LOOKING FOR LEADERS: ROLE OF INTELLIGENTSIA HAS SHIFTED IN INDEPENDENT ARMENIA
SOCIETY | 06.03.13 | 15:31
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN ArmeniaNow reporter
Post-election Armenia with the recent domestic political developments
has become a rostrum for polarized intellectuals who are using it to
voice criticism against one another and preach “the true role of an
intellectual” in society.
Enlarge Photo Astghik Gevorgyan
Enlarge Photo Vardan Petrosyan
Intelligentsia that traditionally, and especially during times of
repression, meant the elite of the society, the brightest of the
nations’ minds, fighting injustice and often punished for putting
people’s right to freedom above all, has, ironically, had its profile
distorted over the two decades of Armenia’s independence.
If some of them today are at Liberty Square next to Raffi Hovannisian,
participating in the post-election standoff, many more are on the
other side of the barricade, openly preaching the pro-establishment
propaganda.
Astghik Gevorgyan, president of the Journalists’ Union and member
of public council of Armenia and Yerevan city council, says the
intellectuals are the public conscience and it is very important
they each work with integrity in the field they represent, and be
honest to the society. At the same time she says she cannot go to a
rally, confront a policeman, and be by citizens’ side fighting for
their rights.
Film director Tigran Khzmalayan is convinced that there is no longer
intelligentsia in Armenia, and does not think of himself as one,
because he says, an intellectual’s role has been irreversibly
distorted.
“The intellectuals have to be free and have the freedom of expression,
while today many among those so-called intellectuals have sold their
voice, their conscience,” he says, adding there are others who during
the years of hardship preferred to sell things at Vernisage [flee
market in Yerevan], but refused to sell their conscience and become
a puppet.
Writer, script writer Vahram Martirosyan believes that a state-awarded
title does not make one an intellectual.
“The kind of administration came to power that started ‘hanging
those bells’ from the intellectuals’ necks, forming a class of
intellectuals submissive and subservient to them. Their number
kept growing, because it is in human nature to be unable to resist
temptation. The authorities should not feed the intelligentsia, the
sense of gratitude is the worst adviser to an intellectual, whereas
they are the ones who should be forming a system of values,” he says.
Popular comedy actor Vardan Petrosyan has arrived from France to
personally participate in Hovannisian’s rallies. He said during a
program on Kentron TV, that he had been following the developments
in Armenia online, but then just left everything and returned to
motherland.
“People seemed to be alone, hopeless, but then they made the right
choice… I do not recall any such case when people would lead the
intelligentsia; the people now are far ahead. It’s usually the other
way around, intelligentsia leads people, but today the people have
taken a step up, rising to a pedestal, which is higher than the
intelligentsia. I do not mean to insult, but the intellectuals are
slowly following the people,” he said.
The discussion on the role of intelligentsia got more heated after
pop singer, now MP Shushan Petrosyan, during another program on
Kentron TV, reproached residents of Gyumri for taking 5,000 drams
(around $12) election bribe and voting for a different candidate,
and called their actions “dishonest”.
Residents of Gyumri wrote in Hello Gyumri page in Facebook social
network that if Petrosyan did not apologize they would greet her
with bars of soap and cucumbers during her jazz concert scheduled
for March 13 in Gyumri.
Many FB users wrote in this reference that artists should mind their
art, rather than politics.
Khzmalyan says that by “training and/or buying” the artists, teachers,
scientists the authorities are trying to “kill” the intelligentsia
in Armenia.
Martirosyan is convinced that the intellectuals should stand by the
people today and demand from the current leadership to step down,
respect their votes, and their right to vote.