Recently, the Czech parlamentary elections screwed up the way I think about myself--at least politically speaking. Yet, even after the political campaign signs have been ripped down one last time, and the negative character-bashing has been shot off the airways (to the relief of us all), I'm still left pondering whether my reflections should come back on ME(!?) or on culture (easier).
Somehwere along the way I garnered the reputation as being the 'communist' of my family. I don't know why, nor will I ever REALLY know why. In fact, all I can assume is that I got the moniker because it was convient and easy: I said some things and acted in certain ways about five years back that made my family worried, especially the older ones, about whether I had lost my 'firm-rootedness' in the G.O.P. I had. It was easy. I guess when looking back on it, I just regurgitated the prehashed arguments that I came into contact with on a daily basis (through my family environment), so it was only natural that when I went to college and got 'brainwashed' in the liberal environment that my seperation from the conservativism of my parents and family was as easy as fourteen-year-olds changing their personalities in their clique-like cultural world.
But, my shift to 'liberalism' and 'progressivism' wasn't full, nor did I ever myself view it that way. I thought I was just walking the line between what political decision makes sense for our nation, and which ones don't. I fervently and honestly was searching for ways to rationally and faithfully meet societal, economic and social problems from a loving perspective. Sometimes, of course, I was drawn into very theoretical debates. But, all in all, I was really kind of above the conversation of whether I was 'liberal' or 'conservative', 'democrat' or 'republican'. It was easy to do for me, because I was still searching for my place in society, for my society's place in the world, and the practical role of my faith: does it always have to be about abortion? Why is George Bush supported by Christians? Is the G.O.P really think about justice? Also, what does my grandma know about Mao, and why do some people say I'm a 'Marxist'? Did they read the book?!
Consequently, the past few weeks took me back a few years when everyone here in the Czech Republic was again wrapped up in the converstaion of "where do you lay? To the right, or to the left?' The funny thing about this conversation though, is that here I realized I'm completely 'RIGHT/CONSERVATIVE/PRAVICE/CAPITALIST/WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.'
You see, here in the Czech Republic, everything is 'obraceny' (reversed). Their cultural history is so far removed from our own that the whole conversation must intially start all the way on the left--far more left than our 'American' perspective of it: Czech communists are Stalinists in American thinking. Czech Social Democrats are 'commies' in American thinking. Czech conservatives are moderates. And Czech moderates, well, god forbid, they are Democrates. So does the question even relate to me? How I can I be a conservative, capitalist in the Czech Republic, and a Maoist, Demmie in America--on the same day nonetheless!
This most recent Czech election ripped the country into two extremes: those who wanted the communists and the social democrates to win (the liberals supported mostly by old people), and those who wanted the conservative, right-wing parties to win (supported mostly by business people and a VAST majority of young people). This was really interesting for me to see, as I was shocked to find that young people were flocking in droves to the conservative-style parties. In the United States, of course, it is completely on the opposite end: if ever I saw young people in the Republican party, it was most likely some Bible-thumping evangelical (majority), or it was some economic free-market capitalist whose daddy was a banker (my brothers and I). Why is it this way?
I don't know...
For me, I believe that young people are naturally attracted to breaking the 'status quo' of a society. In the United States, of course, the status quo is that of the Republicans. They are the white, cowboy-hat wearing, country-music loving, Sarah Palin-toting, evangelical-christian hoardes who claim to have a right on 'true' America. Market capitalism has always been the big daddy and we can't seem to criticze it, and if you do, you're considered (like me) a brainwashed commie 'youngin'--on a side note, there are some clear societal indicators that free market capitalism run amuck in our society has produced some very rotten fruits: the total collapse of small businesses in America, disregard for the envrionment (BP being a great example of that one!),the commercialization of NEARLY everything, and, I will say it, the obesity crisis. So, when we young people hear of anything counter-cultural to that, it intrigues us. Of course, this doesn't always mean that the 'new' way is the smart or right path to take. And the same thing is true for Czech youth who have grown up in a culture that still has remnants of 'Sovietization', which I define as a culture beaten down and passive--they wait for handouts, they complain, they choose sarcasm over engagement, and (in a weird and twisted way) they always choose their own well-being over that of their neighbor or the generation after them. I would say that these characterisitcs are quite typical of older, pension-earning Czechs. This is a very bitter taste for the young swallow.
The weeks leading up to the Czech election looked as the liberal/communist coalition would win in a decisive victory. They were garnering nearly 15 percent more of the votes than the right-leaning parties. Then Greece happened. All the conservative parties began pointing their fingers at the state of the inflated social system of Greece and her friends Spain and Portugal, prophesising that this fate would surely be down the road for Bohemia if she did not awake from her stupor and shake off the chains of the populist lies of the leftists. Videos began spreading around Youtube of young Czechs pleading with other young Czechs to get out and spread the word to 'Babi a Deda' (granny and gramps) that communism had ended and that not everyone is equal in this world. Friend groups popped up all over the place, solely with the intent of smearing the local leader of the social democratic party (which was quite easy to do since he was an arrogant bafoon). My classes talked about the election. People asked me about my opinion. Every night on the news, there were debates and soundbites. The whole Czech nation followed it like they had done the week before when the Czech hockey team beat Russia for the World Championships. It was arresting to be a part of it. I myself got caught up. I bought newspapers and magazines and read about the parties and their programs. I listened to their debates. I found myself being molded into a proper, young conservative in the CZ.
NO! How can that be? I'm liberal, remember!?
In the pub last night my friend Vlada Gracias came up to me and tapped me on the back and the first question that came out of his mouth was, "So how about that election? It was sweet and beautiful!" I responded, "yeah, I'm happy for the Czechs, but I really wish the Green Party would've made it."
The communist and leftists lost the election. It was a shock for everyone. the young people celebrated and danced in the streets of Prague. People toasted the occasion. "WE WON"T BE LIKE GREECE!" And I was left pondering the fact that it felt a whole lot like the Obama election of last year. Young people made the vote. They pushed the political spectrum of the country into a new region.
But what does that mean for me, a former-republican-turned-liberal-democratic-communist-turned-back-into-a-capitalist-Czech-conservative-supporter?
In reality, it leaves me in the same spot where I was before: a young, naive twat who doesn't understand the "adult's" position in the country. I'm still on the wrong side of the fence. Except this time, I'm on the 'right'.
Now I guess I could get into a conversation about how I seem to always be attracted to the against-the-status-quo party, but that means I would probably have to admit that it's easier to be that way than to be part of the norm. And, well that doesn't look so good for me, so it'll just have to wait for another conversation.
Oh, culture, how you shape our worlds, and change them too.
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