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Having a Personal Opinion Not Accepted in Armenia: Sociology Expert

Two main fears are manifested by the Armenian public: one, the fear of tomorrow, in which not only is one not convinced whether he’ll live to see tomorrow or not, but also he’s afraid to even think about it and to plan anything; second, the fear of activity, when one avoids manifesting himself (his abilities and so on) in any way. This statement was made by lecturer with Yerevan State University’s Faculty of Sociology Anna Voskanyan, while speaking to journalists today. 

“Today, we’re afraid of the most important, to have dignity and to establish our right,” she said, noting that this is known as “acquired inhibition.” Voskanyan considers such phenomena destructive for society.

The sociology expert considered the public’s not actively participating in demonstrations or not resolving sonorous problems to be apathy. “When human values change, people don’t know what to go after,” she said, adding that it’s not necessary for one to participate in a rally, it’s sufficient to have a personal opinion at least. 

According to Voskanyan, those who’ve gone to Europe begin to freely express their opinions, but those who have been living in Armenia for a long time, their opinions are “extinguishing.”

“Perhaps it’s not even accepted here [in Armenia] to have a personal opinion,” concluded Voskanyan. 

More so, she said, in Armenia, it’s easier to assist women than men because the latter are more closed off.

“For example, if [in a given Armenian family] the father has a phobia that extends to causing psychological problems, the entire family suffers. The whole family comes to receive assistance [treatment], except for that person who is the main cause of the issue,” she said.