Photo: RIA "Novosti" / A. Kryazhev
The socio-economic relations of the Russian authorities with the subordinate population are described by two classic jokes. One is about budget policy: a father who was fired from his job comes home, and his son asks: "Dad, will you drink less now?" — "No, you will eat less." The second is about a meeting of two old friends, one of whom got rich, and the other became impoverished: "How are you?" — "I haven't eaten for three days." — "Well, you have to force yourself."
Happy Thursday
The head of state, during a meeting with government members, stated that fish and seafood are not only beneficial but also prolong life. Moreover, life extension occurs in countries where the population eats a lot of fish and sea creatures. There is a certain contradiction here: fish and seafood are at least from the Mediterranean basin, almost each of which is "unfriendly." And in the markets, at least in the city of Moscow, the countries of origin of edible fish are usually Greece and Montenegro. Things are also good with fish and seafood in Northern Europe, in certain regions of the United States, Canada, and other hostile geographical points for the Putin system. And there, judging by the statistics, due to fish or some other reasons, people indeed live longer than in the Russian Federation. It turns out that Putin called to take an example from the West with its non-traditional values:
"...So far, the level of fish and seafood consumption in the diet structure of citizens lags behind the norm recommended by our Ministry of Health. I draw attention, in those countries where it is quite high, this level, and life expectancy increases..."
However, another assessment was also voiced: fish is expensive for ordinary citizens.
"The Soviet experience of fish day is used, as well as the developments of administrative economics: it is ordered to reduce fish prices by 50% on Thursdays - and the entire trade network, including private, immediately took and fulfilled the order..."
In connection with the fact that at the very top these discoveries were suddenly made, contradicting the general ideological line and parallel conclusions of Lukashenko that Belarus supplies "stinky Europe" with clean air (which, in turn, contradicted the data on the diverse physical and economic geography of the European continent, including fish-producing countries), the political class made rationalization proposals. Sergey Mironov was the first to respond:
"...In our maritime state, over the year, starting from last October, fish has risen in price by 29%! Almost by a third! Prices jump so much that the once cheapest pollock becomes a delicacy... let it be "fish Thursday," when fish in stores will be sold at a 50% discount..."
It is noteworthy here that the Soviet experience of fish day is used, as well as the developments of administrative economics: it is ordered to reduce fish prices by 50% on Thursdays - and the entire trade network, including private, immediately took and fulfilled the order... In short, as a result of the meeting and taking into account the general inflationary processes, with fish consumption, as well as life expectancy indicators (not to mention mortality rates in different age categories and the structure of causes of mortality), everything will remain approximately the same as it is. The Mediterranean diet does not shine for a significant part of the population, those who "force" themselves to eat will eat well, and officials, as they actually did at the mentioned meeting, will report an increase in the pollock catch. Which in itself is not bad, and the fish is not the worst, just again, if we talk about the Soviet experience, this very pollock was fed to cats. And more noble varieties were bought in "Ocean" stores. However, this is again a question of price proportions. And as long as there is a market in Russia, it will determine market prices.
"complained the other day the Speaker of the Duma Volodin: there is a catastrophic shortage of doctors, especially in small towns and in the countryside. I wonder where these very doctors have gone? Perhaps a significant part of the personnel was pulled by the same SVO?"
Hooligans are deprived of pensions
By the way, about inflation and the struggle of the first person for "affordable prices" for quality fish products and not only. At one of the recent press conferences, someone from the Central Bank leadership was asked - if the SVO ends, how will it affect different indicators? To which the leadership joyfully, and most importantly honestly replied: it will be a powerful anti-inflationary factor. So the express analysis is given, the position is stated...
Perhaps the same factor can normalize the situation in certain segments of the labor market. On the situation in which the Speaker of the Duma Volodin complained the other day: there is a catastrophic shortage of doctors, especially in small towns and in the countryside. I wonder where these very doctors have gone? Perhaps a significant part of the personnel was pulled by the same SVO? The answer is more or less obvious, although state people are going to solve the problem in the usual Russian way of "serfdom" - graduates of medical universities will work for three years in state and municipal medical institutions. Here it is easier to give an order than to force "private individuals" to sell fish at a 50% discount on Thursdays.
The past week was generally rich in initiatives. According to one of them, "foreign agents," to whom, according to VTsIOM data, the population is increasingly negative (the result of the slow intoxication of brains by the general atmosphere in the country - here the data of the pro-Kremlin pollster can be trusted), will be deprived of pensions. Which and when - is not entirely clear. Judging by the vector of improving repressive legislation in this area - gradually, but all.
"the longer the SVO lasts and the more difficult the economic situation, the more repressive the legislation becomes"
You can also prohibit "foreign agents" from eating fish on Thursdays - the degree of absurdity no longer surprises anyone among news consumers. The legislation on "foreign agents" violates a good dozen directly effective articles of the second chapter of the Russian Constitution, but in this case, it is already about violating part one of article 20 of the Basic Law: "Everyone has the right to life". Everyone - even if they have reached retirement age and are a "foreign agent." In any case, the Constitution speaks of the equality of rights and freedoms of all Russian citizens, and the state protection of these rights and freedoms is guaranteed. Moreover, according to article 55, part 2 in the Russian Federation, "laws canceling or diminishing the rights and freedoms of a person and citizen should not be issued".
The trend, however, has long been set: the longer the SVO lasts and the more difficult the economic situation, the more repressive the legislation becomes. Problems are compensated by the battle with external and internal enemies, who are probably to blame for the shortage of doctors and the high cost of fish.
Pumpkins without Kokoshniks
Foreign holidays are also to blame for the problems. For a long time, cheerful people have not marched through the streets of capital cities - all in green - on St. Patrick's Day. No one ever thought about the special meaning of this event - it was just fun. Until the last, Halloween held on and still holds. In the neighboring shopping center in the cinema, I counted four horror movies and horrors (how these genres differ, no one knows, but they are classified differently). And all - came from the damned West. And the trading enterprise itself was not totally, but still decorated with cute pumpkins to the delight of passing children. Moreover, the pumpkins were without kokoshniks.
In the subway, there were teenagers in holiday-appropriate makeup, but certainly on a smaller scale than before. There is generally a feeling of some general depressive fatigue, which, by the way, is confirmed by the data of the same VTsIOM (recognized by word of mouth as a pro-Kremlin organization): two-thirds of respondents feel a decline in strength weekly. Such a decline that you don't even want to celebrate anything, even semi-banned holidays.
"the trading enterprise was not totally, but still decorated with cute pumpkins to the delight of passing children. Moreover, the pumpkins were without kokoshniks"
And yet Halloween was indeed banned, for example, at the journalism faculty of Moscow State University - a somewhat unexpected place for such restrictions. Judging by the text of the ban itself, celebrating the "pagan" holiday is practically equated with "commenting on foreign agents." The connection is mysterious only at first glance: for a conspiratorial mind, the connection is quite logical. "What if I look like a zombie myself?" - a student melancholically noted on social networks. A rhetorical question...
And in more or less intellectual communities, it has now become good form to congratulate each other on "pumpkin savior." All manifestations of living life can be given a pseudo-Orthodox tint - how else to fight absurdity? And any liberal (also universal human) value can be described as a traditional spiritual and moral one.
For example, the right to life.
*Andrey Kolesnikov is considered a "foreign agent" by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.
Photo: dreamstime.com.