Aesthetics, the mother of ethics: what does vulgar luxury in the homes of bribe-taking policemen mean?

The news of the detention of almost the entire leadership of the Traffic police of the Stavropol Territory directorate (more than 35 employees), headed by its chief Alexei Safonov, was reported by almost all Russian media and social networks. The next gang of "werewolves in uniform" is charged with organizing a criminal community, receiving bribes, abuse, exceeding, etc. A real mafia was operating in the Stavropol Territory, profiting from everything: from "thieves' numbers" to passes for heavy trucks.

And the publication of photographs taken in the house of Safonov himself in Stavropol had a stunning effect. Bloggers immediately gave the name to the style in which the interiors of the house are sustained: "Gypsy baroque in all its hellish beauty." And, of course, there was no end to the mocking comments about the "abyss of taste" of the police chief.

Meanwhile, this fact speaks of much more than just a lack of taste. As the political scientist Abbas Gallyamov quite rightly noted in his publication, this is not so much about aesthetics as about ethics (or rather, about its absence) of people who have seized power in the country:

“That abyss of artistic taste, which was demonstrated today by the head of the traffic police in the Stavropol Territory, once again reminds the country of the quality of the elites that govern it. Brodsky is remembered with his immortal:“ Evil, especially political, is always a bad stylist ”and“ Aesthetics is the mother of ethics. The notions "good" and "bad" are, first of all, aesthetic concepts, anticipating the categories of "good" and "evil"..."

And the journalist Maxim Trudolyubov drew a very apt analogy between the current government and the one that ruled Russia until 1917. The difference is just catastrophic:

“These pictures are in the news about the golden mansion of some Stavropol policeman. What should be in a person's head? The point is not that the Sheremetev palaces were "better". They, after all, basically just followed the latest fashion. Oddly enough it sounds now, these people were lookouts, they wanted to grasp the present and even the future - well, as they understood it. And here - that in the case of the palace in Gelendzhik, that with this "golden house" of the Stavropol State Traffic Safety Inspectorate (one of many, of course) we are dealing with an orientation toward the past, but something completely invented that never existed. These are like “traditional values”. This is how they use their freedom and how they understand traditional values - blue billiards, gilded stucco molding in the kitchen, a symbol of "a successful life".

I have a difficult attitude towards the aristocrats of pre-Soviet Russia and it hurts me to realize the gigantic gap that was between the extremely utilitarian dwelling of the poor peasant (which were the majority) and the extremely ostentatious dwelling of the count (which were the absolute minority). But the palaces have become monuments - they are now museums. And what will the current achievements of the current elite be? Their own children will be ashamed of these golden patterns.

I read here a wonderful book by Leonard Tydman "Izba, House, Palace" - I recommend it to everyone. This book is, in fact, the history of the Russian pre-Soviet way of life, told through the arrangement of the house - from a peasant hut to the royal palace. Good as an antidote ... "

By the way, the same Abbas Gallyamov draws a far-reaching conclusion from this whole seemingly ridiculous situation:

“It is obvious that the demonstration of vulgar luxury, in which the detained chief of the traffic police for the Stavropol Territory lived, will not strengthen the electoral prospects of United Russia. The main conclusion that a man in the street who has seen all this will make will sound disappointing for the United Russia party: "Yes, they are absolutely fucking there!" (...)

Looking at the forceful pressure that representatives of the Russian opposition are subjected to, and understanding the political underpinnings of what is happening, many conclude that the Kremlin tightly controls the security forces. Evaluating today's arrest and especially the fact of the publication of photographs of the "trophies" that the operatives received, one can doubt the veracity of this assumption. There is certainly control, but it is very conditional, framework. In any case, the security officials did not bother to bother about the question of whether the photographs of the boudoirs of the Stavropol traffic cop would remind the voter of the photographs published six months ago from the Gelendzhik palace.

To consult with the Kremlin's political strategists too ... "

However, there is also a directly opposite opinion, which is quite often expressed on social networks. The arrest of this gang is specifically timed to coincide with the elections, in order to show how the government is unrestrainedly fighting corruption. So there is a lot of incomprehensible left here.

But the writer Alexander Snegirev examined the interiors of this house in detail, drawing attention to very funny details, once again confirming their wildest bad taste:

“(…) From the dramatic detail, one cup of coffee is visible on the countertop of the kitchen table. The detainee was at home alone. Or the family was still asleep. A crib in the living room and a stroller in front of the house are almost the only living elements among all this luxury. There are a lot of water bottles next to the bed. A lot. And in the kitchen too. In the kitchen, however, the bottles are empty. Someone is either hungover or just hot.

A lot of soft toys and bouquets of artificial flowers are striking. It's hard not to notice the voluminous vase of artificial fruit in the kitchen. The second one stands on the curbstone on the right in the photo of the living room with a pillar and a peacock. The passion to decorate housing with dummies is characteristic of citizens of a certain psychological make-up. By this they involuntarily confess: all my wealth is a dummy, strives to look more expensive, dazzles and strives to jump out of my hands.

On the whole, a very immature consciousness has been demonstrated. Near the guest / tea house there is a healthy figure of a dog on its hind legs, and next to it there is a nymph with a lamp or something. The windows have one-to-one proportions of the windows of a five-story building. Lots of artificial materials. I am sure that all the "stucco" and "carved" elements are polyurethane stamping.

If I got this house to plunder, what would I take? Hmm, a question. I love the gold wardrobe in the hallway. The wardrobe is honest, not with golden fintiflyushki, but stupidly all gold. And the shade is beautiful. But it’s too healthy, you can’t take it away on a tank. I would just drink coffee from that one cup.

In general, the feeling is festive, perhaps a little offensive for the money stolen by Colonel Safonov - they were not so hot.

And further. I can't understand what kind of object is on the bar at the end of the billiard room? It looks like a hog roasted on a spit, but it's impossible. What is it???"