A Foreigners Guide To Armenia: The Angriest Country In The World
from dada
Part I: An Introduction
The purpose of this series is to showcase the social standing in Armenia, one of the post-soviet countries riddled with a horrific past and a platitude of societal and cultural issues. To refrain myself from drifting into the indulgent practice of writing pop story snippets from Armenia, which I oft do, and to Illustrate the horrendous nature of systematic exploitation and abuse that has been oh so normalized in my country and in effect to keep this essay cohesive, I would like to lay out the framework of how this series should work. I will limit myself to writing one main story for each part of the essay. These stories will usually be based upon experiences that I had myself or was told by my friends. After writing the story, I will try with the best of my ability to illustrate the societal, cultural, and historical causes behind the occurrence of that story, and not per se the reasons behind that particular story but the reasons behind the all so similar stories that form a unifying cannon of life events that in turn cultivate the chaotic community that we are left with today. I will try to showcase the systems and norms that are so abusive and exploitative that the presence of such unjust and predatory mechanisms lead to the numbing of the mind and corruption of the soul. Those lucky enough to realize this process of total corruption, usually turn to different forms of escapism, an understandable response to the situation that they are born in. I too did partake in the inevitable pitfall of escapism, however, the realization that new people are born into this abysmal regime and their talents, desires, and hopes will be shattered and stepped over, in the same ways that mine were, have brought me to the realization of the duty I have as a survivor of the jungle – to share my knowledge and understanding of the place to the broadest audience possible, in hopes for them to develop the proper defense mechanisms against such a hostile environment. Because when I saw my sister with her hair cut to half and with the tears in her eyes, crying for my help, crying for an escape, crying for a safe place to exist, I knew that something must be done.
The essay was originally intended to be transformed into a video documentary series.
