, which happens in people and is projected on the society.
You want to say that the society is more progressive than the mentioned
political wings if it is on the track for individualization?
In some respect, yes. The statements that the ideas of the Armenian
National Congress are progressive while the ruling regime's are not
lead to the consciousness that it is necessary to transform from a
savage state to more civil relations. And maybe the oligarchy was the
vice which made us think that it is possible to have an organized
system of relations which is not centered around one person but is
based on equal rights. Because we know that the Armenian environment
does not like systems, is unable to create them. The oligarchy
showed that it is possible but it is based on unequal rights. What
is happening in the government now may be the sign of reorganization
of the oligarchy as an authoritarian system. I mean the arrests
of high-ranking officials and the review of cases. I would not be
surprised if they recall October 27 and Vano Siradeghyan as well
because they are up for government centralization, and it is possible
only through "cleansing" in such savage relations as those in our
country. As to the layers of the society, as already such layers are
formed. Are they more progressive or not? Because they already realize
that they must make decisions on their own lives. If progressiveness
is independence of the individual from the system, then many social
layers, as separate groups, are more progressive today.
Are we again headed for snap or scheduled elections without a plan?
I don't think that elections, snap or scheduled, will bring about
big changes in Armenia, the same pattern may repeat with the Heritage
Party replaced by the Armenian National Congress or another party. It
makes no difference. The oligarchy may manage to become a centered
authoritarian force. Plans? If a political party tries to see where
the people belonging to this culture are going to in this country,
tries to coordinate and combine the small plans, which are the dreams
of different layers, and join them into a plan without centering them,
yes. At the moment, there is no such tendency.
Did the Armenian National Congress show at least once in the past three
years that it is not corrupt, it has distinct demands and pursues them?
Alright, I don't doubt anyone's or any party's or group's morality,
and morality is not much important if political deeds are concerned.
But what is the model of the society which the ANC wants to shape? If
it is an authoritarian system, the modern man cannot live with that
model. The incredibly rapid development of technologies has brought
people greater freedom and greater ability to be independent. Today
people are less dependent on others and wish to spread, enlarge and
not become centered. So how can authoritarian systems continue to
imagine their existence? The fact is that the quality of life in
Armenia continues to decline, immigration is growing, a terrible
mental degradation is underway, people's belief in political parties
is shattered. Maybe this process will restore self-esteem.
And this may be the beginning of real independence.