I remember the 90s- as it was constantly disturbing and fun. It was possible to come up with something almost insane — and then to implement. So, my colleague, while eating soup, composed the program “Russian humanitarian Lyceum”, and after a few months began to set on our first Lyceum ninth grade. Later it turned out that one of my best students learned about the opening of the Lyceum of the paper ads that I personally stuck with the paste on a lamppost.
And in the 90s it was surprisingly a lot of interesting things on TV, and family members provided by the house, and recorded the transfer on video tapes for those who have to work late and might miss something important. Yes, video — big, heavy… When metro opened the video store, it was hard to believe my luck: almost any masterpiece of world cinema can be had now for a little money to take home for a night.
Well, I remember mid — late ‘ 80s. As the news came in and products were gone. My friend, a minute listening to the radio, said: “Another Minister for less!” As no one worked because everyone was watching the First Congress of people’s deputies. As my mom heard on TV that in the Park of culture opened the festival of art song, looked at each other and silently rushed to get dressed that in any case, it does not miss. A memorable and a Grand procession of supporters of democracy in the center of Moscow — and a strange sensation harmless crowd, which all Hello, I apologies if you hurt an elbow, and in which there were so many familiar, as if we were gathered at the village outskirts.
Well, I remember the 70s — the first half of the 80s, the so-called “period of stagnation”. The line of pioneering, Komsomol meetings, contests, a performance of songs, collection of waste paper, political slogans, where now is… Remember the half-empty shelves, and mum’s the phrase: “Well, nothing I have in the fridge cheese eggs not found!” And, of course, people who hung on the neck of the thick rope, and her 10 rolls of toilet paper, with the battle produced the only in the area hardware store.
But the 60’s I barely remember. When they ended, I was 5 years old. But I know a lot about them. Because, for example, that the mother told how she and fellow students ran outside to rejoice when it became known about the flight of Gagarin. Because I know by heart a lot of the “thaw” of poems and songs and love the old movies with their black-and-white elegance sheer pathos and gentle humour.
of Course, I can’t remember what it was before I was born. But for me is not just a real, almost tangible war, which was held from beginning to end, my grandfather. And I sometimes think that I was in the same Moscow communal apartment, where on may 9, 1945, my grandmother, her sister and their best friend overjoyed jumped on the beds, the sofa wrapped in blankets.
there are No I have no personal memories about the first years of Soviet power, nor of pre-revolutionary Russia. Even my students whom I seem infinitely ancient, and that had already asked if I was familiar with Yesenin, until asked, did I, Nicholas II. However, it will take some time, and someone will pay me a question once the roommate of my grandmother: “Tell me, have you seen the wooden Moscow?” Grandmother then, I remember, replied: “of Course! And Ivan Kalita!” By the way, not the fact that the neighbor caught the words, the irony.
But it’s not what I saw with my own eyes. Otherwise, of course, the own past, I still remember the Silver age, and the great reforms of the mid-nineteenth century, and the Decembrist era. And without it I would be empty and lonely. So I’m genuinely surprised when some of my colleagues, faced with the total historical ignorance of our students, shouting almost with emotion: “Well they’re young! Remember that you can’t!”
it is Clear that the generation consists of a variety of people and any kind of generalization is not quite correct. Still, I think that is a trait that unites many of today’s 20-year-old. I would call it historical amnesia. By the way, I do not agree with the popular assertion that today’s youth knows little. My students know a lot. They are well-versed in gadgets, guided on the Internet, they just know more than I do about sports, about fashion, about new trends in music and so on. That is, with simultaneous slice of reality they have everything in order. But when it comes to diachronic…
the Girl answering the state examination on the question of investigative journalism, cannot name a single name. She seems to be actually not sure in recent Russian history was investigative journalism: in the tutorial they missed. Another student who is really keen on television programs about cinema, does not know who of Soviet filmmakers led at the time, “the Kinopanorama”. And when one of the examiners trying to help and tells: “This man made a movie that we all watch every year. Well, who is the Director of the “Irony of fate”?” — completely lost and frightened murmurs: “Irony? Fate?” Is this situation some kind of special irony.
What did the 20-year-old exactly like this? Do not claim a definitive answer, but I will list a few possible causes. The first is on the surface. This change in school and University education. We were taught much more harshly. Not to know what “the Decembrists awakened Herzen”, and in Marxism there are “three sources and three component parts” was virtuallypossible. No matter how much we called today the techniques of the previous educational system of dogmatic and devoid of personal touch — they worked. Rules of spelling, historical dates, poems by Pushkin and signs of imperialism, it was necessary to learn one universal way by heart. Then education whether they humanize, or lazy, or arabela and other indulgences were permit anything by heart do not remember.
in addition to the first joined reason number two. We have a darling on behalf of the Internet, ready at any moment to help and to give the required information. At first he was on the big computer, which is required at least to approach, and then settled in the phone, taking the place in my pocket, under my pillow and everywhere in between. I somewhat understand their students: what to teach by heart the multiplication table, the date of the battle on the Ice and Pushkin’s poem, when it is all here — the phone!
the Most mysterious for me the reason for the mass unconsciousness of youth — third. It is certain changes in families. I myself, as mentioned, know a lot about the stories of parents, aunts, and grandparents. And it concerns not only family history, but events of the past. At home I was told about the great Patriotic war, and about Ancient Greece and medieval Europe. I understand that not all mom — doctor of historical Sciences. But there are no older relatives, which children generally have nothing to talk about! In order to watch the same “Irony of fate”, degree is certainly not required.
Perhaps, now we are a little harder to share the secret with their children and grandchildren than it was decades ago, when we was younger. The world has changed resolutely, he picked up pace, and favorite books and movies of our childhood now seem amazingly slow. Can’t forget our own amazement, when I enthusiastically took to read ten years then, son, “the adventures of Tom Sawyer”, promised to him that will be interesting and fun, and in a few minutes I realized that the book is kind of sluggish, it’s better suited to bedtime reading.
I don’t know why today’s 20-year-old receive from their loved ones so little information about the past. For me, everything else becomes a cultural shock to meet the man who does not know how many world wars what the GULAG and when was the first manned flight into space. Hard for me to find a common language with the listener, answering the question of who is Voinovich, which I think he wrote the novel “the gadfly”.
it is Unlikely that the situation can drastically improve. We will remain different — those who still remember how to dial dial phone, and those who believe that there are “archaic cell phones”. And the volume of ourx knowledge by definition can not be the same. What do I suggest? The simplest way to take steps towards each other. In any case, don’t be annoyed. To tell the ignorant side that it is not yet known, without a contemptuous smirk. Enjoy the opportunity to take a different view on the world. To throw bridges across the chasm which divided us.
