What traditions do we need?
Discussions about whether the Russian people exist in the wide world at all are not the first year.
On the one hand, many, including government officials, strongly deny the existence of such a nation. That the slogan "Russia for the Russians" is recognized as extremist, they will forget to invite at least for the sake of decency of the representatives of the Russian people to the meeting of the head of the government with the leaders of the federal national-cultural autonomies. In the event of conflicts on a national basis, the authorities are increasingly turning for help and advice to such surprising associations as the national diasporas, of course, not interested in the opinion of the Russian “diaspora”.
The idea of Russia as an exceptionally multinational country is being intensively introduced into the public consciousness. The number of peoples who live together in the open spaces of the Russian Federation has already reached 180 names. And it doesn’t matter that the majority of these peoples hardly number in a thousand people. We are not some kind of China, where also in remote areas you can find villages with non-assimilated native population. We count not on the heads, but on the nations. There are at least a couple of people speaking the native dialect, which means you can safely increase the multinationality of the Russian Federation. And if some representatives of small nations themselves have long forgotten that they are not Russian, then we can remind them about it. As, for example, in the Leningrad region, where they try to reanimate the Vepsian language by introducing it into school programs. The fact that the kids actually have to learn a foreign language, which a couple thousand people in the world can speak with half a sin, doesn’t bother anyone. After all, the main thing is to say with pride that we have another full-fledged national representative in multinational Russia.
The absence of the Russian people on the territory of Russia is proved both by referring to folklore, “scratching the Russian - you will find a Tatar”, and looking for foreign roots from famous representatives of the national culture. Do we have at least one person who does not know that Pushkin was a Negro?
Belonging to any national-cultural tradition is encouraged. Well done what - do not forget about their roots, honor their culture, they need to throw denezhek. Of course, there is a circle of favorites here too. No one will put on one level the culture of the Caucasian peoples and, for example, Mordovians and Chuvash. Although it is safe, if not honorable, to be a Mordvinian in our country. At the very least, a public statement of one’s nationality will not cause accusations of fascism, as is the case with the Russians.
Not to be unfounded, we can recall the recent case of the famous TV presenter Gordon. At a meeting with students of one of St. Petersburg universities, he, arguing about the absence stories Russian people, asked the audience an offensive question about whether there are people among them who consider themselves to be pure-blooded Russians. When one of the students identified himself as such, Gordon, no less embarrassed, called the young man a fascist. Note that it was not about nationalist appeals, about the need to expel migrants, even the famous “Russia for Russians” did not sound. For the accusations of fascism, it was enough to name their nationality.
It is clear that Gordon would hardly have decided on a similar focus in an audience filled with Chechens or the same Jews.
Of course, sometimes the existence of the Russian people is still remembered. This happens when there is a need for repentance. It is necessary to repent for Katyn, for the outbreak of the Second World War, for the cold war, for the invasion of Afghanistan, and why else. It is here that it turns out that not abstract general human beings are to blame for this, but quite concrete Russian themselves, and their descendants should feel guilty, sprinkle ashes on their heads and, of course, pay compensation.
However, everything is not so bad. Still, any even the most tricky propaganda is difficult to deal with the objective reality given to us in sensations. Moreover, from time to time the Russian people make it felt that they themselves are fully aware of their unity and are ready to defend their interests.
Needless to say, any Russian person cannot help but wonder why Russian in Russia is in such a very strange position, involving many duties and responsibilities, but completely devoid of not only privileges, but even universal human rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
There is no shortage of answers. The most zealous and not very clever Russophobes continue to broadcast about some initial savagery and bydlovost Russians, horrified Russian drunkenness and immorality. But this Russophobia is too obvious. On such a society, thank God, immunity has almost been developed.
Therefore, recently we offer a much more camouflaged version. The reasons for the evils of the Russian people are suggested to be seen in its departure from its own traditions, neglecting the wisdom of the ancestors. Lost, they say, the precepts of the fathers, unlike all small nations, now pay the price.
Our church hierarchs like to talk on this topic. Russian people do not go to church, do not observe Orthodox dress code, listen to foreign music, do not serve generous monks, do not move away from Domostroi’s norms in family life. Here is a horror!
Here and the state joins. Yes, they forgot completely Russian about their traditions. On service in army are not torn. Obedience to those in power do not show. To give birth, again, ten people do not want children. Well, what good can be expected after that?
Our especially privileged national minorities are joyfully joining this duet.
“Do you know the Uruses, why do we not love you so much? Why and strive to slaughter on the sly? Wow, how stupid! Is it really incomprehensible - because you are not following your traditions? If we observed them, we would respect you so much, respect you as much as our brothers. ”
Here the truth often happens disagreement. It turns out that traditions mean customs, well, not Russian at all. Although you are plunging into the very depths of history, you will not find there any mention of the burqa among the Slavs, for example.
Interestingly, the authorities, the church and the diasporas do not just talk about disregard for traditions, but also tend to view their non-observance as a provocation that can lead to violence.
Again, everyone remembers how in recent cases of attempting to insult and rape Russian girls in the Don camp or in Zelenokumsk, most of the blame for the priests and statesmen attempted to impose on the victims. They say that they did not behave this way, they did not dance this way, they donned the wrong skirt.
It is clear that such a formulation of the question of the observance of traditions opens up a rather unpleasant prospect for the Russians. If you do not observe, they will be killed, robbed, raped, or imprisoned for inciting. Will you observe - also not to say that a very pleasant picture of life would emerge.
And let's take a closer look at what folk traditions are all about and why they are needed. First answer the claims of the church. And we will answer with the words of its founder. You can perceive Jesus as the son of God, as a clever preacher, or even deny the reality of his existence, but many clever thoughts remain from this character.
So, one day, Jesus performed another of his miracles on the Sabbath day. The Sabbath of the Jews was, and still remains, a holy day, on which absolutely any work is prohibited. Accordingly, the Jewish priests very much wanted to shame Christ and accuse of violating this very popular tradition. However, Jesus did not utterly embarrassedly uttered his historical words: "The Sabbath is for man, and not man for the Sabbath."
The existence of customs, traditions, rites in our life is justified and reasonable, if they bring to our world at least a little joy, happiness, fun, or, on the contrary, sometimes they allow us to think about sad, but important things. And here it doesn't really matter where the roots of this tradition come from. It can be commemorative rites dating back to pagan times. Easter holiday, when all run to the shops for Easter cakes and paints for eggs. Or the holiday of the eighth of March, which is now condemned by our church, which sees in it either Jewish roots, or intrigues of revolutionaries of atheists. It is possible at least ten times to describe as the deacon Kuraev in his book, the identity of our “women's day” and Judaic Purim. All the same, after all, the majority of the population perceives this holiday as the beginning of spring, a reason again after a long winter to take a fresh look at the prettier female sex.
Sometimes these traditions are created literally before our eyes. Take the same Valentine's Day, which is celebrated with us in a big way and generosity, pleasing the producers of chocolate and cards. But a couple of decades ago, no one ever heard of any Valentine. And do not blame the Russian monkey and thoughtless borrowing. They borrowed what they wanted, what the need was felt, and what was apparently lacking - the opportunity to openly, let them take advantage of the holiday, to tell about their feelings. After all, Halloween is not borrowed, although the American horror films associated with this holiday, revised a lot.
But attempts to form and impose traditions at the state level fail. The majority of the population still cannot really say what kind of holidays we celebrate on June 12 and November 4, and what historical events they are associated with.
We can also recall the same Valentine's day, which has recently become literally prosecuted (the ban on the celebration in educational institutions in certain regions). But the population was provided with a home-grown analogue - the Day of Peter and Fevronia with very funny-sounding “fevronkami”, which should be replaced by valentines. If this was done for patriotic reasons, then it is nevertheless precisely that patriotism that is commonly called kvass, based not on love for one’s land and people, but on admiration for trifles and empty spaces.
Any tradition that requires a certain sacrifice from the people, rejection of joys and departure to asceticism, should be rejected. Let us bring at least a thousand texts from the writings of the holy fathers. Moreover, many studies of Russian folk culture reveal a significant part of the tradition of carnival, cheerful, with buffoons, gluttony, healthy cynicism and freedom of liking.
Even a sincere belief in the afterlife cannot be the basis for idealizing a monastic and close to him way of life. Belief in the fact that God brings joy to one or another style of clothing, and mini-skirts cause grief and sorrow in heaven - this is just a manifestation of the most backward, savage world view, which places a mechanically performed rite above any noble behavior.
State claims are even easier to answer. Since, to put it mildly, it is far from telling the whole truth, mentioning only those traditions that are currently beneficial to him, and sometimes it becomes entangled in words itself. Take the same birth of many children, which is presented as a commendable tradition. Here's how this can be linked to the plans for the introduction of juvenile justice and the impossibility of providing these children with a decent lifestyle? After all, any Russian person understands that his child will not be accepted under the quota allocated for the Caucasian republics to the prestigious university, they will not provide his family with lifts, if they want to move to another region. And if you look pessimistically into a more distant future, it turns out that you also give birth to children not for yourself, but for the same state that decides for itself how to raise a child and what to teach.
Any reference to traditions on the part of the liberals, even the Imperials, who mourn the death of the USSR, means that the people must obey the authorities, obey blindly and unconditionally. And for the sake of what to obey - this is secondarily. For the sake of communist paradise or liberal. Yes, even for the dispensation of the kingdom of God on earth. The people again turn out to be a mass, a mob, whose daily interests and needs are nothing compared to the greatness of the goal.
It is not so difficult to imagine a reaction to the following traditions from the diasporas. As mentioned above, following Russian customs does not suit them in any case, be it the customs of the 19 century, pre-Petrine Russia, or any fields with Vyatichi. That is, even if all Russian girls put handkerchiefs on their heads, buy skirts to the ground for themselves and go to church every day, no respect from proud jigits will add to them, simply because for them all this is alien and ridiculous.
By the way, if we assume a hypothetical situation in which the Russians will take to imitate the historical traditions of the guests from the south, then this will not be a salvation for them. Such adoption of foreign customs will be perceived solely as a weakness, inability to stand up for yourself with all the unpleasant consequences that follow in the form of even greater violence and humiliation.
It is necessary to say a few words separately and about provocation. The concept is very vague and can be interpreted in different ways. All lovers of reproach Russian girls in the habit of wearing too provocative outfits, tearing off the roofs of hot Caucasian guys, I would like to ask one simple question. Imagine that you had a mobile phone on your neck with a string. There was at one time such a fashion, especially among teenagers. And this phone is pulled from your neck. The detained robber will begin to make excuses later: “Why, I was provoked. Why did such an expensive phone open hang around your neck? How can you resist the temptation? ”How would you react to such excuses?
It is clear that such attempts to justify themselves would hardly have had a favorable impression on both the victim and the court. So why then does a miniskirt put a person in a situation when he himself has to justify himself? And again, we repeat, the point is not in a particular dress. If you wish, there is always a reason for a rapist. A handkerchief was too frivolously knotted or a long skirt did not quite correspond to the norms of Sharia.
The output needs to be made very simple. We can not allow anyone to decide for us what traditions we need. We are Russians somehow somehow figure it out, all unnecessary, irrelevant or propaganda introduced will be eliminated by itself. Some traditions will not like, others will appear. Customs because, like the language is not something petrified, they live and develop together with the people.
In any case, we must remember that the main value is the well-being of the people, and the traditions are designed only to help in achieving this very well-being. Do not deny yourself any joy just because it allegedly does not fit into the typical image of a Russian person. Often this typical image offered to us is created by non-Russians. And even more so one should not give up pleasant habits and traditions, just because someone does not like them. It's time to learn the simple truth - you can not be good for everyone. There will always be dissatisfied. Try to be good for yourself. This simple life maxim works not only at the interpersonal level, but also at the level of interethnic relations.
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