Friday, May 13, 2005
Sunday, May 01, 2005
The ballad of Finnish public goods (and something about Lenore)
Once upon a midnight dreary while I wandered I posed a query,
of many a quaint and curious custom along that urban Finnish shore.
While I plodded, often slowing, suddenly I saw a glowing,
As if someone, numbers flowing, brushed a pattern on yon smokestack's fore.
" 'Tis some barcode," I muttered, "brushed on yon smokestack's fore;
Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, quite staunchly I projected, that those Finns must be dejected,
That each factory's rejected smokestacks must be hard to store.
Eagerly therefore they painted numbers; identifying blunders to ease their chore.
But to my thoughts this seemed quite silly, just plain "out there," really, this and nothing more
Than to paint a rare and radiant barcode whose image causes all to snore
Pointless, actually, and such a bore.
A closer look at the Ballad of the Intellectual Finn
Then the silken weird uncertain rustling as ignorance's curtain
Thrilled me---filled me with fantastic terrors visions never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
" 'Tis some pattern entreating entrance at my mind's eye door,
'Tis the Fibonacci sequence!" I shouted, "---not industrial malfeasance!"
Glowing red, ancient mathematical lore.
Presently my mind grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"That, said I, is a testament to the Finnish; your forgiveness I implore.
But the fact is, I could not see the magic of your rara avis,
How so quaintly you feel the need, feed the public's growing greed,
For smart cheap intellectual seed." Here I opened wide the door;
---And took a picture, and nothing more.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Can wishing make it happen?
So I have a date for a return to the US of A. It's kind of interesting for me to think about; I've never looked forward to a return home from a trip abroad with such a sense of relief that I feel this year. I suppose there are quite a few reasons for this, but I find it ironic that I feel so tired when I've done so little in the way of activity. I'm forced to admit that my jaunt to Scandanavia has probably been my least meaningful foreign adventure to date. The only reason I'm providing this little window into the Life of Jeremy is because I've learned something from this that I feel is worth sharing. I came to Finland without any real goals or expectations. I figured I'd just take a few classes, perhaps learn a little Finnish, and go with the flow for a few months. I find that I get more tired when I'm relatively idle with low expectations that I do when I have a schedule full of goals and responsibilities. I'm more convinced than ever that if a person wants to be successful and proactive, then s/he will be, and there will be enough energy to get the necessities accomplished, along with a few extras. But none of us have enough energy to be idle.
So to sum up, I encourage anyone to come to Finland. Just make sure you won't have time to do everything you want. You'll have a great time.
So to sum up, I encourage anyone to come to Finland. Just make sure you won't have time to do everything you want. You'll have a great time.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
John Widtsoe discusses doubt
I usually include only my own commentary in blog postings. Widtsoe is so much more eloquent than me, however, and his discussion of intellectual inquiry has become an essential component of my own (still imperfect) quest for spiritual and secular truth. I ran in to this essay in the book Evidences and Reconcilliations when I was a missionary, and these principles helped me to more effectively teach religious investigators. I hope other people, both religious and non-, can discern the truth in this essay.
IS IT WRONG TO DOUBT?
Doubt usually means uncertainty. You doubt the presence of gold in the ore, though there are yellow flakes in it; or that the man is a thief, though stolen goods are found in his possession; or that a principle of the gospel is correctly interpreted by the speaker. What you really mean is that the evidence in your possession is insufficient to convince you that there is gold in the ore, or that the man is a thief, or that the gospel principle has been explained correctly. Doubt arises from lack of evidence.
Intelligent people cannot long endure such doubt. It must be resolved. Proof must be secured of the presence of gold in the ore, or of the dishonesty of the man, or of the correctness of the doctrinal exposition. Consequently, we set about to remove doubt by gathering information and making tests concerning the subject in question. Doubt, then, becomes converted into inquiry or investigation.
After proper inquiries, using all the powers at our command, the truth concerning the subject becomes known, or it remains unknown to be unravelled perhaps at some future time. The weight of evidence is on one side or the other. Doubt is removed. Doubt, therefore, can be and should be only a temporary condition. Certainly, a question cannot forever be suspended between heaven and earth; it is either answered or unanswered. As the results of an inquiry appear, doubt must flee.
In other words, doubt, which ever is or should be a passing condition, must never itself be an end. Doubt as an objective of life is an intellectual and a spiritual offense. A lasting doubt implies an unwillingness on the part of the individual to seek the solution of his problem, or a fear to face the truth. Doubt should vanish as it appears, or as soon as proper inquiry can place it either with the known or the unknown facts of life; with the solvable or the unsolvable; with the knowable or the unknowable.
The strong man is not afraid to say, "I do not know"; the weak man simpers and answers, "I doubt." Doubt, unless transmuted into inquiry, has no value or worth in the world. Of itself it has never lifted a brick, driven a nail, or turned a furrow. To take pride in being a doubter, without earnestly seeking to remove the doubt, is to reveal shallowness of thought and purpose.
Perhaps you are questioning the correctness of a gospel principle. Call it doubt if you prefer. Proceed to take it out of the region of doubt by examination and practice. Soon it will be understood, or left with the many things not yet within the reach of man. But remember: failure to understand one principle does not vitiate other principles. When proved false, one doctrine may cast distrust upon other doctrines, but the others must be tested for their own correctness.
Doubt of the right kind—that is, honest questioning—leads to faith. Such doubt impels men to inquiry which always opens the door to truth. The scientist in his laboratory, the explorer in distant parts, the prayerful man upon his knees—these and all inquirers like them find truth. They learn that some things are known, others are not. They cease to doubt. They settle down with the knowledge they possess to make the forces of nature do their bidding, knowing well that they will be victorious; and that more knowledge will come to them, if sought, to yield new power.
On the other hand, the stagnant doubter, one content with himself, unwilling to make the effort, to pay the price of discovery, inevitably reaches unbelief and miry darkness. His doubts grow like poisonous mushrooms in the dim shadows of his mental and spiritual chambers. At last, blind like the mole in his burrow, he usually substitutes ridicule for reason, and indolence for labor. The simplest truth is worth the sum of all such doubts. He joins the unhappy army of doubters who, weakened by their doubts, have at all periods of human history allowed others, men of faith, to move the world into increasing light.
Faith is practically the opposite of doubt. Faith rests securely upon "evidences" and "assurances." Note the definition by the Apostle Paul: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith knows, and goes forth courageously to use knowledge in the affairs of men. It declares itself the master of things; it lays mountains low; it lifts valleys; it promotes the welfare of man.
Joseph Smith is an excellent example of proper doubt. The ministers of his day were contending for the membership of the boy. He went to God for help; received it; and doubt disappeared. From that day on, doubt did not reappear. His doubt was lost in the desired knowledge he gained from proper inquiry. So may every man do.
The unknown universe, material, mental, spiritual, is greater than the known. If we seek, we shall forever add knowledge to knowledge. That which seems dark today, will be crystal clear tomorrow. Eternal progress means the unending elucidation of things not known or understood today.
No! Doubt is not wrong unless it becomes an end of life. It rises to high dignity when it becomes an active search for, and practice of, truth.
Doubt which immediately leads to honest inquiry, and thereby removes itself, is wholesome. But that doubt which feeds and grows upon itself, and, with stubborn indolence, breeds more doubt, is evil.
IS IT WRONG TO DOUBT?
Doubt usually means uncertainty. You doubt the presence of gold in the ore, though there are yellow flakes in it; or that the man is a thief, though stolen goods are found in his possession; or that a principle of the gospel is correctly interpreted by the speaker. What you really mean is that the evidence in your possession is insufficient to convince you that there is gold in the ore, or that the man is a thief, or that the gospel principle has been explained correctly. Doubt arises from lack of evidence.
Intelligent people cannot long endure such doubt. It must be resolved. Proof must be secured of the presence of gold in the ore, or of the dishonesty of the man, or of the correctness of the doctrinal exposition. Consequently, we set about to remove doubt by gathering information and making tests concerning the subject in question. Doubt, then, becomes converted into inquiry or investigation.
After proper inquiries, using all the powers at our command, the truth concerning the subject becomes known, or it remains unknown to be unravelled perhaps at some future time. The weight of evidence is on one side or the other. Doubt is removed. Doubt, therefore, can be and should be only a temporary condition. Certainly, a question cannot forever be suspended between heaven and earth; it is either answered or unanswered. As the results of an inquiry appear, doubt must flee.
In other words, doubt, which ever is or should be a passing condition, must never itself be an end. Doubt as an objective of life is an intellectual and a spiritual offense. A lasting doubt implies an unwillingness on the part of the individual to seek the solution of his problem, or a fear to face the truth. Doubt should vanish as it appears, or as soon as proper inquiry can place it either with the known or the unknown facts of life; with the solvable or the unsolvable; with the knowable or the unknowable.
The strong man is not afraid to say, "I do not know"; the weak man simpers and answers, "I doubt." Doubt, unless transmuted into inquiry, has no value or worth in the world. Of itself it has never lifted a brick, driven a nail, or turned a furrow. To take pride in being a doubter, without earnestly seeking to remove the doubt, is to reveal shallowness of thought and purpose.
Perhaps you are questioning the correctness of a gospel principle. Call it doubt if you prefer. Proceed to take it out of the region of doubt by examination and practice. Soon it will be understood, or left with the many things not yet within the reach of man. But remember: failure to understand one principle does not vitiate other principles. When proved false, one doctrine may cast distrust upon other doctrines, but the others must be tested for their own correctness.
Doubt of the right kind—that is, honest questioning—leads to faith. Such doubt impels men to inquiry which always opens the door to truth. The scientist in his laboratory, the explorer in distant parts, the prayerful man upon his knees—these and all inquirers like them find truth. They learn that some things are known, others are not. They cease to doubt. They settle down with the knowledge they possess to make the forces of nature do their bidding, knowing well that they will be victorious; and that more knowledge will come to them, if sought, to yield new power.
On the other hand, the stagnant doubter, one content with himself, unwilling to make the effort, to pay the price of discovery, inevitably reaches unbelief and miry darkness. His doubts grow like poisonous mushrooms in the dim shadows of his mental and spiritual chambers. At last, blind like the mole in his burrow, he usually substitutes ridicule for reason, and indolence for labor. The simplest truth is worth the sum of all such doubts. He joins the unhappy army of doubters who, weakened by their doubts, have at all periods of human history allowed others, men of faith, to move the world into increasing light.
Faith is practically the opposite of doubt. Faith rests securely upon "evidences" and "assurances." Note the definition by the Apostle Paul: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith knows, and goes forth courageously to use knowledge in the affairs of men. It declares itself the master of things; it lays mountains low; it lifts valleys; it promotes the welfare of man.
Joseph Smith is an excellent example of proper doubt. The ministers of his day were contending for the membership of the boy. He went to God for help; received it; and doubt disappeared. From that day on, doubt did not reappear. His doubt was lost in the desired knowledge he gained from proper inquiry. So may every man do.
The unknown universe, material, mental, spiritual, is greater than the known. If we seek, we shall forever add knowledge to knowledge. That which seems dark today, will be crystal clear tomorrow. Eternal progress means the unending elucidation of things not known or understood today.
No! Doubt is not wrong unless it becomes an end of life. It rises to high dignity when it becomes an active search for, and practice of, truth.
Doubt which immediately leads to honest inquiry, and thereby removes itself, is wholesome. But that doubt which feeds and grows upon itself, and, with stubborn indolence, breeds more doubt, is evil.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Regional Politics
Anyone who is even superficially acquainted with me knows that I am more than mildly interested in all things Russian. This includes Russian literature, language, history, politics, and economy. I had a great opportunity today to attend a guest speaker who spoke about Russia's place in transatlantic relations. This woman is a professor from St. Petersburg State University, so she was whole orders of magnitude more interesting than a diplomat from Canada. She was actually allowed to say what she thinks, as opposed babbling ridiculous pro-EU drivel. Do I like the EU? Yes I do. Do I think that it's a sunny paradise full of avuncular role models? Of course I do. That's why I should be a diplomat. I know how to sweet talk.
But this Russian professor had some really interesting things to say about Russia's official policies toward NATO, the EU, and the United States. Policies toward each of these bodies continue to diverge, which represents an ever changing world. After her presentation I asked her the same question I put to the Canadian ambassador. I really would like to know what Russian experts feel will be the result of the recent democratic political revolutions in Russia's back yard.
A little background: Political upheaval was relatively unheard of through the first 12 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. Though no one would accuse any of these post-Soviet states of being particularly democratic, the regimes have at least been stable. That changed during the summer of 2003 when the Rose revolution swept then Georgian President Shevernadze out of power in favor of a liberal president with an American wife. Ukraine's Orange revolution overturned a sham election this past winter, installing the western-leaning Yuschenko as president. Shortly thereafter, Kyrgyzstan chased their own president from power following suspect parliamentary elections. I have spent significant time in both Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, and even met with members of opposition political parties in Ukraine.
What does Russia think about these developments? They were officially opposed to the revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia, and even accused western governments of toppling the pro-Russian regimes in those countries. Russia is concerned about losing influence in these countries, but as the visiting professor confirmed to me, they are even more concerned that these democratic winds might soon blow through Moscow as well.
I could talk about this subject all day, but there's one issue that specifically concerns me that I want to point out. I would feel a lot better if the recent political upheaval took place in at least one of the more repressive regimes of the former Soviet Union. Unfortunately, on the contrary, each of these states is relatively liberal (this is good liberal with a little 'l' as opposed to bad Liberal with a big 'L' for you suspicious republicans... urgh) and has already established a tradition of at least limited democracy. Now I realize that your average American differentiates each of the "-stans" in Central Asia about the same way they do junior colleges in Saskatchewan. You know, they're a long ways away, rather unimportant, they never really DO anything and they're pretty much the same when all is said and done, right? As much as I would like to make a plug for Saskatchewan JCs (I'm sure they've got some great northern wildlife mascots), I really know nothing about them. But Central Asia (and more generally the former Soviet Union) seems to be a veritable hotbed of political activity that might actually affect you one day. Maybe. I'll tell you why.
Politically speaking, Kyrgyzstan is unambiguously by far the most liberal of any of the "-stans". Check out what the CIA has to say about them. For another good regional analysis go here. The point is that citizens have no fear of publicly criticizing the government in Kyrgyzstan. The result? When things don't work out so well, the current regime is held responsible, and eventually gets the boot if people get too sick of 'em. That's the way things are supposed to work. Ukrainians got sick of corruption and Moscow meddling in their elections. So they dismissed the hand-picked Moscow lackey who rigged the election. But Ukraine has a history of significant political diversity and has always striven for westernized democracy. Former Georgian President Shevernadze was actually one of the architects of the fall of the Soviet Union and has always served as an advocate of democracy amidst a political culture of tyranny. Each of these regimes made the same timeless mistake that toppled the Soviet Union. Gorbachev allowed freedom of speech and press. He permitted political dialogue. The Soviet Empire was doomed as soon as its citizens realized that the could criticize and even mold their own government.
Why does this worry me? Soviet-style autocratic regimes still exist in the region. I've tentatively broached political issues in my discussions with taxi drivers and entrepreneurs in almost every country of the region. Though people are obviously nervous to discuss politics with a foreigner, anyone who has been to Russia knows that most ordinary people are at least somewhat nostalgic for old Soviet times. They miss the order, the predictability of life in an autocratic regime. Though people might envy the economic affluence of the West, they are deeply fearful of the perceived political and cultural chaos associated with our prosperity. Strange religions, commercialism, crime, and urban sprawl, to name just a few, worry people. I would argue that a poor paternalistic society is a dismal substitute for what I have grown up with, but I realize that my world-view is fundamentally different. In spite of my desire to understand where people are coming from, I still think that I'm right when I say that democracy is better than the alternative. So I worry that these autocracies will use the chaos in the more liberal post-Soviet countries as an impetus to further latch down on any potential democracy within their own states.
My conversation with the Russian professor confirmed this. She pointed to the developing civil society and non-governmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan as prime agitators encouraging political unrest. "If you don't like your social environment, you have the power to change it" is a bylaw of civil society. So the knee-jerk reaction in other states is to clamp down on civil society. This is evident in Byelorus, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan where most NGOs are completely unwelcome. The US Peace Corps was dismissed from Russia a couple of years ago. Many of these things happened before the political upheaval really got going in the liberal (small 'l') states. Most of the authoritarian regimes can see the proverbial writing on the wall, and though Russia occupies a more moderate position between the Turkmenistans and Kyrgyzstans of the region, I worry that political upheaval will persuade Putin to further limit individual rights. The Russian professor agreed, saying that Russians are concerned as to whether they might also catch the revolution bug. They are willing to impose measures to prevent this.
So it seems to me that while the revolutions in three countries mean democracy and freedom for a few people, it could be a harbinger of worse things to come for just about everyone else in the region. I hope I'm wrong.
But this Russian professor had some really interesting things to say about Russia's official policies toward NATO, the EU, and the United States. Policies toward each of these bodies continue to diverge, which represents an ever changing world. After her presentation I asked her the same question I put to the Canadian ambassador. I really would like to know what Russian experts feel will be the result of the recent democratic political revolutions in Russia's back yard.
A little background: Political upheaval was relatively unheard of through the first 12 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. Though no one would accuse any of these post-Soviet states of being particularly democratic, the regimes have at least been stable. That changed during the summer of 2003 when the Rose revolution swept then Georgian President Shevernadze out of power in favor of a liberal president with an American wife. Ukraine's Orange revolution overturned a sham election this past winter, installing the western-leaning Yuschenko as president. Shortly thereafter, Kyrgyzstan chased their own president from power following suspect parliamentary elections. I have spent significant time in both Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, and even met with members of opposition political parties in Ukraine.
What does Russia think about these developments? They were officially opposed to the revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia, and even accused western governments of toppling the pro-Russian regimes in those countries. Russia is concerned about losing influence in these countries, but as the visiting professor confirmed to me, they are even more concerned that these democratic winds might soon blow through Moscow as well.
I could talk about this subject all day, but there's one issue that specifically concerns me that I want to point out. I would feel a lot better if the recent political upheaval took place in at least one of the more repressive regimes of the former Soviet Union. Unfortunately, on the contrary, each of these states is relatively liberal (this is good liberal with a little 'l' as opposed to bad Liberal with a big 'L' for you suspicious republicans... urgh) and has already established a tradition of at least limited democracy. Now I realize that your average American differentiates each of the "-stans" in Central Asia about the same way they do junior colleges in Saskatchewan. You know, they're a long ways away, rather unimportant, they never really DO anything and they're pretty much the same when all is said and done, right? As much as I would like to make a plug for Saskatchewan JCs (I'm sure they've got some great northern wildlife mascots), I really know nothing about them. But Central Asia (and more generally the former Soviet Union) seems to be a veritable hotbed of political activity that might actually affect you one day. Maybe. I'll tell you why.
Politically speaking, Kyrgyzstan is unambiguously by far the most liberal of any of the "-stans". Check out what the CIA has to say about them. For another good regional analysis go here. The point is that citizens have no fear of publicly criticizing the government in Kyrgyzstan. The result? When things don't work out so well, the current regime is held responsible, and eventually gets the boot if people get too sick of 'em. That's the way things are supposed to work. Ukrainians got sick of corruption and Moscow meddling in their elections. So they dismissed the hand-picked Moscow lackey who rigged the election. But Ukraine has a history of significant political diversity and has always striven for westernized democracy. Former Georgian President Shevernadze was actually one of the architects of the fall of the Soviet Union and has always served as an advocate of democracy amidst a political culture of tyranny. Each of these regimes made the same timeless mistake that toppled the Soviet Union. Gorbachev allowed freedom of speech and press. He permitted political dialogue. The Soviet Empire was doomed as soon as its citizens realized that the could criticize and even mold their own government.
Why does this worry me? Soviet-style autocratic regimes still exist in the region. I've tentatively broached political issues in my discussions with taxi drivers and entrepreneurs in almost every country of the region. Though people are obviously nervous to discuss politics with a foreigner, anyone who has been to Russia knows that most ordinary people are at least somewhat nostalgic for old Soviet times. They miss the order, the predictability of life in an autocratic regime. Though people might envy the economic affluence of the West, they are deeply fearful of the perceived political and cultural chaos associated with our prosperity. Strange religions, commercialism, crime, and urban sprawl, to name just a few, worry people. I would argue that a poor paternalistic society is a dismal substitute for what I have grown up with, but I realize that my world-view is fundamentally different. In spite of my desire to understand where people are coming from, I still think that I'm right when I say that democracy is better than the alternative. So I worry that these autocracies will use the chaos in the more liberal post-Soviet countries as an impetus to further latch down on any potential democracy within their own states.
My conversation with the Russian professor confirmed this. She pointed to the developing civil society and non-governmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan as prime agitators encouraging political unrest. "If you don't like your social environment, you have the power to change it" is a bylaw of civil society. So the knee-jerk reaction in other states is to clamp down on civil society. This is evident in Byelorus, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan where most NGOs are completely unwelcome. The US Peace Corps was dismissed from Russia a couple of years ago. Many of these things happened before the political upheaval really got going in the liberal (small 'l') states. Most of the authoritarian regimes can see the proverbial writing on the wall, and though Russia occupies a more moderate position between the Turkmenistans and Kyrgyzstans of the region, I worry that political upheaval will persuade Putin to further limit individual rights. The Russian professor agreed, saying that Russians are concerned as to whether they might also catch the revolution bug. They are willing to impose measures to prevent this.
So it seems to me that while the revolutions in three countries mean democracy and freedom for a few people, it could be a harbinger of worse things to come for just about everyone else in the region. I hope I'm wrong.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Frisbee = San Francisco? Seriously.
I was so excited to discover that there are online language tools that translate any webpage into almost any major language! So I says to myself: "Self, great day! Now your Russian friends can read your mindless banter!"
I therefore promptly translated this here blogsite into Russian. Now I realize that I employ a somewhat unctuous, wordy, and yet folksy method of communication in my writing, but I figured that the translator should at least get the general idea of my blog across. You can therefore imagine my disappointment at how unintelligible this Russian translation is. It's actually quite funny... my simple title become something like "Morning in the grammatically determined member world." And nothing is in the right case. The word "frisbee" became "San Francisco" in Russian. Who knew frisbees and elegant cities had so much in common? It's actually a great gag, so I'm installing a permanent link to the translations on my side bar. I also included a few other languages. That'll give you some ideas for a Friday night when you're sitting around wondering what todo and you're sick of charades.
I therefore promptly translated this here blogsite into Russian. Now I realize that I employ a somewhat unctuous, wordy, and yet folksy method of communication in my writing, but I figured that the translator should at least get the general idea of my blog across. You can therefore imagine my disappointment at how unintelligible this Russian translation is. It's actually quite funny... my simple title become something like "Morning in the grammatically determined member world." And nothing is in the right case. The word "frisbee" became "San Francisco" in Russian. Who knew frisbees and elegant cities had so much in common? It's actually a great gag, so I'm installing a permanent link to the translations on my side bar. I also included a few other languages. That'll give you some ideas for a Friday night when you're sitting around wondering what todo and you're sick of charades.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Frisbee: worlds collide
Whenever I've been in Azerbaijan, I've played frisbee with some local expats. It turns out that in my absence they've gone and formed a real live team, and competed in a real live tournament. Thing is, the tournament was in Veliky Novgorod, where I spent 9 of my happiest months as a missionary. I hope to become a regular if and when I go back to Baku.
Blah blah blah
I sincerely apologize for the length of that last entry. As I read through it now, I feel overwhelmed by poor punctuation, grammar, and really weird wordiness. Perhaps I should hire an editor. Volunteers, anyone?
I wanted to update a few things. The meeting with the J-dubs was great. They were very considerate, and will return at some indeterminate time in the future. For the Stephen Covey fans out there, be aware that they absolutely will not set an appointment. Seriously, seriously less effective. I think I've identified a fundamental point of disagreement with them, though: they will read a passage from the Bible that talks about how great God's word is. They will turn to me and say "see, only the Bible is God's word!" I don't know exactly what one would call this fallacy, so I googled 'fallacies' and found this website. After a few minutes of study, I decided that our J-dub example might best fit the affirming the consequent fallacy. It's kind of like saying "you should only believe the word of God; the Bible is the word of God, therefore you should only believe the Bible." But I didn't bring this up.
Finally, I need to formally advertise the virtues of google's new web-based gmail service on this site. I won't personally review it here other than to say that it's awesome. Hotmail, yahoo, and yo mumma's mail don't even come close. You can read some good reviews here or here. So far it's available through invitation only, since google is still testing their beta version of the service. Why do I bring this up on my website? Because I want to spread the love. I have 50 invitations that have been sitting unused for over a month now. If you would like your very own account, let me know. Tell me why you are deserving of such an honor (my standards are pretty low) and I'll send one off to you.
I wanted to update a few things. The meeting with the J-dubs was great. They were very considerate, and will return at some indeterminate time in the future. For the Stephen Covey fans out there, be aware that they absolutely will not set an appointment. Seriously, seriously less effective. I think I've identified a fundamental point of disagreement with them, though: they will read a passage from the Bible that talks about how great God's word is. They will turn to me and say "see, only the Bible is God's word!" I don't know exactly what one would call this fallacy, so I googled 'fallacies' and found this website. After a few minutes of study, I decided that our J-dub example might best fit the affirming the consequent fallacy. It's kind of like saying "you should only believe the word of God; the Bible is the word of God, therefore you should only believe the Bible." But I didn't bring this up.
Finally, I need to formally advertise the virtues of google's new web-based gmail service on this site. I won't personally review it here other than to say that it's awesome. Hotmail, yahoo, and yo mumma's mail don't even come close. You can read some good reviews here or here. So far it's available through invitation only, since google is still testing their beta version of the service. Why do I bring this up on my website? Because I want to spread the love. I have 50 invitations that have been sitting unused for over a month now. If you would like your very own account, let me know. Tell me why you are deserving of such an honor (my standards are pretty low) and I'll send one off to you.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Why can't we all just get along?
The Canadian ambassador to Finland made a guest appearance in my class on transatlantic relations today. I was quite disappointed that she didn't wear a flannel shirt or bring a box of apple fritters to share with everyone. But she talked about important things. Not about the cancelled NHL season or the delights of moose-watching, but rather on Canada's essential role as a bridge between the ever-widening chasm dividing the US and EU. I personally take umbrage to the fact that the 51st state imagines up to itself that it's better to be similar to the Europeans than to the cradle of civilization... you know, the US of A. But besides getting offended at the realization that even the Canadians don't like us anymore, I learned the following things:
Bureaucrats' speeches in any country are still high on image, and low on content. Just listen to any State of the Union Address. I'm sure somewhere in the US constitution it must be implied that this is a time designated for collective back-slapping among the President's party, and collective nose-crinkling among the other guys. It's tradition. It's expected. But it sure is tedious. And if applause is any measure of speech quality, then every sentence in one of these babies knocks the socks off anything Cicero ever said. Then again, he probably wore a Toga, and who listens to grown men dressed in a table cloth? But back to the Canadian ambassador. After spending an hour talking about how great the EU is (she certainly knew her audience, I can give her that) she opened the floor to questions. I raised my hand and asked: because the US, Canada, and Europe cooperated in supporting Ukraine, perhaps this influenced the recent regime change in Kyrgyzstan, and does this provide an arena for future cooperation in encouraging democracy in Russia or other former Soviet regimes? She spent 5 minutes talking about how there's a big Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. It would have been more fun if she talked about a lot of fluff AND wore a toga. I think I should be a diplomat. I'd sure improve things. No one takes me seriously, anyway.
Americans and Europeans don't like each other very much these days. The good ambassador did come armed with a few statistics that didn't seem to have much to do with Canada. But like I've always said, make hay while the sun shines, and there's juicy stuff going on between Europe and the Great Satan these days. For example, she quoted the following survey:
Europeans who had a positive attitude towards the US:
Bureaucrats' speeches in any country are still high on image, and low on content. Just listen to any State of the Union Address. I'm sure somewhere in the US constitution it must be implied that this is a time designated for collective back-slapping among the President's party, and collective nose-crinkling among the other guys. It's tradition. It's expected. But it sure is tedious. And if applause is any measure of speech quality, then every sentence in one of these babies knocks the socks off anything Cicero ever said. Then again, he probably wore a Toga, and who listens to grown men dressed in a table cloth? But back to the Canadian ambassador. After spending an hour talking about how great the EU is (she certainly knew her audience, I can give her that) she opened the floor to questions. I raised my hand and asked: because the US, Canada, and Europe cooperated in supporting Ukraine, perhaps this influenced the recent regime change in Kyrgyzstan, and does this provide an arena for future cooperation in encouraging democracy in Russia or other former Soviet regimes? She spent 5 minutes talking about how there's a big Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. It would have been more fun if she talked about a lot of fluff AND wore a toga. I think I should be a diplomat. I'd sure improve things. No one takes me seriously, anyway.
Americans and Europeans don't like each other very much these days. The good ambassador did come armed with a few statistics that didn't seem to have much to do with Canada. But like I've always said, make hay while the sun shines, and there's juicy stuff going on between Europe and the Great Satan these days. For example, she quoted the following survey:
Europeans who had a positive attitude towards the US:
- French: 63% in 2002; 37% in 2004
- Germans: 61% in 2002; 38% in 2004
Americans who had a positive attitude towards:
- French: 78% in 2002; 33% in 2004
- Germans: 83% in 2002; 50% in 2004
So what can we learn from this? Absolutely nothing, because these people's opinions are completely irrelevant. Just kidding; people's opinions matter, but it seems that this precipitous drop in regard for each other has more to do with, say, my graduation from college (class of 2003, folks) than it does with Dubya's election. I mean, this is obvious, guys. Dubya was elected in 2000, hello. But I do wish people weren't so fickle. Americans aren't THAT bad. If I could have a hybrid SUV with 3 million horsepower and 40 mpg I'd be all over it. But we realize the limitations of reality. You just can't get 40 mpg. You can't. I think if Dubya could articulate this better to the nations of the world, we'd all get along much better. So I'll grudgingly admit that in addition to my diploma, our President has played a role in declining worldwide opinion polls.
But what does this have to do with Canada? Nothing. And that's the point. All their vehicles have like one moosepower, because they go to work, school, and the apple fritter cafe on moose(s) (... not sure about the plural on this one). I'm serious. Go to Canada, you'll find out. But I THINK the connection is (I'm really grasping here, folks) that the Ambassador feels that if Euorpeans don't like Americans very much, Canadians can feel themselves pulled in that direction too. But she also said that Canada shouldn't have to choose between the US and the EU. They can have their crepes and eat Big Macs, too. At least I think that's what she was saying.
Finally, I learned that the entire world thinks that the US has become a complete theocracy and is ruled by a bunch of religious whackos. The Canadian ambassador feels that religious mania has fundamentally altered the United States, as well. It's interesting to hear the religious folks' side of the story, but I might write about that in a more serious blog later on. Am I the only one who doesn't see the smoking gun connection, here? I mean, Kerry lost the presidency by less than 2 percentage points. The demos are the first to criticize Bush for assuming that this victory margin gives him a mandate, yet in the same breath they ponderously whine "how did we get beaten so soundly?" Where do they turn for The Answer (and I'm not talking Allen Iverson here, folks, though even HE would be more reliable)? an election exit poll suggesting that a plurality of voters felt that moral values were a key issue. You know all democrats seriously trust exit polls, anyway. I'm not even gonna go there. So suddenly the United States is in the grip of conservative religious fanatics. Forgive me if I'm not buying it. It seems to me that politics in the US are a lot more complicated than the Europeans, democrats, or (gasp!) Canadians want to admit. I think they're just calling names because the
a) Europeans are upset about Iraq
b) Democrats are upset about losing the election
c) Canadians feel like they're Europeans
I'm not saying that these aren't good reasons, but let's cut the ad homonym attacks, and I'm right with them on a lot of issues. Come on guys, you don't win any friends by calling names. I THINK that's my real point. Don't tell the Americans they're a bunch of right-wing fanatics. Even if they are, they don't think they are. But I'm pretty sure they're not, just like I'm moderately certain Canadians don't ride moose everywhere they go, and that Europeans aren't half so ammoral as Americans make them out to be. I hope no one is.
And there I go, talking about serious things when I was so convinced I wouldn't for at least one blog. In closing, I should make it clear (for those of you who don't already know) that I am not a Republican OR Democrat, I'm most certainly not a European (though I certainly enjoy hanging out with 'em) or by extension a Canadian. What am I? I'm an American who gets confused by all the wind people blow at each other. And by the way, I sure called the presidential election... check it out.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
True Bloggers Blog
So what does that make me?
That is a rhetorical question that I'll permit other people to contemplate. I blog sometimes. When I feel like it. Unfortunately, I don't usually post drivel when I have nothing to post. But lately I've posted nothing in general, even when there are interesting things to discuss. Perhaps that makes me a non-blogger. Who can know?
But I digress, because I really do need to update this thing. First of all, I went to Kyrgyzstan. Whoo-wee was it chilly. My feet thawed out when I got back to Finland, if it's possible to imagine. I will return for my third straight summer in Central Asia this July, but not before spending my first July 4th back in the States since 1998. I feel excited to have a bar-b-cue, drink root beer, play baseball... you know, American July 4th things.
But this blog is about issues, and I'm an issues man. Controversial. Probing. And often boring. So the Jehovah's Witnesses are coming by to visit me at 6pm tonight. I need to explain myself, here. When I was a missionary, I had so many doors slammed in my face (for each slammed door another happy discussion in Chile was my motto) that I started to wonder what ticked people off so much about discussing religion on their front door step. I realized that it can be annoying, inconvenient, invasive, and downright weird. But the "slammers" must realize that the "knockers" aren't stupid. The "knockers" know that what they are doing is perhaps more than a little odd. So they must really care about what they're doing, and it's so nice for potential "slammers" to become "friendly talkers." I decided that I would be a "friendly talker" if a "knocker" ever comes... you know, knocking.
Besides just trying to make life a little more pleasant for the beleaguered "knockers," I've found the J-dubs (no disrespect meant... used for brevity) to be as a general rule rather friendly. I even had a nice meeting with the J-dubs when I was a missionary when we sat down together and they asked me considerate questions about my religion, and I asked questions about theirs... you know, things I've always wanted to know, like what is the deal with blood transfusions or holidays.
The only thing I'm concerned about is that I don't want to waste their time. Plus, I would like for them to know what I'm all about and why I believe the way I do. I don't know the best way to do this, so I've put together a list of questions that I'd like to ask them. If anyone has some questions they've always wanted to put to the J-dubs, you are free to post them in a comment, and I'll add them to my list. I also have created a list of things that I would like for them to know about my religion. If they are interested in such an exchange, I think it will be productive. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I would have felt bad just closing the door on them.
And by the way, I really don't like those websites dedicated to bashing other religions. They are the first hits you get when you google the J-dubs. What kind of religion makes it their mission to destroy other beliefs? Answer: cowardly ones that doubt the strength of their own teachings to stand up next to others'.
That is a rhetorical question that I'll permit other people to contemplate. I blog sometimes. When I feel like it. Unfortunately, I don't usually post drivel when I have nothing to post. But lately I've posted nothing in general, even when there are interesting things to discuss. Perhaps that makes me a non-blogger. Who can know?
But I digress, because I really do need to update this thing. First of all, I went to Kyrgyzstan. Whoo-wee was it chilly. My feet thawed out when I got back to Finland, if it's possible to imagine. I will return for my third straight summer in Central Asia this July, but not before spending my first July 4th back in the States since 1998. I feel excited to have a bar-b-cue, drink root beer, play baseball... you know, American July 4th things.
But this blog is about issues, and I'm an issues man. Controversial. Probing. And often boring. So the Jehovah's Witnesses are coming by to visit me at 6pm tonight. I need to explain myself, here. When I was a missionary, I had so many doors slammed in my face (for each slammed door another happy discussion in Chile was my motto) that I started to wonder what ticked people off so much about discussing religion on their front door step. I realized that it can be annoying, inconvenient, invasive, and downright weird. But the "slammers" must realize that the "knockers" aren't stupid. The "knockers" know that what they are doing is perhaps more than a little odd. So they must really care about what they're doing, and it's so nice for potential "slammers" to become "friendly talkers." I decided that I would be a "friendly talker" if a "knocker" ever comes... you know, knocking.
Besides just trying to make life a little more pleasant for the beleaguered "knockers," I've found the J-dubs (no disrespect meant... used for brevity) to be as a general rule rather friendly. I even had a nice meeting with the J-dubs when I was a missionary when we sat down together and they asked me considerate questions about my religion, and I asked questions about theirs... you know, things I've always wanted to know, like what is the deal with blood transfusions or holidays.
The only thing I'm concerned about is that I don't want to waste their time. Plus, I would like for them to know what I'm all about and why I believe the way I do. I don't know the best way to do this, so I've put together a list of questions that I'd like to ask them. If anyone has some questions they've always wanted to put to the J-dubs, you are free to post them in a comment, and I'll add them to my list. I also have created a list of things that I would like for them to know about my religion. If they are interested in such an exchange, I think it will be productive. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I would have felt bad just closing the door on them.
And by the way, I really don't like those websites dedicated to bashing other religions. They are the first hits you get when you google the J-dubs. What kind of religion makes it their mission to destroy other beliefs? Answer: cowardly ones that doubt the strength of their own teachings to stand up next to others'.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Some thoughts since coming to Finland
Since I've been in Turku, I've had lots of important stuff to get done, including (among other things) opening a new bank account for the moderate fee of my left arm, purchasing a cell phone (because land-based telephones no longer exist in Scandanavia) for the reasonable price of my other arm, registering for membership in the local Student Union (a federal law in Finland, so that I have an 'advocate' against the sinister coniving designs of the university). All the student union asked was for the legal rights to my first-born child. Besides these every-day house-keeping activities I've become acquainted with new skills such as how to ice skate from my apartment to class without demolishing my tail bone, and how to string lots of vowels and consonants together to say words like hyvaa huomenta. This is how one says 'good morning' in the great land of the Finns. Amidst all these exciting new adventures, I've also had the opportunity to go to class, which I suppose is the real reasons I came to Finland, anyway. I have classes on Finnish (a shocker), Investment in the Russian Regions, Russian economic history, and the future of transatlantic relations. I have felt that I have a bit more free time than I am accustomed to while attending school, since I am unemployed for the first time in quite a while. I've also realized that teachers at the university here (at least in my classes) rarely give assignments, so I have little to do other than attend lectures. The evaluation period will come at the end of the semester in the form of a monster exam. This will do little to assist me in overcoming my procrastination tendencies, but I'm sure I'll learn some new study skills. In spite of the asphyxiatingly high cost of living, I can certainly say that the first two weeks in Finland have been most pleasant. I live in a section of student housing reserved for foreign exchange students, and so obviously everyone uses the international language, Urdu. Just kidding, everyone speaks in English. I actually have met several people from various countries in Europe who came here specifically to practice their English. Yes, the Finns speak it that well. So I try not to feel that my language is cheapened at all by the fact that everyone and their dog (and I mean that literally...) speaks English. In addition, I try not to feel foolish when someone asks me a question on the street, and before I can assume my dumb American expression, they're already asking me with a nice Oxford accent whether or not I need any help. I've also found that politics is certainly an issue where Finland (and Europeans in general) are much more homogenous than Americans. The general political opinion is, first of all, that Americans don't have a clue. One this fundamental principle is well understood, the discussion can move to more subtle points of analysis. I've done my very best to convince people that Republicans in general are not complete and utter morons, but I don't think I've convinced anyone, yet. I'll keep trying, for the sake of transatlantic relations. I've found the discussion strikingly similar to the many I have with conservatives back in the great state of Yootah as I try to convince them that liberals in general aren't pompus immoral buffoons. It's always difficult because when you defend someone, people automatically assume that you're one of the foolish group you're defending, and so you therefore obviously need tutoring in the fundamentals of the 'right' way to see things. It could get frustrating, but I've always been so flippant about politics, anyway, so I don't let it bug me too much. What does bug me is the following statement that I invite any person to logically support, because I just can't:
"I'm don't like people who are extremely religious because all the greatest human tragedies in the history of the world have been caused by religion."
This is a personal bone that I have to pick with people, I suppose, because I am religious, and everything that I've ever learned tells me that this is complete and utter nonsense. I bring it up because I hear it A LOT, and so it must have some grounding in reality that I just can't see. So here's why I think that this is bogus:
1) Such a statement seems to ignore history. Let me see if I can come up with a list of some really bad tragedies attributable to people. There were Stalin's political purges, the Holocaust, the great world wars, Rwanda, Napoleon, Alexander the Great, the Assyrians, the French Revolution. Not too much religion involved here, my friends. Each of these really bad things seem to have been caused by a few very secular people who were ambitious for lots of power. While religion-bashers like to use the examples of the Crusades, Bosnia, Ireland, Darfur, or the current multitude of problems in the Middle East, these are certainly not the most egregious tragedies in terms of life lost in the history of the world. So one could say that some of the lesser great tragedies seem to have religion as part of their underlying problem. But it seems to me that even with the seemingly religious-based debacles, religion is merely used as an excuse to mask other problems. No one could possibly believe that Milosevic in Bosnia was religiously motivated, though much of that tragedy involved a Christian-Muslim conflict. Experts agree that this tragedy was fuelled by ethnic friction and nationalistic ambition. I would argue that similar problems in Darfur, Ireland, and even the Middle East are also fundamentally cultural and ethnic clashes, and that though they may involve a religious element, they occur not because of religion, but in spite of it. I would even go so far as to say that religions are hijacked in the name of selfish, hateful ambition.
2) These statements ignore the tenants of religion. I have never seen a religion that does not advocate people to become good. Indeed, I think that this is part of the fundamental definition of religion. Religions that don't profess to make people better are useless. In fact, they are not religions at all. They are hobbies or philosophies or diversions. Religions teach people to be good to others. They teach people to be honest, to be fair and just. Those people who are most religious, in other words, who understand and practice the tenets of their religion, will not be driven to conflict with other people. Those people who incite such conflict are merely proving their complete inability to be religious and to solve their problems in the way their religion teaches, in other words, by being nice to people. I'm not saying that to be nice you have to be religious, but I'm certainly saying that to be religious you have to be nice. Period. So am I saying that Osam bin Laden isn't particularly religious? I doubt he'd be nice enough to grant me the time to discuss the issue of his religion. Since I'm a religious person, does that mean that I'm always nice to people? No, it doesn't, but it does mean that when I'm not being nice, I'm also not being very religious at the time. I think that if this applies to me specifically, then it applies to groups and events and the world in general. Don't blame good beliefs just because people refuse to live the beliefs.
So anyway, I'll get off my soap-box, and I truly do invite someone to disagree with me. I might return to my political discussions with people, later. We'll see.
In terms of other knewz out here, it seems that as soon as I got settled in Finland, I'm going to be headed out, again. I'll renew some of the work I started this summer with FINCA, when I spend 3 weeks in Kyrgyzstan. I leave this Thursday, and will return at an unspecified date in the middle of February. To be perfectly honest, I don't know exactly what they want me to do out there, but I anticipate that it will be different than the projects I've pulled off the last two summers. I hope to visit my old mission in Russia on the way back, if I possibly can, and have lunch with my sister Anna who's currently serving in my old stomping grounds in St. Petersburg. That might be more ambitious traveling than I can handle, right now, so I'll just take things one step at a time.
"I'm don't like people who are extremely religious because all the greatest human tragedies in the history of the world have been caused by religion."
This is a personal bone that I have to pick with people, I suppose, because I am religious, and everything that I've ever learned tells me that this is complete and utter nonsense. I bring it up because I hear it A LOT, and so it must have some grounding in reality that I just can't see. So here's why I think that this is bogus:
1) Such a statement seems to ignore history. Let me see if I can come up with a list of some really bad tragedies attributable to people. There were Stalin's political purges, the Holocaust, the great world wars, Rwanda, Napoleon, Alexander the Great, the Assyrians, the French Revolution. Not too much religion involved here, my friends. Each of these really bad things seem to have been caused by a few very secular people who were ambitious for lots of power. While religion-bashers like to use the examples of the Crusades, Bosnia, Ireland, Darfur, or the current multitude of problems in the Middle East, these are certainly not the most egregious tragedies in terms of life lost in the history of the world. So one could say that some of the lesser great tragedies seem to have religion as part of their underlying problem. But it seems to me that even with the seemingly religious-based debacles, religion is merely used as an excuse to mask other problems. No one could possibly believe that Milosevic in Bosnia was religiously motivated, though much of that tragedy involved a Christian-Muslim conflict. Experts agree that this tragedy was fuelled by ethnic friction and nationalistic ambition. I would argue that similar problems in Darfur, Ireland, and even the Middle East are also fundamentally cultural and ethnic clashes, and that though they may involve a religious element, they occur not because of religion, but in spite of it. I would even go so far as to say that religions are hijacked in the name of selfish, hateful ambition.
2) These statements ignore the tenants of religion. I have never seen a religion that does not advocate people to become good. Indeed, I think that this is part of the fundamental definition of religion. Religions that don't profess to make people better are useless. In fact, they are not religions at all. They are hobbies or philosophies or diversions. Religions teach people to be good to others. They teach people to be honest, to be fair and just. Those people who are most religious, in other words, who understand and practice the tenets of their religion, will not be driven to conflict with other people. Those people who incite such conflict are merely proving their complete inability to be religious and to solve their problems in the way their religion teaches, in other words, by being nice to people. I'm not saying that to be nice you have to be religious, but I'm certainly saying that to be religious you have to be nice. Period. So am I saying that Osam bin Laden isn't particularly religious? I doubt he'd be nice enough to grant me the time to discuss the issue of his religion. Since I'm a religious person, does that mean that I'm always nice to people? No, it doesn't, but it does mean that when I'm not being nice, I'm also not being very religious at the time. I think that if this applies to me specifically, then it applies to groups and events and the world in general. Don't blame good beliefs just because people refuse to live the beliefs.
So anyway, I'll get off my soap-box, and I truly do invite someone to disagree with me. I might return to my political discussions with people, later. We'll see.
In terms of other knewz out here, it seems that as soon as I got settled in Finland, I'm going to be headed out, again. I'll renew some of the work I started this summer with FINCA, when I spend 3 weeks in Kyrgyzstan. I leave this Thursday, and will return at an unspecified date in the middle of February. To be perfectly honest, I don't know exactly what they want me to do out there, but I anticipate that it will be different than the projects I've pulled off the last two summers. I hope to visit my old mission in Russia on the way back, if I possibly can, and have lunch with my sister Anna who's currently serving in my old stomping grounds in St. Petersburg. That might be more ambitious traveling than I can handle, right now, so I'll just take things one step at a time.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Back to blogging
After about a 6-month hiatus, I've decided to continue my online updates. It's not that I had nothing to report, the past little while, but when I'm away from friends and family, circumstances demand that I use the old blogsite as a means to stay generally in touch.
I have been in Finland for about a week and a half, now. For a brief background, I received a grant from the US Department of Education through a program called the Good Governance Consortium to study public policy in Europe. A combination of my own preferences and circumstance picked Finland for me, so I'm taking classes from three different universities in Turku, on the western coast of Finland. Turku is the oldest city in Finland and was the capital of Finland when it was part of the Swedish empire. There is subsequently a rather large Swedish minority in Turku, an officially bilingual city, and I am in fact taking one class from the Swedish university, out here.
There are lots of interesting things that I can comment about, but I think I'll save them for future blogs. There's no sense giving out too much candy at a time, I always say. I will also update my pictures online. If there aren't any new ones, just wait, there will be soon enough.
I have been in Finland for about a week and a half, now. For a brief background, I received a grant from the US Department of Education through a program called the Good Governance Consortium to study public policy in Europe. A combination of my own preferences and circumstance picked Finland for me, so I'm taking classes from three different universities in Turku, on the western coast of Finland. Turku is the oldest city in Finland and was the capital of Finland when it was part of the Swedish empire. There is subsequently a rather large Swedish minority in Turku, an officially bilingual city, and I am in fact taking one class from the Swedish university, out here.
There are lots of interesting things that I can comment about, but I think I'll save them for future blogs. There's no sense giving out too much candy at a time, I always say. I will also update my pictures online. If there aren't any new ones, just wait, there will be soon enough.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
That strange world we live in
Here are two of the promised jokes about good ol' Heydar Aliyev.
1) Heydar is hanging out with his young son, Ilham, and is showing him a scrapbook of his glorious political career. He says 'Son, here's a picture of me with the head of the KGB. Here's another picture with me and the whole Politburo hanging out on the Black Sea. Yeah, Brezhnev and I were real chums, back in the day.' Heydar then shows some recent picutures from his political adventures in Azerbaijan.
Ilham is just amazed that his father is so influential and has rubbed shoulders with so many powerful people. In youthful exuberance, Ilham blurts out, 'some day, when I grow up, I want to be a politician, too! I want to be president of Azerbaijan, just like you!'
Heydar slams the scrapbook closed and looks indignantly at his son. Assuming his official voice, he chides 'My son, why would Azerbaijan need two presidents?'
This is particularly ironic when one considers Heydar's end. He was apparently too incapacitated to communicate with anyone when his son gained political support to run for president. Maybe Ilham learned a few lessons from Dad. I don't know what I'm implying.
2) After a long and full life of 'service,' it's time for Heydar to die. God tells the devil to go get Heydar, and take his soul down to hell. The devil complies, makes the necessary arrangements, and knocks on Heydar's office door. He walks in the oak-trimmed suite and tells Heydar that his time is up, it's time to die, and that he was there to take his soul to hell.
Heydar looks incredulously at the devil and says 'Just who do you think you are? Do you have an appointment? You can't talk to me that way, who sent you?'
The devil responds and says that he is the devil, and that Heydar made his appointment with him long ago.
Heydar gets even more infuriated and demands 'Who sent you?' The devil doesn't respond, but insists that Heydar come with him. Heydar refuses, and says 'That's it, buddy!' He promptly calls his guards and tosses the devil in jail.
The devil stays in jail for three whole days before some 'friends' of his are able to pay the bribe to get him out. The devil slinks back up to heaven to report to God. 'What happened?' God asks. 'I send you out to do a job, and you come back empty handed after having disappeared for three days!'
'I couldn't help it,' replies the devil. 'He had all these inconvenient questions, he wanted to know who sent me, and then he threw me in jail!'
'Wait a minute,' says God. 'You said he wanted to know who sent you... you didn't tell him, did you?'
Which just goes to show that even God is afraid of Heydar Aliyev.
Somehow, the punchlines are always a little funnier in the language they were told in. Or maybe I just don't have the gift for jokes. On another note, I found a really strange optical illusion for everyone's viewing pleasure. Really, really weird.
1) Heydar is hanging out with his young son, Ilham, and is showing him a scrapbook of his glorious political career. He says 'Son, here's a picture of me with the head of the KGB. Here's another picture with me and the whole Politburo hanging out on the Black Sea. Yeah, Brezhnev and I were real chums, back in the day.' Heydar then shows some recent picutures from his political adventures in Azerbaijan.
Ilham is just amazed that his father is so influential and has rubbed shoulders with so many powerful people. In youthful exuberance, Ilham blurts out, 'some day, when I grow up, I want to be a politician, too! I want to be president of Azerbaijan, just like you!'
Heydar slams the scrapbook closed and looks indignantly at his son. Assuming his official voice, he chides 'My son, why would Azerbaijan need two presidents?'
This is particularly ironic when one considers Heydar's end. He was apparently too incapacitated to communicate with anyone when his son gained political support to run for president. Maybe Ilham learned a few lessons from Dad. I don't know what I'm implying.
2) After a long and full life of 'service,' it's time for Heydar to die. God tells the devil to go get Heydar, and take his soul down to hell. The devil complies, makes the necessary arrangements, and knocks on Heydar's office door. He walks in the oak-trimmed suite and tells Heydar that his time is up, it's time to die, and that he was there to take his soul to hell.
Heydar looks incredulously at the devil and says 'Just who do you think you are? Do you have an appointment? You can't talk to me that way, who sent you?'
The devil responds and says that he is the devil, and that Heydar made his appointment with him long ago.
Heydar gets even more infuriated and demands 'Who sent you?' The devil doesn't respond, but insists that Heydar come with him. Heydar refuses, and says 'That's it, buddy!' He promptly calls his guards and tosses the devil in jail.
The devil stays in jail for three whole days before some 'friends' of his are able to pay the bribe to get him out. The devil slinks back up to heaven to report to God. 'What happened?' God asks. 'I send you out to do a job, and you come back empty handed after having disappeared for three days!'
'I couldn't help it,' replies the devil. 'He had all these inconvenient questions, he wanted to know who sent me, and then he threw me in jail!'
'Wait a minute,' says God. 'You said he wanted to know who sent you... you didn't tell him, did you?'
Which just goes to show that even God is afraid of Heydar Aliyev.
Somehow, the punchlines are always a little funnier in the language they were told in. Or maybe I just don't have the gift for jokes. On another note, I found a really strange optical illusion for everyone's viewing pleasure. Really, really weird.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Penance for not blogging
It’s been so long since I posted a blog that I’ve almost forgotten how to do it. I apologize for this. There are lots of things to talk about every day. After two weeks, I’m pretty swamped. I’m just going to list a few brief things that I’ll maybe get a chance to discuss later.
1. Collecting data has taken some twists and turns. At the time of my last posting, I was leaving for the outer regions to survey about 150 clients. I entrusted the surveying of the remaining 200 clients in Baku to the local credit officers. They assured me that everything would work out just fine. So I spent the week collecting data with local credit officers and sleeping in old creaky beds throughout western Azerbaijan. I was amazed at how creative and accommodating the FINCA staff was in the outside regions.
When I returned to Baku, I found that the staff in the outside regions wasn’t the only group who had been ‘creative’ in the data collection process. The Baku staff presented me with a stack of about 175 completed questionnaires. As I sorted through them and entered the data, I became somewhat suspicious. It became apparent that at least some of the credit officers had taken responsibility to collect data because it’s obviously a little easier to invent statistics than to survey clients. It was kind of awkward explaining this problem to the staff, because they look at each other and go “who, me?” It must have been somebody else! Obviously no one will fess up to the offending questionnaires, though, so I just have to filter them out of the data set. I accept full responsibility for this problem. I new the risks that credit officers would have overactive imaginations, but I am genuinely trying to find the most effective method of gathering this data. In the future, we’ll have to provide for more oversight.
2. One might think that I’d be somewhat frustrated because I’ve gathered some biased data that I’ve got to carefully filter, now. I’ve been too busy with another project to give my biased data any more than a few passing thoughts. I’ve recently discovered that FINCA conducts at least two other clientele surveys in NIS countries that collect exactly the same data that I do. In addition, this data is collected every credit cycle, and there’s a veritable mine of it sitting on the back shelf of this office. While I’ve been out breaking my back trying to explain a questionnaire to clients in languages I don’t speak, at least half this data has been waiting unexplored in a back room.
It turns out that in order to approve clients for successive loans, FINCA conducts ‘business checks’ of every client before the respective loans are approved. I’ve spent the last week digging through old FINCA archives, and I’ve put together a small database of FINCA clients. I’m kind of pushed for time to get some creative solutions on the table before I finish the summer. FINCA plans on using something from this tool in Kyrgyzstan this December to implement in their office as they make a transfer to becoming a joint stock company. I’m not sure whether I’ll work on that project over there, or not, but just the thought of spending December at 10,000 feet in central Asia makes me shiver. Too bad I never learned how to ski in Utah… I hear Kyrgyzstan has some great resorts.
3. Updates on my Chechan friend. Tarlan has been living in my apartment, for the past week. He was arrested while I was away in the regions. As a side note, anyone traveling to the NIS should make certain to keep their passports on their person at all times. They don’t have a history of respecting civil rights, here, and police can search you for looking at them funny. My first missionary companion was literally strip searched in the St. Petersburg subway because he was dark-skinned, and looked like a terrorist. Anyway, Tarlan was arrested and tossed in the slammer because he had no documentation. It didn’t help that he was just paid and had $200 on him. They relieved him of this financial burden, as well as of another $150 which served as a bribe that his friend paid to get him out three days later. He was subsequently evicted from his apartment for delinquency on rent payments. I'm trying not to complain about my own financial difficulties.
4. Now for updates on the local political environment. This place is a fiasco, and no Americans know about it. My suspicion is that Uncle Sam actually works to keep it out of the media, because Baku is an up-and-coming oil powerhouse, and they want to keep things stable, here. I’m not much one for conspiracy theories, but here’s the story:
Once upon a time there was a kingdom called the ‘Soviet Union.’ The Union was ruled by a set of nobles called the ‘Communist Party’. The Communist Party was controlled by a council of regional princes. This council was called the ‘Polutburo’. The Politburo had the final say in everything that involved anything in the kingdom. One of these princes was from the fiefdom of Azerbaijan. He controlled everything in Azerbaijan from oil drilling to orange plantations to Caspian Sea caviar piracy. His name was Heydar Aliyev. Heydar was not just a Communist Party man, he was a real live party man. He was twice indicted for sexual assault, but was never brought to trial. He was the perfect ‘yes man’, an ideal lackey. But then the last king of the Union, Mikhail Gorbechev, got sick of Heydar’s shenanigans, and kicked him out of the Politburo.
Heydar spent a few years cursing Mikhail’s name and his policies that brought an end to the kingdom of the Union. Each cloud does have a silver lining, however. In Heydar’s case, the lining was red, green, and blue (the Azeri national colors). Heydar quickly took advantage of Azerbaijan’s new-found independence, pulled some strings from his old mafia, that is communist, connections, ran on an Azeri nationalist platform, and was elected ‘overwhelmingly’ as Azerbaijan’s first president.
From that time forward, Heydar found the new smaller kingdom of Azerbaijan to be much more to his taste. He was now the only big dog around, and didn’t seem to mind that the block had drastically reduced in size. Heydar reigned over some dark times in Azeri history. These included a war with Armenia that resulted in the Armenian occupation of a large part of Azeri territory, strict persecution (including public beatings) of opposing political parties, and massive inflation and economic instability. Heydar managed to maintain a positive outlook, though, and consequentially, everyone else did, as well. I was constantly amazed at the public support afforded the man. As I drove in outside regions, I observed villages and roads in obvious decay: roads were unpaved and crumbling; families lived in small concrete barracks. In spite of these limitations, the government could still afford to post large signs the size of US-interstate ads with smiling pictures of Heydar along with choice selections of his inspirational quotes.
When I was here last year, Heydar was getting old, and many were hoping that he would not run for another (unconstitutional) 3rd term. He was reported to be interred in a hospital in Chicago, and unable to campaign. He was, however, fully capable of endorsing his son’s (Illham) presidential candidacy. Heydar passed away peacefully in America before the election ever arrived. Last fall, election observers were up in arms as public beatings of opposing political groups continued, and large trucks of thugs drove around Baku stuffing ballot boxes at election time. To the wonderment of all, 99% of the electorate voted for Illham. So now we have a dynasty.
I’ve noticed, this summer, that the sign boards around the country have been updated. Illham now ubiquitously smiles at the Azeri populace, usually hand-in-hand with Pa. He even has a new website, and I took some pictures of the signs. I’ll post more, later, as well as some jokes that people tell in hushed tones about Heydar and his son.
5. I was able to find another good friend from last year. I went fishing last summer with a couple of super nice old Azeri guys in the small town of Imishli. I found one of them, and arranged to meet him. At the end of a tiring day, my friend pulled up in a battered old Volga sedan, and hopped out of the car. He came up to me, kissed me on both cheeks, and invited me over for dinner. I spent a wonderful evening with him and his family.
I wanted to include this thought because I really felt that this is a good man, and that he is a great representation of what a respectable religious Muslim man is supposed to be like. He reads the Q’uran every day, and keeps a small copy in his shirt pocket. His family obviously loves him, and I saw no indication that either his wife, daughters-in-law, or granddaughters feel oppressed by him in any way. Their service and respect for each other was obviously mutual. His perspective on family and gender roles is in many ways similar to my own, and I think that it would be very beneficial for Americans to better understand this. I hope that I don’t renege on my promises to keep in touch with him.
6. I am thoroughly enjoying myself, this summer, and I’ve been pondering the previous comments of an old high school friend who suggested, (and I quote): “I think you like the former Soviet Union because you have dark hair and can blend in with them.” While I can blend in with the Azeris, this is certainly not the case in Russia, or central Asia. This suggestion comes from someone who remembers how much I did not fit in when in High School. In all honesty, I can't quite figure out why I like traipsing about the former Soviet Union. I've tried to answer this question fairly candidly. Perhaps I have an affinity for the culture, or the language. It's also occurred to me that maybe I'm more of an oddity or celebrity in a foreign, less-developed country, and I like the attention. So although I hate to admit it, perhaps it's vanity.
There are other thoughts that I've wanted to get down, but I’m worn out, for now. I suppose this monster blog is my pennance for two weeks of no postings. I should be ready to come home, pretty soon. I think I’m getting a little tired of all the traipsing.
1. Collecting data has taken some twists and turns. At the time of my last posting, I was leaving for the outer regions to survey about 150 clients. I entrusted the surveying of the remaining 200 clients in Baku to the local credit officers. They assured me that everything would work out just fine. So I spent the week collecting data with local credit officers and sleeping in old creaky beds throughout western Azerbaijan. I was amazed at how creative and accommodating the FINCA staff was in the outside regions.
When I returned to Baku, I found that the staff in the outside regions wasn’t the only group who had been ‘creative’ in the data collection process. The Baku staff presented me with a stack of about 175 completed questionnaires. As I sorted through them and entered the data, I became somewhat suspicious. It became apparent that at least some of the credit officers had taken responsibility to collect data because it’s obviously a little easier to invent statistics than to survey clients. It was kind of awkward explaining this problem to the staff, because they look at each other and go “who, me?” It must have been somebody else! Obviously no one will fess up to the offending questionnaires, though, so I just have to filter them out of the data set. I accept full responsibility for this problem. I new the risks that credit officers would have overactive imaginations, but I am genuinely trying to find the most effective method of gathering this data. In the future, we’ll have to provide for more oversight.
2. One might think that I’d be somewhat frustrated because I’ve gathered some biased data that I’ve got to carefully filter, now. I’ve been too busy with another project to give my biased data any more than a few passing thoughts. I’ve recently discovered that FINCA conducts at least two other clientele surveys in NIS countries that collect exactly the same data that I do. In addition, this data is collected every credit cycle, and there’s a veritable mine of it sitting on the back shelf of this office. While I’ve been out breaking my back trying to explain a questionnaire to clients in languages I don’t speak, at least half this data has been waiting unexplored in a back room.
It turns out that in order to approve clients for successive loans, FINCA conducts ‘business checks’ of every client before the respective loans are approved. I’ve spent the last week digging through old FINCA archives, and I’ve put together a small database of FINCA clients. I’m kind of pushed for time to get some creative solutions on the table before I finish the summer. FINCA plans on using something from this tool in Kyrgyzstan this December to implement in their office as they make a transfer to becoming a joint stock company. I’m not sure whether I’ll work on that project over there, or not, but just the thought of spending December at 10,000 feet in central Asia makes me shiver. Too bad I never learned how to ski in Utah… I hear Kyrgyzstan has some great resorts.
3. Updates on my Chechan friend. Tarlan has been living in my apartment, for the past week. He was arrested while I was away in the regions. As a side note, anyone traveling to the NIS should make certain to keep their passports on their person at all times. They don’t have a history of respecting civil rights, here, and police can search you for looking at them funny. My first missionary companion was literally strip searched in the St. Petersburg subway because he was dark-skinned, and looked like a terrorist. Anyway, Tarlan was arrested and tossed in the slammer because he had no documentation. It didn’t help that he was just paid and had $200 on him. They relieved him of this financial burden, as well as of another $150 which served as a bribe that his friend paid to get him out three days later. He was subsequently evicted from his apartment for delinquency on rent payments. I'm trying not to complain about my own financial difficulties.
4. Now for updates on the local political environment. This place is a fiasco, and no Americans know about it. My suspicion is that Uncle Sam actually works to keep it out of the media, because Baku is an up-and-coming oil powerhouse, and they want to keep things stable, here. I’m not much one for conspiracy theories, but here’s the story:
Once upon a time there was a kingdom called the ‘Soviet Union.’ The Union was ruled by a set of nobles called the ‘Communist Party’. The Communist Party was controlled by a council of regional princes. This council was called the ‘Polutburo’. The Politburo had the final say in everything that involved anything in the kingdom. One of these princes was from the fiefdom of Azerbaijan. He controlled everything in Azerbaijan from oil drilling to orange plantations to Caspian Sea caviar piracy. His name was Heydar Aliyev. Heydar was not just a Communist Party man, he was a real live party man. He was twice indicted for sexual assault, but was never brought to trial. He was the perfect ‘yes man’, an ideal lackey. But then the last king of the Union, Mikhail Gorbechev, got sick of Heydar’s shenanigans, and kicked him out of the Politburo.
Heydar spent a few years cursing Mikhail’s name and his policies that brought an end to the kingdom of the Union. Each cloud does have a silver lining, however. In Heydar’s case, the lining was red, green, and blue (the Azeri national colors). Heydar quickly took advantage of Azerbaijan’s new-found independence, pulled some strings from his old mafia, that is communist, connections, ran on an Azeri nationalist platform, and was elected ‘overwhelmingly’ as Azerbaijan’s first president.
From that time forward, Heydar found the new smaller kingdom of Azerbaijan to be much more to his taste. He was now the only big dog around, and didn’t seem to mind that the block had drastically reduced in size. Heydar reigned over some dark times in Azeri history. These included a war with Armenia that resulted in the Armenian occupation of a large part of Azeri territory, strict persecution (including public beatings) of opposing political parties, and massive inflation and economic instability. Heydar managed to maintain a positive outlook, though, and consequentially, everyone else did, as well. I was constantly amazed at the public support afforded the man. As I drove in outside regions, I observed villages and roads in obvious decay: roads were unpaved and crumbling; families lived in small concrete barracks. In spite of these limitations, the government could still afford to post large signs the size of US-interstate ads with smiling pictures of Heydar along with choice selections of his inspirational quotes.
When I was here last year, Heydar was getting old, and many were hoping that he would not run for another (unconstitutional) 3rd term. He was reported to be interred in a hospital in Chicago, and unable to campaign. He was, however, fully capable of endorsing his son’s (Illham) presidential candidacy. Heydar passed away peacefully in America before the election ever arrived. Last fall, election observers were up in arms as public beatings of opposing political groups continued, and large trucks of thugs drove around Baku stuffing ballot boxes at election time. To the wonderment of all, 99% of the electorate voted for Illham. So now we have a dynasty.
I’ve noticed, this summer, that the sign boards around the country have been updated. Illham now ubiquitously smiles at the Azeri populace, usually hand-in-hand with Pa. He even has a new website, and I took some pictures of the signs. I’ll post more, later, as well as some jokes that people tell in hushed tones about Heydar and his son.
5. I was able to find another good friend from last year. I went fishing last summer with a couple of super nice old Azeri guys in the small town of Imishli. I found one of them, and arranged to meet him. At the end of a tiring day, my friend pulled up in a battered old Volga sedan, and hopped out of the car. He came up to me, kissed me on both cheeks, and invited me over for dinner. I spent a wonderful evening with him and his family.
I wanted to include this thought because I really felt that this is a good man, and that he is a great representation of what a respectable religious Muslim man is supposed to be like. He reads the Q’uran every day, and keeps a small copy in his shirt pocket. His family obviously loves him, and I saw no indication that either his wife, daughters-in-law, or granddaughters feel oppressed by him in any way. Their service and respect for each other was obviously mutual. His perspective on family and gender roles is in many ways similar to my own, and I think that it would be very beneficial for Americans to better understand this. I hope that I don’t renege on my promises to keep in touch with him.
6. I am thoroughly enjoying myself, this summer, and I’ve been pondering the previous comments of an old high school friend who suggested, (and I quote): “I think you like the former Soviet Union because you have dark hair and can blend in with them.” While I can blend in with the Azeris, this is certainly not the case in Russia, or central Asia. This suggestion comes from someone who remembers how much I did not fit in when in High School. In all honesty, I can't quite figure out why I like traipsing about the former Soviet Union. I've tried to answer this question fairly candidly. Perhaps I have an affinity for the culture, or the language. It's also occurred to me that maybe I'm more of an oddity or celebrity in a foreign, less-developed country, and I like the attention. So although I hate to admit it, perhaps it's vanity.
There are other thoughts that I've wanted to get down, but I’m worn out, for now. I suppose this monster blog is my pennance for two weeks of no postings. I should be ready to come home, pretty soon. I think I’m getting a little tired of all the traipsing.
Monday, July 19, 2004
There and back again: a few stories about stories
I'm stuck in the Baku office, waiting to cruise on out to the border town of Imishli. It's great to have the new hobby of writing meandering blog postings during my limited free time. I'd recommend it to anyone. Part of the fun part is coming up with various names for postings, or the website, in general. I could rename this blogsite to 'why I do the funky things I do.' Perhaps I could call it 'Road Trips to Nowhere: da Return.' I'm probably the only one who chuckles at my jokes, anyway, so I shouldn't expend too much brain-time thinking about it. But there are always more fun stories to tell. Unfortunately, some things aren't for general public consumption, so you'll just have to ask me when I get back.
Anyway, I ran into my friend Tarlan, this weekend. I actually should admit that I've kind of been looking for him since my first day, here. I would go to the local basketball venues on the shore of the Caspian Sea at night to see if he was hoping it up with his buddies. Unfortunately, he was never there. I found him on Sunday at the little downtown Lutheran church where various non-denominational Christians meet for services. So Tarlan is one of my heroes, and I need to explain why. He's a year younger than me, and was born in Chechnya. For those who don't know, one might want to avoid being born in Chechnya for various reasons. Tarlan told me last year how when he turned eight years old, he went through the ritual where a boy becomes a man. The Chechans do this by putting an automatic rifle in a kid's hands, teach him how to shoot things with it, and tell him he's a warrior. Without making any cultural judgements, I must say that this is a tough way for a kid to grow up. Tarlan remembers when guerilla fighters knocked on his family's door and recruited his Father to join their ranks. He never saw his Dad again; he died in the war with the Russians, over a year later. His older brother abandoned him and his mother, and they were forced to flee their war-torn town when he was 14 years old. They came illegally to Baku, and Tarlan's mother died shortly thereafter, and he was left with no family, home, or even official living status in either his native country or country of residence. He was, essentially, dead to all the world. At about this time, he tells me that he became a little bitter and even angry with life in general. I can’t imagine why. Why would God let his Father and Mother die? They had been good Muslims, had tried to raise him the way they thought was right. Such were the thoughts that ran through his head.
I must point out, here, that I've heard a lot of sob stories in my life. There are lots of people who want to kind of feed off other people's pity; it's like priming the pump in preparation for solicitations for those things that life has robbed them of. Tarlan is no such person. He tells me these things without exaggerating or sugar coating his experiences. I ask, so he tells me straight. He says that during this time when he was feeling lonely and forgotten, he found some non-denominational Christians who took him under their wing, took him to Bible studies, and gave him a place to stay. Since then, he became a ‘reborn’ Christian, and very active in the local Christian community. Now he spends his time living with different friends, working various jobs, and just generally trying to improve himself. He does not imbibe in the normal societal ‘bads’ including alcohol, tobacco, or narcotics. He now speaks 6 languages like a native, including Azeri, Chechan, Russian, Turkish, and Dagestani. He’s worked for British Petroleum, ABC Computers, and various Internet Service Provider companies.
I’m not making a pitch for born-again Christianity in this blog, although I do see a lot of positive benefits in the lives of born-agains (Mormons are not even considered Christians by most people in the born-again flock). All I’m saying is that my friend can find real solutions to problems that would completely destroy the lives of most people. I really feel that this guy is a completely unique character who survives and succeeds because of his positive attitude, realistic view of the world, and ability to have faith in good things in spite of the bad that swirls around him.
My partner Kris and I met Tarlan last year when we sat in the back of one of the services at the Lutheran Church. After the service, a smiling young man walked up to us and introduced himself in perfect English and asked if we enjoyed the sermon. We spent that Sunday hanging out with Tarlan, and he showed us the best places to eat and relax. During our stay in Azerbaijan, we spent hours hanging out, playing hoops, going to the Turkish spas, and having religious discussions. I lost contact with him about 5 days before I left, and so was unable to maintain contact, over the last year, although I have thought of him rather often.
I went back to the Lutheran Church on Sunday, and was delighted to see my friend on the back row a few minutes before the sermon started. Tarlan was also excited to see me, and told me that this was only the second time he had attended this church in the last year since I saw him. He’s had a few more disappointments in his life, since then, but he’s still just as buoyant and good-natured, as ever. He even told me that he has all kinds of questions and a whole page of notes to talk with me about in the Book of Mormon (which he’s read 5 times, over the last year) that we left behind for him, but had no idea how to get a hold of me. If nothing else, I was excited to talk about those things, as if I was a young 19-year-old missionary, all over again.
So I’m sure I’ll have more to tell about him later, but that’s that, for now. What a guy.
Now, for work. The difference between our project in this office and that in Armenia is like describing the difference between driving a Lada (the local ‘automobile,’ made in Russia) and a Honda. Click here for a good picture of a Lada. The problem with driving a Lada is it’s made specifically for the local ‘needs.’ This doesn’t mean that it better fills the local needs, it just means that it falls apart ten times as fast if you don’t know how to drive it just right. Driving it just right means that, among other things, you drive around all pot-holes deeper than 3 inches and always keep your speed under 110kph. Even given these requirements, there are some things that you just can’t expect a Lada to do, given the ‘differences’ in the way it’s put together. The Honda, on the other hand, handles the potholes, and can generally get you to where you’re going as quickly as you need to.
I don’t want this to sound like unfair criticism, but I got really tired of the excuse “you don’t understand, we just can’t do that, here, the Armenian people are different.” Just because your road is not as smooth as you expected, doesn’t mean you can’t still get to where you’re going. It’s much easier to get to where you’re going with a dependable machine. This staff in Azerbaijan doesn’t imply that there are no pot-holes to get over, but they are very pro-active in proposing solutions to solve the cultural difficulties. The staff here actually told me that they would like to try two different alternatives to see which one is better. First of all, after training the credit officers to conduct the questionnaire, they will incorporate it into their regular credit meetings. The clients will take the questionnaire home with them, and be required to bring it to their repayment meeting, the following week, where the credit officers will check for completeness. They are confident that each officer will be able to collect 25 questionnaires in a week’s time. This is different than the Armenian office, because the Azeri office actually took time out for me to train them, they asked questions, and then each credit officer took upon him/herself the personal assignment to collect administer 25 questionnaires. If they do not prove successful, then we will organize a large meeting in a café, next week, and invite approximately 100 clients to complete the questionnaire. The credit officers asked me whether or not I would treat THEM to dinner in a café if they are able to complete the surveying themselves. I conceded this quicker, funner, and less expensive option. They all smiled.
When I told the country director, Jeff Flowers, about my promise to treat his staff to dinner, he was actually somewhat disgruntled. He told me to not encourage the staff to do their jobs piece-meal. They should just do their jobs without extra incentives because that’s what they get paid to do. I just feel happy working with people who agree that working with me is part of their job.
So I’m off to the regions. Take care, y’all. I might not get back to the computer until Friday. In that time, my little sister will head off on her mission. If any of you out there in Utah see her before Wednesday, giver her a big hug from me.
Anyway, I ran into my friend Tarlan, this weekend. I actually should admit that I've kind of been looking for him since my first day, here. I would go to the local basketball venues on the shore of the Caspian Sea at night to see if he was hoping it up with his buddies. Unfortunately, he was never there. I found him on Sunday at the little downtown Lutheran church where various non-denominational Christians meet for services. So Tarlan is one of my heroes, and I need to explain why. He's a year younger than me, and was born in Chechnya. For those who don't know, one might want to avoid being born in Chechnya for various reasons. Tarlan told me last year how when he turned eight years old, he went through the ritual where a boy becomes a man. The Chechans do this by putting an automatic rifle in a kid's hands, teach him how to shoot things with it, and tell him he's a warrior. Without making any cultural judgements, I must say that this is a tough way for a kid to grow up. Tarlan remembers when guerilla fighters knocked on his family's door and recruited his Father to join their ranks. He never saw his Dad again; he died in the war with the Russians, over a year later. His older brother abandoned him and his mother, and they were forced to flee their war-torn town when he was 14 years old. They came illegally to Baku, and Tarlan's mother died shortly thereafter, and he was left with no family, home, or even official living status in either his native country or country of residence. He was, essentially, dead to all the world. At about this time, he tells me that he became a little bitter and even angry with life in general. I can’t imagine why. Why would God let his Father and Mother die? They had been good Muslims, had tried to raise him the way they thought was right. Such were the thoughts that ran through his head.
I must point out, here, that I've heard a lot of sob stories in my life. There are lots of people who want to kind of feed off other people's pity; it's like priming the pump in preparation for solicitations for those things that life has robbed them of. Tarlan is no such person. He tells me these things without exaggerating or sugar coating his experiences. I ask, so he tells me straight. He says that during this time when he was feeling lonely and forgotten, he found some non-denominational Christians who took him under their wing, took him to Bible studies, and gave him a place to stay. Since then, he became a ‘reborn’ Christian, and very active in the local Christian community. Now he spends his time living with different friends, working various jobs, and just generally trying to improve himself. He does not imbibe in the normal societal ‘bads’ including alcohol, tobacco, or narcotics. He now speaks 6 languages like a native, including Azeri, Chechan, Russian, Turkish, and Dagestani. He’s worked for British Petroleum, ABC Computers, and various Internet Service Provider companies.
I’m not making a pitch for born-again Christianity in this blog, although I do see a lot of positive benefits in the lives of born-agains (Mormons are not even considered Christians by most people in the born-again flock). All I’m saying is that my friend can find real solutions to problems that would completely destroy the lives of most people. I really feel that this guy is a completely unique character who survives and succeeds because of his positive attitude, realistic view of the world, and ability to have faith in good things in spite of the bad that swirls around him.
My partner Kris and I met Tarlan last year when we sat in the back of one of the services at the Lutheran Church. After the service, a smiling young man walked up to us and introduced himself in perfect English and asked if we enjoyed the sermon. We spent that Sunday hanging out with Tarlan, and he showed us the best places to eat and relax. During our stay in Azerbaijan, we spent hours hanging out, playing hoops, going to the Turkish spas, and having religious discussions. I lost contact with him about 5 days before I left, and so was unable to maintain contact, over the last year, although I have thought of him rather often.
I went back to the Lutheran Church on Sunday, and was delighted to see my friend on the back row a few minutes before the sermon started. Tarlan was also excited to see me, and told me that this was only the second time he had attended this church in the last year since I saw him. He’s had a few more disappointments in his life, since then, but he’s still just as buoyant and good-natured, as ever. He even told me that he has all kinds of questions and a whole page of notes to talk with me about in the Book of Mormon (which he’s read 5 times, over the last year) that we left behind for him, but had no idea how to get a hold of me. If nothing else, I was excited to talk about those things, as if I was a young 19-year-old missionary, all over again.
So I’m sure I’ll have more to tell about him later, but that’s that, for now. What a guy.
Now, for work. The difference between our project in this office and that in Armenia is like describing the difference between driving a Lada (the local ‘automobile,’ made in Russia) and a Honda. Click here for a good picture of a Lada. The problem with driving a Lada is it’s made specifically for the local ‘needs.’ This doesn’t mean that it better fills the local needs, it just means that it falls apart ten times as fast if you don’t know how to drive it just right. Driving it just right means that, among other things, you drive around all pot-holes deeper than 3 inches and always keep your speed under 110kph. Even given these requirements, there are some things that you just can’t expect a Lada to do, given the ‘differences’ in the way it’s put together. The Honda, on the other hand, handles the potholes, and can generally get you to where you’re going as quickly as you need to.
I don’t want this to sound like unfair criticism, but I got really tired of the excuse “you don’t understand, we just can’t do that, here, the Armenian people are different.” Just because your road is not as smooth as you expected, doesn’t mean you can’t still get to where you’re going. It’s much easier to get to where you’re going with a dependable machine. This staff in Azerbaijan doesn’t imply that there are no pot-holes to get over, but they are very pro-active in proposing solutions to solve the cultural difficulties. The staff here actually told me that they would like to try two different alternatives to see which one is better. First of all, after training the credit officers to conduct the questionnaire, they will incorporate it into their regular credit meetings. The clients will take the questionnaire home with them, and be required to bring it to their repayment meeting, the following week, where the credit officers will check for completeness. They are confident that each officer will be able to collect 25 questionnaires in a week’s time. This is different than the Armenian office, because the Azeri office actually took time out for me to train them, they asked questions, and then each credit officer took upon him/herself the personal assignment to collect administer 25 questionnaires. If they do not prove successful, then we will organize a large meeting in a café, next week, and invite approximately 100 clients to complete the questionnaire. The credit officers asked me whether or not I would treat THEM to dinner in a café if they are able to complete the surveying themselves. I conceded this quicker, funner, and less expensive option. They all smiled.
When I told the country director, Jeff Flowers, about my promise to treat his staff to dinner, he was actually somewhat disgruntled. He told me to not encourage the staff to do their jobs piece-meal. They should just do their jobs without extra incentives because that’s what they get paid to do. I just feel happy working with people who agree that working with me is part of their job.
So I’m off to the regions. Take care, y’all. I might not get back to the computer until Friday. In that time, my little sister will head off on her mission. If any of you out there in Utah see her before Wednesday, giver her a big hug from me.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Azeri 'anecdotes'
So Azeris, Armenians, and Russians like to tell jokes, which they call 'funny anecdotes.' I head a couple good ones, today, which I'm going to tell for your reading pleasure. Then you can tell all your friends.
1) So a guy is sitting in the marketplace, selling an egg. His buddy walks up to him, steps on the egg, and says "hey, pal, what are you selling?" The disappointed entreprenuer says "nothing, now" and goes home.
2) A man is taking driving lessons, and his teacher suggests the following hypothetical situation: "You're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student, eager to please, thinks for a minute, and says: "The girl."
The teacher says: "I'll ask you again, you're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student, realizing that he must've got the wrong answer, says: "The old woman?"
The teacher responds: "Let's do this once more, you're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student asks: "Which would YOU hit?"
"The brakes, buddy, the brakes."
3) So Azeris say that if something falls from the dinner table, guests are guaranteed to drop by. Once there was a man who was having dinner with his family, and his daughter drops a fork. As he picks the fork up, a knock sounds at the door, and in pop some relatives to enjoy part of their dinner. A few minutes later, his son drops some food on the floor. As soon as the mess is taken care of, the doorbell rings, and some friends from out of town walk in and ask to stay the night. A few minutes later, the man's baby falls out of his high-chair onto the floor. The man jumps out of his seat, puts his foot on the baby, and says: "No, don't pick him up, he DID NOT FALL, he's just taking a little nap... on the floor." Much to his dismay, the doorbell rings, and his neighbor pops his head in and says: "Hey... your parents dropped by to see you, but they're stuck in the elevator."
Bwaa ha ha ha ha...
1) So a guy is sitting in the marketplace, selling an egg. His buddy walks up to him, steps on the egg, and says "hey, pal, what are you selling?" The disappointed entreprenuer says "nothing, now" and goes home.
2) A man is taking driving lessons, and his teacher suggests the following hypothetical situation: "You're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student, eager to please, thinks for a minute, and says: "The girl."
The teacher says: "I'll ask you again, you're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student, realizing that he must've got the wrong answer, says: "The old woman?"
The teacher responds: "Let's do this once more, you're driving your car up to an intersection, and a pretty young blond girl and an old woman cross the street in front of you. What do you hit?"
The student asks: "Which would YOU hit?"
"The brakes, buddy, the brakes."
3) So Azeris say that if something falls from the dinner table, guests are guaranteed to drop by. Once there was a man who was having dinner with his family, and his daughter drops a fork. As he picks the fork up, a knock sounds at the door, and in pop some relatives to enjoy part of their dinner. A few minutes later, his son drops some food on the floor. As soon as the mess is taken care of, the doorbell rings, and some friends from out of town walk in and ask to stay the night. A few minutes later, the man's baby falls out of his high-chair onto the floor. The man jumps out of his seat, puts his foot on the baby, and says: "No, don't pick him up, he DID NOT FALL, he's just taking a little nap... on the floor." Much to his dismay, the doorbell rings, and his neighbor pops his head in and says: "Hey... your parents dropped by to see you, but they're stuck in the elevator."
Bwaa ha ha ha ha...
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
The Road
So I arrived early this morning in the beautiful city of Baku. I hopped a mini-bus from Yerevan to Tbilisi. The ride was a perfect reminder to me of what not to do, if you can possibly avoid it. It's rather amazing to me that little isolated Armenia, surrounded by hostile neighbors, with one open border to a friendly country would not think to completely pave the road that leads to the capital of that friendly country. This pot-hole infested one-lane 'highway' turns a trip of under 200 miles into a 7-hour potential nightmare. Fortunately, I had a rather diverting conversation along the way. As I squished myself in with the hardy Armenian crowd, I heard a loud voice in English instructing someone to just set their things down under his feet, he wouldn't mind at all. I plopped down next to a good-natured Australian who was willing to talk with anyone about anything, as long as the language was English. 'Joshua' is an adventurous traveller who decided to take a year off of work to travel around the world. He's been at it for 6 months, now, and his trails have taken him through Cambodia, China, Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia. That is one adventurous dude. We talked about the things going on in the countries where he's been, and then about where he's going to next. He's planning on spending a couple months in the States, so I left him my contact info for a stay in Utah. I figure that'll give me a good excuse to go down to see a few of our national parks, this fall. He should have a lot of fun if he doesn't mind spending time in a state where alcohol is more scarce than fascinating geological oddities. I couldn't help but snicker at how odd he looked and sounded as we were snuggled in with a van full of Armenians and Georgians. I rather enjoyed chatting with him, but couldn't help but think that if I find other cultures amusing, in a lot of ways they've got nothing on the strangeness of the English-speaking crowd.
So when I got to Tbilisi, I found the prettiest city that I've yet seen on my trip. Unfortunately, I couldn't really take any picutures, because I spent only one night there. We then hopped a little prop-powered plane for Baku. So Baku is a delightful city. I felt that I really gained an affinity for the culture and the FINCA office staff, last year, and I felt it quickly renewed when we arrived at the office, this morning. The extremely emotional security-guard who was prone to get misty-eyed whenever I talked with him last year grabbed my hand, and wouldn't let go as he shook it again, and again, and again. And again. This is the guy that I felt like I really dogged last year when I told him "sure, we'll go swimming in the Caspian sea with you... sometime." I arrived at the office the weekend before we were to leave to the grief stricken face of our security guard who sadly told me that he waited all weekend for us to call, and had realized that we didn't really want to go with him. He renewed his invitations, today, and I've got to make sure to follow-up, this time.
Aside from that, people keep asking me about the welfare of my partner from last year, Kris Johnson. I tell them that Kris got married and has a real live job, now, where he actually makes real live money. The next logical question is why I am not married and making real live money. I don't really know the answers to these questions, and so I quickly change the subject to the weather. That topic isn't necessarily safe, either, because they ask me where the weather is nicer: in Armenia or Azerbaijan. 'Weather is nice everywhere,' I tell them. That's not unlike the question that I hear by the second day in EVERY SINGLE country this summer: "So what do you think of our women, here? Do you think they're pretty?" I can't think of a better way to incur the wrath of the natives than to slight the beauty of their young ladies. So I tell them the truth: "Of course they're pretty. I think they're pretty everywhere." This is not quite satisfying, though, because they then always ask me "Sure, they're all pretty, but where are they prettiest?" Since my momma raised me properly, I cannot tell a lie, and so I confidently inform them that I like Americans best, because we all prefer our own, right? Everyone has agreed to this response except for the Armenians who would tell me: "Nope, we like the Russian girls best, because they come from Siberia where it's snowy and they're white, white, white." I have nothing to say to that, so I laughed uncomfortably and changed the subject. That just goes to show that if you can't talk about the seemingly benign topics of work, the weather, or women, then you might as well just keep your mouth shut.
So Azerbaijan should be a delight to work with. I've already met with the country director, and he's excited about the project. That's a sure sign that it's going to work out, as opposed to some other country directors who seem rather distracted and suggest that I just direct all questions to the credit officers. Sincerity is so hard to fake, isn't it (no... this really IS my sincere voice)?
Well, it's getting late, so I've got to go. I'd just like to let y'all know out there, that I thoroughly enjoy getting your correspondance, and I try to respond as quickly as time permits in order to keep in touch. I've always felt that it's not necessarily the things you do that make life memorable, it's the people that you do them with, and the relationships that you build along the way. Thanks y'all, for keeping in touch. If I haven't responded in a while, send me a harshly worded email, and I'll get back to you with all due humility, as soon as possible. I will use my sincere voice.
So when I got to Tbilisi, I found the prettiest city that I've yet seen on my trip. Unfortunately, I couldn't really take any picutures, because I spent only one night there. We then hopped a little prop-powered plane for Baku. So Baku is a delightful city. I felt that I really gained an affinity for the culture and the FINCA office staff, last year, and I felt it quickly renewed when we arrived at the office, this morning. The extremely emotional security-guard who was prone to get misty-eyed whenever I talked with him last year grabbed my hand, and wouldn't let go as he shook it again, and again, and again. And again. This is the guy that I felt like I really dogged last year when I told him "sure, we'll go swimming in the Caspian sea with you... sometime." I arrived at the office the weekend before we were to leave to the grief stricken face of our security guard who sadly told me that he waited all weekend for us to call, and had realized that we didn't really want to go with him. He renewed his invitations, today, and I've got to make sure to follow-up, this time.
Aside from that, people keep asking me about the welfare of my partner from last year, Kris Johnson. I tell them that Kris got married and has a real live job, now, where he actually makes real live money. The next logical question is why I am not married and making real live money. I don't really know the answers to these questions, and so I quickly change the subject to the weather. That topic isn't necessarily safe, either, because they ask me where the weather is nicer: in Armenia or Azerbaijan. 'Weather is nice everywhere,' I tell them. That's not unlike the question that I hear by the second day in EVERY SINGLE country this summer: "So what do you think of our women, here? Do you think they're pretty?" I can't think of a better way to incur the wrath of the natives than to slight the beauty of their young ladies. So I tell them the truth: "Of course they're pretty. I think they're pretty everywhere." This is not quite satisfying, though, because they then always ask me "Sure, they're all pretty, but where are they prettiest?" Since my momma raised me properly, I cannot tell a lie, and so I confidently inform them that I like Americans best, because we all prefer our own, right? Everyone has agreed to this response except for the Armenians who would tell me: "Nope, we like the Russian girls best, because they come from Siberia where it's snowy and they're white, white, white." I have nothing to say to that, so I laughed uncomfortably and changed the subject. That just goes to show that if you can't talk about the seemingly benign topics of work, the weather, or women, then you might as well just keep your mouth shut.
So Azerbaijan should be a delight to work with. I've already met with the country director, and he's excited about the project. That's a sure sign that it's going to work out, as opposed to some other country directors who seem rather distracted and suggest that I just direct all questions to the credit officers. Sincerity is so hard to fake, isn't it (no... this really IS my sincere voice)?
Well, it's getting late, so I've got to go. I'd just like to let y'all know out there, that I thoroughly enjoy getting your correspondance, and I try to respond as quickly as time permits in order to keep in touch. I've always felt that it's not necessarily the things you do that make life memorable, it's the people that you do them with, and the relationships that you build along the way. Thanks y'all, for keeping in touch. If I haven't responded in a while, send me a harshly worded email, and I'll get back to you with all due humility, as soon as possible. I will use my sincere voice.
Friday, July 09, 2004
Farewell to Armenia
Well, I've spent about two and a half weeks here, now, and feel that I'm ready to go. I was almost resigned to the fact that the Armenia project would turn out to be somewhat of a failure. Far be it from me to have a defeatest attitude, but after almost two weeks' work, we had well under half of our target sample met. Well, we had an emergency damage-control meeting on Wednesday with the local staff. After getting dressed down pretty well by the local staff for my unreasonably high expectations, we changed our strategy, a little bit. Nigina and I hit the local bazars, and walked around personally to where the clients work. We dropped off our questionnaires, and came back later to collect them. We were able to survey significantly more clients using this method, and then the questionnaires that we handed out on previous days started flowing in. As I sit writing this blog, I have a stack of 302 completed questionnaires sitting on the table in front of me. Things usually work out pretty well, if you honestly give them your best shot. In spite of the mistakes that we initially made, we gave this project our best work, and we were able to be successful. I've now got a full weekend of data entry and analysis to be ready for a presentation, first thing in the morning on Monday. We'll then hop on a bus for Tbilisi at 11am. We'll spend the night in Georgia, and fly out early the next morning to Baku.
I wish that I had some fun stories to tell about Armenia. The truth is, I've spent my time in offices morning to night since I've been here. The office staff hasn't quite endeared itself to me the way the Tajik staff did, but I realize this is partially because things are so busy here that few people really have time for small talk or to get to know the American. I have spent a bit of time talking to a FINCA employee in the individual loan department named Suren. I've been to lunch with him a few times, and travelled to a few outlying regions with him. He's a somewhat reserved and thoughtful guy who I can relate to pretty well (I'm flattering myself to suggest that I might have a degree of reservation or thoughtfulness...).
I was mainly thinking about a conversation that I had with him, the other day, as we sat munching some mystery meat 'hamburgers' in Yerevan's proud adaption of McDonald's called 'Queenburger.' Suren has been a little curious about Mormons and what-not, as I've explained my experience with the Russian language and my associated missionary work. Like all Armenians, Suren is very proud of the ancient history of his culture. For the last 2000 years, this history has been closely associated with the Armenian Apostolic Church. This church has provided a uniting and distinguishing influence on the Armenian nation that most definitely served in preserving the culture from disintegration over the centuries. Like many Armenians, Suren is worried about the invasion of dynamic foreign churches, such as mine, that might have a destructive influence on Armenia.
This got me to thinking about what it is that makes cultures unified, and what provides culture. I have no doubt that the Armenian church has been a focal point for Armenian culture for centuries. I could be influenced by good old-fashioned American libertarianism with this thought, but I have a feeling that Armenians should be proud of their ancient christian faith because they consistently chose to keep it in spite of the pressure of Islam around them. For one reason or another, Armenians believed that it was important for them to remain christian.
Now there is all kinds of proposed legislation in Armenia, as well as other countries in this part of the world to stem the tide of non-traditional proselyting religions. There are two main things about this sort of legislation that bug me:
1) Is a religion that has to rely on state enforcement really in a position to have a positive influence on its members' morality? If a religion believes that they have the mandate of God, should they not believe that this mandate will stand for itself in the market of ideas created by other faiths?
2) Where, exactly, is the principle behind restricting religious worship? Will a government argue that they can suggest that it's dangerous for society for people to believe a certain way? Perhaps they'll suggest that it's dangerous for people to talk about religion. I honestly don't see how someone can provide the moral justification for doing this; sure they can strong-arm citizens into behaving a certain way, or they can restrict the entry of foreign religious proselyters. These are merely bully-tactics, and I don't see the principle that governments apply to back them up.
Anyway, I talked about this with Suren. He agreed that even though there might be no philosophical motivation behind certain laws, need demands that some sacrifices be made to protect Armenian culture from potential marauders. I suppose that's ultimately a suggestion that ends justify means, and I don't think that's ever the case. Some people make the same suggestion with American domestic and foreign policies. I don't agree with them, either, but it's hard to argue that things will just work themselves out alright if you impose a policy with the correct underlying principle, and not worry your little heads about all the various 'what ifs.' It seems to me that such thinking usually creates more problems than anticipated, because policies whose only principle is self-preservation are ironically, often groundless and self-destructive.
Anyway, I have a tendency to get up on a soapbox, but I'm always willing to listen to intelligent arguments suggesting that I'm wrong. I think I'm going to miss Armenia, and I feel a little disappointed that I haven't seen as much of it as I thought I would. I can tell my Armenian friends, now, that I've seen their country, and it is as beautiful as advertised.
I wish that I had some fun stories to tell about Armenia. The truth is, I've spent my time in offices morning to night since I've been here. The office staff hasn't quite endeared itself to me the way the Tajik staff did, but I realize this is partially because things are so busy here that few people really have time for small talk or to get to know the American. I have spent a bit of time talking to a FINCA employee in the individual loan department named Suren. I've been to lunch with him a few times, and travelled to a few outlying regions with him. He's a somewhat reserved and thoughtful guy who I can relate to pretty well (I'm flattering myself to suggest that I might have a degree of reservation or thoughtfulness...).
I was mainly thinking about a conversation that I had with him, the other day, as we sat munching some mystery meat 'hamburgers' in Yerevan's proud adaption of McDonald's called 'Queenburger.' Suren has been a little curious about Mormons and what-not, as I've explained my experience with the Russian language and my associated missionary work. Like all Armenians, Suren is very proud of the ancient history of his culture. For the last 2000 years, this history has been closely associated with the Armenian Apostolic Church. This church has provided a uniting and distinguishing influence on the Armenian nation that most definitely served in preserving the culture from disintegration over the centuries. Like many Armenians, Suren is worried about the invasion of dynamic foreign churches, such as mine, that might have a destructive influence on Armenia.
This got me to thinking about what it is that makes cultures unified, and what provides culture. I have no doubt that the Armenian church has been a focal point for Armenian culture for centuries. I could be influenced by good old-fashioned American libertarianism with this thought, but I have a feeling that Armenians should be proud of their ancient christian faith because they consistently chose to keep it in spite of the pressure of Islam around them. For one reason or another, Armenians believed that it was important for them to remain christian.
Now there is all kinds of proposed legislation in Armenia, as well as other countries in this part of the world to stem the tide of non-traditional proselyting religions. There are two main things about this sort of legislation that bug me:
1) Is a religion that has to rely on state enforcement really in a position to have a positive influence on its members' morality? If a religion believes that they have the mandate of God, should they not believe that this mandate will stand for itself in the market of ideas created by other faiths?
2) Where, exactly, is the principle behind restricting religious worship? Will a government argue that they can suggest that it's dangerous for society for people to believe a certain way? Perhaps they'll suggest that it's dangerous for people to talk about religion. I honestly don't see how someone can provide the moral justification for doing this; sure they can strong-arm citizens into behaving a certain way, or they can restrict the entry of foreign religious proselyters. These are merely bully-tactics, and I don't see the principle that governments apply to back them up.
Anyway, I talked about this with Suren. He agreed that even though there might be no philosophical motivation behind certain laws, need demands that some sacrifices be made to protect Armenian culture from potential marauders. I suppose that's ultimately a suggestion that ends justify means, and I don't think that's ever the case. Some people make the same suggestion with American domestic and foreign policies. I don't agree with them, either, but it's hard to argue that things will just work themselves out alright if you impose a policy with the correct underlying principle, and not worry your little heads about all the various 'what ifs.' It seems to me that such thinking usually creates more problems than anticipated, because policies whose only principle is self-preservation are ironically, often groundless and self-destructive.
Anyway, I have a tendency to get up on a soapbox, but I'm always willing to listen to intelligent arguments suggesting that I'm wrong. I think I'm going to miss Armenia, and I feel a little disappointed that I haven't seen as much of it as I thought I would. I can tell my Armenian friends, now, that I've seen their country, and it is as beautiful as advertised.
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Our Independence Day
Yeah, I know it's been a week since I submitted a post, but I've kind of felt a dearth of inspiration, lately, and I have't wanted to get boring. I mean wordy. I mean... well, I'm sure there are lows that even I wouldn't want to sink to.
So anyway, yesterday was Independence Day, and coincidentally, today is Constitution Day in Armenia, so I get a 3-day weekend. I feel almost like a traitor in saying this, but I'd rather be working, today; there is so much to do, and I leave for Baku on Friday. I've travelled a lot with credit officers to various towns, lately, and have learned a little bit more about Armenians. I don't have any specific stories to tell, but I have been struck by how old this proud culture is. I think that in a lot of ways, their history and current political situation mirrors the Jewish nation. The Armenians are an ethnic group that can trace its history back literally thousands of years. They claim that they are direct descendents from Noah who supposedly landed his Ark on nearby Ararat after the great flood in the Bible. I smile to myself when people tell me that they are Noah's direct descendents, and feel tempted to ask them if perhaps I might have an ancestral connection to one of the monkeys that survived on his boat.
In all seriousness, though, there is a fair amount of historical evidence to suggest that Ararat is the actual place referred to in the Bible. The Armenians have a fairly tragic history, as they have been scattered and driven by various empires and conquerers for centuries. They suffered a horrifying period of genocide in the early 1900's at the hands of the Turks when millions of Armenians were killed. This explains the huge Armenian diaspora. Less than 50% of the world's population of Armenians actually lives in Armenia. It seems to me that this has something to do with their current border disbutes. Stalin infamously arbitrarily set most of the boundaries of the various republics within the Soviet Union, splitting most ethnic groups into various parts. When the Soviet Union fell, Armenians in western Azerbaijan began to lobby for reunification with Armenia. After a lot of ethnic conflict and bloody skirmishes that no one can quite agree about who started, the two little countries went to war. When the smoke cleared, Armenia was occupying the native Armenian regions, in addition to a good chunk of Azerbaijan proper.
I'm always curious as to what Armenians think about the occupation and current border disputes. It's interesting that most Armenians are as quick to defend the intentions and actions of their own country as Americans are about a current conflict in a country not so far away. The Azeris deserved it, they say. They are very close to the Turks, who have a history of hating Armenians. They have a greedy government that is willing to do anything. If Armenia didn't invade, they'd regret it in the future. And on and on.
It's hard for me to know who is right in situations like this, and I honestly don't know what to think. I talked to one Armenian credit officer who had the best response that I've yet heard to my questions about the conflict. He told me that although he hates to admit it, the Armenians are at fault. He said "sure, there was genocide, and nobody really wants to admit it. Sure, that particular region was historically Armenia. It has not been Armenia for over a generation, though, and it was the Armenians who decided that they couldn't get along in there, and decided to invade." He told me that he's just ashamed that his country are the occupiers of another sovereign country. I don't know how analagous this is to the US situation in Iraq, but I do know that there are always many reasons for conflicts, and we tend to over-simplify them in our own favor. I feel that it's worthwhile to think about such things on the national holiday representing my country's idealogical birth.
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox, because I admit that I really don't know what I'm talking about. We've only received a handful of questionnaires back, and I'm beginning to get a little more worried. I have a total of about 90 completed questionnaires in hand, with three more working days to collect them. Some miracles will have to occur to hit our target of 350. The fault is mine, I think I kind of wimped out when the office staff suggested that we hand them out. I had doubts, but I gave in, anyway. I think that the way to salvage the situation will be to do a partial analysis of the data for the country report, and explain why the project was less than successful. The staff never felt any urgency to assist with the data collection, so I need to give them an idea of how this data will help FINCA. At the latest, I'll provide updates before I leave on Friday.
So anyway, yesterday was Independence Day, and coincidentally, today is Constitution Day in Armenia, so I get a 3-day weekend. I feel almost like a traitor in saying this, but I'd rather be working, today; there is so much to do, and I leave for Baku on Friday. I've travelled a lot with credit officers to various towns, lately, and have learned a little bit more about Armenians. I don't have any specific stories to tell, but I have been struck by how old this proud culture is. I think that in a lot of ways, their history and current political situation mirrors the Jewish nation. The Armenians are an ethnic group that can trace its history back literally thousands of years. They claim that they are direct descendents from Noah who supposedly landed his Ark on nearby Ararat after the great flood in the Bible. I smile to myself when people tell me that they are Noah's direct descendents, and feel tempted to ask them if perhaps I might have an ancestral connection to one of the monkeys that survived on his boat.
In all seriousness, though, there is a fair amount of historical evidence to suggest that Ararat is the actual place referred to in the Bible. The Armenians have a fairly tragic history, as they have been scattered and driven by various empires and conquerers for centuries. They suffered a horrifying period of genocide in the early 1900's at the hands of the Turks when millions of Armenians were killed. This explains the huge Armenian diaspora. Less than 50% of the world's population of Armenians actually lives in Armenia. It seems to me that this has something to do with their current border disbutes. Stalin infamously arbitrarily set most of the boundaries of the various republics within the Soviet Union, splitting most ethnic groups into various parts. When the Soviet Union fell, Armenians in western Azerbaijan began to lobby for reunification with Armenia. After a lot of ethnic conflict and bloody skirmishes that no one can quite agree about who started, the two little countries went to war. When the smoke cleared, Armenia was occupying the native Armenian regions, in addition to a good chunk of Azerbaijan proper.
I'm always curious as to what Armenians think about the occupation and current border disputes. It's interesting that most Armenians are as quick to defend the intentions and actions of their own country as Americans are about a current conflict in a country not so far away. The Azeris deserved it, they say. They are very close to the Turks, who have a history of hating Armenians. They have a greedy government that is willing to do anything. If Armenia didn't invade, they'd regret it in the future. And on and on.
It's hard for me to know who is right in situations like this, and I honestly don't know what to think. I talked to one Armenian credit officer who had the best response that I've yet heard to my questions about the conflict. He told me that although he hates to admit it, the Armenians are at fault. He said "sure, there was genocide, and nobody really wants to admit it. Sure, that particular region was historically Armenia. It has not been Armenia for over a generation, though, and it was the Armenians who decided that they couldn't get along in there, and decided to invade." He told me that he's just ashamed that his country are the occupiers of another sovereign country. I don't know how analagous this is to the US situation in Iraq, but I do know that there are always many reasons for conflicts, and we tend to over-simplify them in our own favor. I feel that it's worthwhile to think about such things on the national holiday representing my country's idealogical birth.
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox, because I admit that I really don't know what I'm talking about. We've only received a handful of questionnaires back, and I'm beginning to get a little more worried. I have a total of about 90 completed questionnaires in hand, with three more working days to collect them. Some miracles will have to occur to hit our target of 350. The fault is mine, I think I kind of wimped out when the office staff suggested that we hand them out. I had doubts, but I gave in, anyway. I think that the way to salvage the situation will be to do a partial analysis of the data for the country report, and explain why the project was less than successful. The staff never felt any urgency to assist with the data collection, so I need to give them an idea of how this data will help FINCA. At the latest, I'll provide updates before I leave on Friday.
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