Thursday, April 05, 2007



More coalition people dancing.

April 3, after 6 pm, after most of the babushkas have been taken away.

It would've been more natural to see them listening to Oleksandr Moroz day and night, or to classical music, taking into account what that scary woman said earlier that day about the opposition's lousy song-writing skills.

Seriously, though, it's really amazing how politics gets mixed with entertainment here - and how the latter often prevails. I've heard this observation before, and it seems to be true about every political force in this country.

Maybe this is what saves us from violence.

But after spending time at this kind of Maidan, where hardly anyone would care or be able to talk about "serious" politics coherently, I find it even harder than before to focus on "serious" commentary. Much of it just doesn't make sense to me - and bores me. Maybe when I go back to Moscow, I'll find it in me to digest some of the abstract stuff. Maybe not.

2 comments:

  1. I would say that most protestors the world over (the ones that don't have to worry about being shot by their gov't) are more interested in the social and entertainment aspects of protest than influencing government policy.

    Those that care about making a difference are giving money to their candidates for office, writing letters, volunteering to do boring, busy work for their chosen political party, and finally, voting. Well that's for a political system that is relatively uncorrupt, anyway.

    One wonders how many people would have shown up if the weather conditions were the same as the first Maidan.

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  2. Seems they are all talking only to cameras at this gathering at Maidan. And it is a pity international media does not show these kinds of video ... showcasing the most primite form of entertainment.

    Agree with the previous comment - only through meaningful engagement in politics individuals are capable of influencing own future. Experienced first hand how even most Orange leaders (Lviv) are hugry for and poor on ideas for social and economic development.

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