In a world filled with so much grief, why wasting your life on hate?

Vera Sokolinskaya, writer, publicist

A Christmas tree was set up at the Palace Square.

Soon the entourage of Christmas is everywhere, and the Gospel is not preached.

More and more decorations, garlands, Christmas markets... but no love, no mercy, no wisdom. Blind faith. It's the same on opposite sides. Do not get away from Dovlatov's "after the communists, I most of all dislike anti-communists".

Those who imprisoned then for going to church are now advocating imprisoning those who do not go to church. Dogmas change, methods do not.

And it would seem that it’s easier: if you don’t like it, don’t read, don’t buy, don’t watch, don’t subscribe. There would be a choice! If you don't like gays, don't make love to them. Angry contemporary art - do not go to his exhibition. If you don't like computer games - don't play, if you think that they spoil your children - bring up your children differently. Don't do it against abortion. (And after all, those who are against abortion are also against contraception. Are they really for homelessness, orphanages?)

“Living the way you want is not selfishness. Selfishness is to demand that others live the way you want” (Wilde, who would be imprisoned again, moreover, under the same article).

Soon The Nutcracker, the most famous Russian composer, will sound everywhere, the country is proud, but forbids people like him. Soon these posters without the author? In the USSR, there were films without the names of the inmates.

From there they decided: let the children out without Harry Potter. During the reign of Voldemort and the coven of death eaters.

The world is so beautifully diverse. Where does this wild hatred for the other come from? Choose for yourself, let others be different - this is what civilization, coexistence, peaceful competition is all about. The world is like a Borges library - choose for yourself. Why do you have to burn everything you don't like?

In a world where there is so much grief (and no one is guaranteed), why waste your life on hatred? (unsolicited advice; admonishment to strangers).

This is the eternal rapture of battle, struggle ... Thanatos, the cult of death. “Like work, they are looking for war” (preferably on the couch).

The Christmas star changed to red, then vice versa. Temple - a pool, then a temple again (and the cycle is by no means over). And all good is understood as acquired, and Evil is so mesmerizing with power that the former white magicians preferred Sauron to death. Tolkien is right: hope is only in small, defenseless halflings, who simply love life, go to a hopeless cause, because they do not calculate chances, do not argue about ideas, do not arrogantly teach others.

I live in anticipation of collapse,

humiliation and new losses.

Me, who was born in an empire of fear,

I am not even happy about bright festivities.

Everything ends in the middle

maybe forty times a day...

Me, who was born in the empire of blood,

I don't value mine anymore.

(Bulat Okudzhava)