by Igor Eidman – Russian sociologist
Original Russian, September 30, 2023
A humorous test of imperialism is posted on the feed. The point is that no matter how the Russian answers it, he will still be labeled an imperialist.
Many people find it funny. I don’t. Recently, a Ukrainian activist told me that every person who grew up in Russia received the imperial sourdough to one degree or another. At first I was indignant, but then I began to remember my barefoot childhood and realized that she was right. We were raised to be imperialists and xenophobes.
For decades, Russians were taught in school, broadcast from TV and radio, that other nations were “united forever” by their “Great Rus’”, Russians created the greatest power, they are the elder brother of others, and Russia is a “generous soul” that protects everyone and helps everyone. And from the queues, trolleybuses, smoking rooms, another, more frank, rushed: the national people are animals, they are crazy, we are feeding everyone, etc. Moscow still had its own imperial pathos – be proud that you are Muscovites, residents of the capital of a great superpower, Kyiv or Tbilisi – this is our province.
It was difficult to ignore all this, at least to some extent not to be poisoned by it. You succeded? Taking off my hat. Others take this imperial xenophobia with them around the world, adapting it to local realities: in Israel, Germany, the USA. And all my life, following the behest of the classic, I have to literally squeeze it out of myself.
It would seem that, as a Jew, it would have been easier for me to protect myself from imperial influence. I was a stranger in this empire and wanted to get out of it even then.
However, it turned out that this is not entirely true. Yes, Jews were outcasts in the empire. But besides the state, there was “the great Russian culture and the mighty Russian language.” And here a cultured Jew felt like he belonged, he was like a fish in the water.
We thought we would find salvation from the empire-state in its culture, but we fell into a trap. Culture for us has become the justification for empire.
In the Russian public consciousness, imperial culture is the only great one, and the cultures of small, “conquered” peoples are secondary, second-rate. This sense of cultural superiority is shaped by family and school from early childhood.
Imperial cultural arrogance and snobbery were not alien to many Russian Jews, including, for example, the great Brodsky. Russian culture, along with English, French, German, Italian, was perceived as part of the “major cultural league.” It was nice to feel like I belonged to her, and not to some “provincial” people. Cultural identification was followed by political affiliation, and the empire at some point became “its own.” This cup has not passed me either.
The test for imperialism can be extremely short and simple:
Born and raised in Russia?
This means that he was infected to one degree or another by the empire.
Realized this?
Then there is a chance for recovery.
Didn’t realize?
So there is no chance.
Translation – John Gather