What Do We Want As Armenians, as Human Beings

thistooshallpass · Member Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 101

What you are about to read has been in my mind for a long time and somehow needed to come out. I would appreciate and welcome any dialog and discussion. As I always say, this is not anything that must pass for the truth or necessarily be defended. The Truth, in any case, does not need to be defended by anyone or anything.

It seems always and especially nowadays we all talk about who should be Armenia’s next president and why and as always we have plenty of blame and negativity to go around. We often say, could have been, should have been, should be, must be, will be, etc... It just is. Deal with it, but deal with it not out of hatred towards the others.

The hate, the dissatisfaction, the discontent is IN YOU, face the fact. What, in the entire history of humankind, has ever changed anything that truly matters to every human being? Did Christianity change Armenia and the condition of its people? Did Communism? Did Independence change Armenia and the condition of its people? Will anything change Armenia and its people? Of course they will change alright, but change it based on what Christianity means according to its leaders and what Communism means according to its leaders, etc. At best this is only an artificial modification based on some idea no matter how honorable the idea. The maximum good any governmental system can achieve is to tip the balance of the condition of its people towards better, but the fact remains that meanwhile there are always others who suffer, and as long as there is a single tear somewhere, the rest becomes false and cannot be relied on as a solution, and especially not something to die for as a “patriot”. Now the part of population that is discontent starts demonstrations, fiery speeches and calls for bloody wars and to kill Muslims, or Jews, or to kill the leaders and rich folks that so mislead them, etc., etc. If they succeed, they will put in their own leader who will be the source of discontent for some other group, and then, and then and then... This will forever be an exercise in futility, until each of them, each of us, puts ourselves into power and sees that we matter, that we are the people for whom we so readily claim to love and to die. War as well as peace as well as happiness and sorrow are nothing but a mindset. Only I can change my own mindset and if I disagree and don’t see this fact, then I will be admitting that I am weak and depend on someone else to show me what to do and how to live my life.

At this point, most of us should realize that we are prisoners of our own government through our mindset and self-pity, but we don’t. It is easier to look outside. It is easier to just say “I am nobody. I can’t make a difference no matter how much I want.” Of course you can’t because you want to make a difference without rather than within, based on your selfishness and your bigotry and your hate. Hate weakens us and as such we are susceptible to all types of manipulation. We fall for sentiment. We allow our emotions get the best of us. We are mobilized by our leaders who play us masterfully. Always few play the rest to achieve their own agenda. They play us so masterfully by targeting our emotions, pains, bias, hate, nationalism, grievances, complaints and our ego and feeding these emotions. They turn us into each other, into ourselves, into not wanting to think for ourselves and just do as we’re told. It’s easier, much easier, until it hits home, then we want revenge and curse the God and the Government for not taking care of us. After all aren’t we their subject, aren’t we God’s children? How can this happen to me? Me, me, me, me, poor me. This, we call “change” and “building a country”. If you follow the heard, you keep stepping on the s#%t they left behind.

We base our happiness and the purpose of our life on achieving someone else’s ego-based desires and we always end up being on the losing end of the deal on matter where we live or who our leaders are. We are a pawn, nothing more until we see the power that we are as a human being living under this sun on a solid ground, anywhere. We get what we deserve by our own actions. So please let’s stop the blame game, and stop insulting people in order to cover up our own cowardly thoughts based on our selfish desires, needs and wants. See yourself for what you are and stop looking outside for a solutions and salvation. Once this is clear, we won’t blame anyone, especially ourselves. We won’t be a slavish sheep begging to be herd and shown how to live our lives. And let's see, who the people are that make up Armenia? It is you, it is me. It is every single person and what they do from the moment they open their eyes to the moment they go to sleep. That’s your family, your neighborhood, your city, country, and the world. Unless each of us becomes independent from any authority and looks at himself/herself for solutions, we'll be miserable no matter where we live. Unless we are content with the plot we've been given to cultivate as our own, there will be wars and hatred in us and in the world.

Is it anyone’s fault that you can’t help but want more for yourself and want more for your family? Is it anyone else’s fault that when you cannot get your “more”, you become bitter and blame your fellow human being? More food, more money, more protection, more everything, and employ all the means to get more, more, more until someone else has none… here we go again. That someone is now discontent and that someone wants to topple you and get revenge and put things straight and install a better leader, and in the process entirely miss what matters, HIMSELF. We all matter as a part of the whole. Please see this vicious cycle. The fact is you cannot change anyone. The fact is the countries cannot change anyone. All you do when you try to defeat the enemy is to create another fiercer one. The only thing you can do is to change yourself. And no matter how good you think you have it, not to force it upon anyone else because this will be the start of the whole damn thing once again.

Heroes are made by fighting their battles based on right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. Be the one who can, live and love for your fellow man/woman (countryman/countrywoman) and you will never protect your given plot based on hate, fear and selfishness. First you must cultivate your own plot and once you do, you’ll know and appreciate what you have, and what you have will satisfy you because it is cultivated, prosperous has a niche. The same with any country, before wanting more it should make sure what it has is in order and is prosperous and is cultivated and is using its potential. As a true human being, if you fight, it will be for the mankind not for your miserable desires, religious and political views, self-gratification, etc.

Armenia should consist of more people who don’t hate, and Armenia will be loved and will be able to fight if needed, not out of selfish desire to have more, but to protect those who cannot defend themselves, the children and young and elderly and what is our God given right to be. The fight, the war, the defense, the offense must not be based on hate but on what you truly believe to be your God given right and that is, to BE (not to be rich, poor, Armenian, Russian, Christian or Muslim or what not, but to be and to Love.) Only this will be a just fight without any subsequent collective suffering and long held grievance. Ultimately the goal of every country is to BE... now whether that country is greedy, hateful, or dictatorial is the mirror of the people occupying that country, and it deserves what it gets (good or bad, victory or defeat). Ultimately the goal of every human, whether you want to see it or not, is to BE... to be at peace, to have a job, and food for himself and his family.

Unless we stop the aggression we have (starting with ourselves), the blaming that we do, our claims for more, etc. we won't be able to see what we already have. Why can't we live and let live? That's because we are in fear at all times. This fear is given to us by what we see on TV, hear, read, etc. We want to protect ourselves with walls and weaponry and allies, but it will not help us to be happy in our miserable little lives which is so much like a short and stupid dream. Your country is you. You and I deserve what we got and as such must be at peace with it. You can substitute "it" with everything.
Thank you for your patience.

Qstr8TwoCA · Bronze Member Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 405

Youre welcome.

Qstr8TwoCA · Bronze Member Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 405

I was at peace with myself when I was a child, now as I've matured, I realize that peace although a very comforting idea, requires two too tango. Unfortunately for those who seek peace, there is not plenty of it.

thistooshallpass · Member Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 101

visitor · Guest

there will be no peace. With U.S. threatening Iran everyday how can there be peace?

thistooshallpass · Member Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 101

hkd · Member Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 185

quote You are the war. The war is IN you. War is a mindset unquote
why not to address these beautiful words to the turks and azeris at the beginning?
ps these words remind me of a movie on the vietnam war, if I'm not mistaken
'the patriot' where at the end the soldier thinks the same 'the war is inside us'

Qstr8TwoCA · Bronze Member Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 405

That would be the movie Platoon.

hkd · Member Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 185