Love’s reasons deferred

There is always a span of cooled feelings between the surges of strong emotions. Making sure that we do not burn up in the flame of passions, nature occasionally pours the cold water of reality on our hot heads. In spite of all its pleasures, fervor has a harmful effect on real life. We, Ukrainians, are as enthusiastic as they come and too sensual. We prefer to trust our first impulses rather than experience. Today, we are a society of fans – not because we sob happily at the stadium when a goal has been scored and weep when our side loses, for it is normal. It is not normal to raise local wins to the level of strategic changes.

Coming out on Independence Square in 2004, we felt as if we were on the pinnacle of European democracy, but then we slid, with arms folded, almost to totalitarianism. We were taking delight in Viktor Yushchenko and chanted “Yes!” to him, when he was doing nothing. We fell for Viktor Yanukovych’s promises of “improvement” and also said “Yes” to him, when he was misleading us. We trumpeted fanfare to Euro-2012, only to toss billions down the drain. Once the Brownian motion of party masses rushed towards Europe, we immediately turned a pure chance into an almost achievable dream. We have not yet produced even a cupful of shale gas but already believe that our energy independence is a cinch. Indeed, we must not get carried away, as ladies with excessive hormonal activity must not be left in private with the objects of their desires. Not because of the riots of nature – simply, this is followed by depression. After all these raptures and catharses, we come into a grip of indifference and emptiness. We no longer shed tears of endearment, nor do we come out on the streets to defend our honor and choice. We bear a grudge against those we believed in and entrusted to implement our innermost dreams – against the national soccer team, politicians and bosses, time and circumstances, Russia and Europe.

Or, maybe, there were no passions at all? Simply, the media wheel screeched in the mainstream and there was a voltage jump in social networking, while the big country remained, as always, unperturbed, indifferently accepting the good and evil of national importance. If your passion has faded, you must arouse a new one. But where will you find an all-pervading passion that can mobilize like a military call-up? Modern-day defibrillators cannot resuscitate the Maidan. The latter has lost a wholesome complexion, gone blue, and sunk into history. Like a caged bird, Yulia Tymoshenko arouses compassion, not enthusiasm. The Party of Regions can only take love by force, while its opponents show no feelings. A big electoral heart looks like Madame Gritsatsuyeva – it is ready for temptations and is waiting for its own Bender [characters from a satirical novel, The Twelve Chairs, by Ilia Ilf and Yevgenii Petrov. – Ed.]. We all like to deceive ourselves. But there is no factor, except for the Vilnius Summit, that could boost adrenalin in the blood of Ukrainians. The government’s optimism of economic forecasts is now flagging, the president is tired of jumping from one vector to another, and parliament languishes in the silence of uncertainty. The Ukrainian establishment has ceased to radiate with good humor. It is not hang-gliding with geese, or saving the endangered jungle cat, or galloping like a Cossack with a saber drawn, or gathering the children of all Ukrainian classics under its wings. No, you can’t possibly arouse people’s love in this way!

Oleh Tiahnybok, Arsenii Yatseniuk, and Vitalii Klitschko had a picture of them taken in home surroundings the other day. The first holds a jar of pickled cucumbers, the second an apple from his orchard, and the third a bottle of whiskey. Frankly speaking, the leaders of my dacha cooperative look more resolute. But what we can see here is not the images of fighters for the people’s cause but an exhibition of pensioners’ achievements – cute apples, cucumbers, and booze… Moreover, the booze is not ours and is in the hands of a person who propagates wellness. What would really match him is a punching bag shaped like a replica of Mr. Yanukovych rather than a product of distillation. It looks like his image makers bungled. But the three are unaware that people do not judge them by ideas alone. What people really like are actions, even mindless ones, like those of Mr. Putin, – the main thing is that the picture should supply the deficient adrenalin. Please dig up a border pole on the Polish territory so that it does not separate us from Europe. Do some bungee jumping from Paton Bridge to illustrate the Customs Union’s destiny, decouple the Moscow-bound train cars before the Russians put off the passengers… In a word, take some actions, gentlemen, influence the feelings, make people love you! Moreover, the country is, like the proverbial landlady, “in bed and waiting.” She is not finicky and accepts everything. We need just an occasion and a hint to have a crush, head over heels, on a hero and lionize him.

But where are they, the heroes? There are neither the occasions nor the people who radiate emotions. To be more exact, there are people – not big and significant but little and ordinary – who plow, build, act on stage, play the piano, who, in a word, earn a living. But those who are paid for service produce no endorphins. This is the puzzle of the moment. Earlier, the much-ramified authorities were a source of inspiration and optimism. They used to report on successes, cut the ribbons, switch on fountains and switch off nuclear reactors, appear in public to demonstrate the permissible living standards, invent holidays, and give promises. And now there is no erstwhile drive – no promises, projects, smiles, or festivals. Only the Orthodox were allowed to take part in the latest public festivity, and the “battle for Kyiv” was lost, as if it were a theater of dismissed actors. How boring! Boring to everybody… There will be no wins in such an atmosphere – either in sports or in politics. At least it is good that the Vilnius Summit is on the eve of Christmas and New Year. Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and Grandfather Frost, are sure to have an impact, all together or each separately, on our energy profile.