Vahe H Apelian
Kristapor Mikaelian’s book often quoted is titled “The Thoughts of a Revolutionary” (3եղափոխականի մտքերը)։ The book was published after his death in 1905 and is a a collection of a few of his writing that appeared in the Armenian Revolutionary Federation organ “Troshag” (Դրօշակ – Flag). It appears in their day these writings of Kriսtapor Mikaelian were titled: “Mob Logic” (Ամբոխային Տրամաբանութիւն), “Historic Evil” (Պատմական Չարիք), *Unity with the Turks” (Միւթիւն Թուրքերի Հետ), «Armenian Kurdish Relations” (Հայ-Քրտական Յարաբերութիւններ), and “Caucasian Armenian Crisis” (Կովկասահայ Տագնապ).
After his death, his friends selected those from his writings into a book titling it “The Thoughts of a Revolutionary” (3եղափոխականի միտքերը) and had it published in 1906. Over the next few decades the book appeared to have been all sold out. The book was reprinted in 1931. The publisher of the second publication stated the following in the first paragraph of the preface: “In the Armenian revolution literature, Christopher Mikayelian's articles occupy a special place. There is very little written in Armenian - maybe Raffi's novels, etc. - that made such a strong impression on the minds of the youth as "The Logic of the Mob." (Pierre Quillard, July 14, 1864 — February 4, 1912).
Recently, in fact a few months ago, «The Thoughts of a Revolutionary» was published for the third time in a sequel along with five other books by Hamazkayin Vahe Setian Publishing in Beirut, celebrating ARF Zavarian Student Association's 120th anniversary. This third printing was dedicated in the memories of Serj Tovmassian and Sarkis Foujourian. They were members of the ARF Zavarian Student association but were martyred in 1976 during the Lebanese Civil war safeguarding the security of the Armenian neighberhoods.
I had a copy of the second printing during my students days in Beirut but I did not have a recollection of having read the book in its entirity. Recently I came across postings on the Armenian social media that claimed are from Kristapor Mikaelian's book. I had no remembrance of the quotes. Apparently they were not etched in my memory. I, also, am not particulary drawn to a line or two, or three lines long postings because I believe that things should be viewed in context. Furthermore, I will have to say that I am under the impression that Armenian illiteracy is growing leaps and bounds by the day. Thus I was not even sure that those who posted the quotes had actually read the book. I recalled what the editor of the Zavarian Students Association sequel, Garo Hovanessian, said during the presentation of the books, that while editing the six volumes, he remained wondering whether these books will be read and challenged each to read an hour a day. Consequently, I decided to read the newly published book. It is a 140 pages long book, not long at all.
Below you will find my posting which constitutes the first and the second paragraph of Kristapoe Mikaelian's most referenced treatise, «Mob Logic». I quoted because I think that the mob logic or mob mentality has grown and is way more impactful nowadays than in Krikapor Mikaelian's days. Obsiously it is the technology that has made it more immpactful. I leave it to the reader to make his or her assessment whether it is the same mentality that prevailed among us as Armenian in 1880's / 1890's when the Armenian revolutionary fervor took place and the most recent recent popular uprising, known as the Velvet Revolution, the citizens of Armenia brought about between April and May 8, 2018.
Kristapor Mikaelian's quote.
* The mob, whether it is made up of "educated" or uneducated people, is always inclined to think that every phenomenon, which is followed by another, is the immediate cause of the subsequent phenomenon.
"That is the mob attitude and only with that logic can be explained the absurd opinion spread in some parts of the Armenian society that the Armenian revolutionaries are the real reason for the massacres of the Armenians. "Post hoc, ergo propter hoc" (after this event, therefore because of this event) reasoned the chapeau-wearing crowd and accepted the Jesuit accusation that came out of the Herodes Turk court. Isn't it true that before the Armenian massacres, nothing new had happened, - neither the eclipse of the sun, nor the rise of a comet, - nothing but revolutionary demonstrations?. So what is the doubt that those demonstrations were the cause of our downfalls. May those demonstrations be cursed. May the revolutionaries perish, - human stupidity or heartlessness speaks, - and here you have in front of you a phenomenon that is as detestable as it is harmful.» (see the original quote below)
The Western Armenia loss came about after the 1890's revolutionary movment. The loss and the depopulation of Artsakh came after the 2018 Velvet Revolution. The mob logic or mob mentality attributes the losses to the event that preceded each - "post hoc, ergo propter hoc"; instead of being introspective, doing an impassionate analysis, assuming one's share of responsibility. The mob mentality has its easy way out, "post hoc, ergo propter hoc".
No, whatever transpired in our history is because of us and not a preceding event and surely not in our stars..
Բնագիրը ՝
Ամբոխը կազմուած լինի նա «կրթուած» թէ անկիրթ մարդկայնից, միշտ տրամադիր է կարծելու, թէ ամէն մի երեւոյթ, որին հետեւում է մի ուրիշը`անմիջական պատճառ է յետագայ երեւոյթին։
«Այդ է անբոխի տրամադրութիւնը եւ միայն այդ տրամաբանութեամբ կարելի է բացատրել հայոց հասարակութեան որոշ շրջաններուն տարածուած այն անհեթեթ կարծիքը, թէ հայ յեղափոխականներն հայկական սասկալի ի կոտորածներոն իսկական պատճառը։ “Post hoc, ergo proper hoc” (Այս դէպքից յտեոտյ, ուրեմն այս դէպքի պատճառով) տրամաբանեց chapeau կրող ամբոխը եւ հալած եւղի տեղ ընդունեց Թուրք Հերովդէսի պալատից դուրս եկած ճեզուիթական մեղադրանքը։ ՉԷ՞ որ հայկական կոտորածներից առաջ՚ ոչ մէկ նորանշան բան տեղի չէր ունեցէր, - ոչ արեւի խաւարում, ոչ գիսաւոր աստղի ծագում, - ոչինչ`բացի յեղափոխական ցոյցերից ։ Ի՞նչ կասկած ուրեմն, որ այդ ցոյցերը եղան մեր կորուասների պատճառը թող անիծեալ լինին այդ ցոյցերը, թող կորչին յեղափոխականները , - խօսում է մարդկային յիմարութիւնը կամ անսրտութիւնը, -.եւ ահա ձեր առաջ ներկայանում է մի երեւոյթ, որ նոյնքան գարշելի է որքան վնասակար։»
Հայ յեղափոխութեան գրականութեան մէջ Քրիստափոր Միքայելեանի յօդուածնրեը առանձին տեղ են գրաւում։ Հայերէն շատ քիչ գրուած կայ – գուցէ Ռաֆֆիի վէպերը եւ այլն – որ այնքան զօրաւոր տպաւորութիւն գործած լինին ժամանակակից երիտասարդութեան մըտքին վրայ որքան «Ամբոխային Տրամաբանութիւնը։» (Պիեռ Քիյառ
No comments:
Post a Comment