They are still arguing about. Bear Man: why people in Russia are still arguing about the figure of Yeltsin. Blurring gender differences

He was an inconvenient person. Too big, too bulky, with too wide a swing. And even after death it remains inconvenient: both for the current government - it is difficult to disown the person who personally handed this power to you - and for the notorious 86%, for whom he, together with Gorbachev, is responsible for the collapse best country on earth - the mythical USSR. It’s been almost nine years since Boris Yeltsin has not been with us, and his figure still worries, irritates, breaks out of the frame - like an illustration to the words of Mitya Karamazov: “A broad man, even too wide, I would narrow it!”

Yeltsin always knew how to surprise - both when he criticized Gorbachev at the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee in October 1987, and when he climbed onto a tank near the White House in August 1991, and when he danced with a sick heart on stage at a rock concert before the 1996 elections . He had a Russian breadth of nature, a scale of personality and, to match, the scope of a gesture, the energy of a battering ram, the sincerity of error and the equally sincere and equally Russian ability to forgive and ask for forgiveness, as he did in his last address to the nation on December 31, 1999.

We will probably never agree on Yeltsin, just as the reasonable Chinese officially decided on Mao: 70% good and 30% bad.

We do not know how to peacefully place emphasis and achieve consensus for the sake of public peace and universal harmony.

We do not know proportions and halftones, as Yuri Lotman wrote about in his late work “Culture and Explosion”: Russia is a country with binary “either-or” thinking. In our social and political system, this binary inevitably leads to polarization and clash, to revolution, explosion, and destruction “to the ground.” Therefore, today we live as if in a transformer booth, in a humming electric field, where all ideas and historical figures that become the focus of public discussion lead to instant polarization. We cannot agree on Crimea, or Ukraine, or Lenin, or Stalin, or gays, or migrants; our disputes instantly split society, divide it into two irreconcilable camps, and draw a line among family members, friends, and colleagues. The “Yeltsin test” is also a marker of intransigence, a symptom of social schism.

A good symbol of this eternal Russian binary is the monument to Nikita Khrushchev at the Novodevichy cemetery by Ernst Neizvestny, in which black and white plates collided. We perceive Yeltsin in exactly the same way - in black and white, without halftones. For some, he is Judas and an agent of American imperialism, for others, he is the gravedigger of a rotten power that has become a worldwide laughingstock. For some, the collapse of the USSR was “the greatest catastrophe of the 20th century,” for others it was a breakthrough to freedom. There is no third. We live according to Lotman.

Nobody likes gravediggers, but their arrival is inevitable.

In the late 1980s, an explosion was brewing in the Soviet Union; the atmosphere was sultry and fraught with thunder; who forgot about this, reconsider Balabanov’s “Cargo-200”. Thunder struck, the stormy stream of the 1990s cleared the Soviet stables and threw us onto the shore of the 2000s. Yeltsin was that explosive man who broke the limits of the possible. It is no coincidence that one of the nicknames that stuck with him while he was the first secretary in Sverdlovsk was Bulldozer. However, he resembles even more a bear - not the poster bear of “United Russia”, but a real taiga animal, smart, formidable, but ultimately an invariably kind hero of Russian fairy tales. There is an almost apocryphal story about how 15-year-old Yeltsin, who got lost in the taiga in the summer with a couple of junior schoolchildren, wandered with them for a month, eating berries and roots, and eventually brought them to people. He was a powerful beast with an innate instinct for survival, a real “political animal” according to Aristotle, a mythical totem of forest Rus'.

...For several years now, a demotivator has been circulating on the Internet: a collage of photographs of Yeltsin on a tank near the White House, crowds on the streets of Moscow and a toppled statue of Dzerzhinsky with the caption “Thank you grandfather for the Victory!” By the way, one of Yeltsin’s nicknames was indeed Grandfather. And even though the victory he won in 1991 turned out to be temporary, it gave us breath for a good two decades, which we lived with the air of freedom in our lungs. Today's atmosphere in Russia is again stuffy and fraught with thunder, as in Balabanov's 1980s, but on the horizon there is no new Yeltsin capable of acting as a battering ram to break the rotten system, nor crowds of hundreds of thousands on the streets of Moscow, nor unrest on the outskirts of the Empire. But even if we don’t have Yeltsin’s energy for change now, we can always remember two of his traits, for which a lot can be forgiven: the ability to ask for forgiveness and the ability to leave on time.

Today Boris Nikolaevich would have turned 85. Happy Birthday, Grandfather!

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, after many months battles and shelling. Western countries mostly supported the Kosovars. Russia called the republic's secession a "dangerous precedent", although it later used it as an example, supporting separatism in different regions of Georgia and Ukraine. Disputes about the status of Kosovo are still going on, most heatedly, of course, in the Balkan media.

Kosovo takes part in the Olympics, elects a parliament and changes the government; there are now protests on the streets here against court decisions and environmental pollution. In general, as in many other countries, nothing special. That’s why Kosovo is rarely mentioned in foreign news these days.

Things were completely different 10 years ago. Then the small state was trumpeted all over the world.

• “In the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, the parliament approved a declaration of independence. As a result of clashes between demonstrators and police, many were injured” ( CNN, USA).​
• "Protests have begun in Belgrade" ( RTS1, Serbia).
• "A unilateral declaration of independence could set a dangerous precedent for other disputed regions" ( Russia Today, Russia).

Attention to Kosovo's independence was focused not only because of the exclusivity of the event ("A new country has appeared in Europe"), but also because the fate of this region had been on the front pages for the previous 10 years. The Russian audience was worried about the integrity of Serbia, while in the West they talked about the misadventures of the Kosovo Albanians.

Complicated story

The conflict between the two peoples lasted for decades: Kosovo was part of Orthodox Serbia, but predominantly Muslim Albanians lived there. Outside of Yugoslavia, the confrontation was not heard of until the early 90s.

By 1998, isolated skirmishes had escalated into war. On the one hand - the troops of Serbia and Montenegro (all that remained by that time from Yugoslavia), on the other - the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army.

Thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of refugees. The negotiations did not bring results and the North Atlantic Alliance intervened in the conflict. The “War in the Balkans” is back in the world media.

• "Kosovo. Victory at any cost" (Focus, Germany).
• “The murder of Kosovo civilians at the hands of the Serbian military” (La Nacion, Argentina).
• "NATO bombs fell on several Yugoslav cities" (CNN, USA).
• “NATO bombing sparked ethnic cleansing” (The Guardian, UK).
• “Russian troops, who unexpectedly arrived in Kosovo, thwarted the plans of the Alliance” (El Pais, Spain).

In the summer of 1999, the Serbian army withdrew from Kosovo. An international contingent was brought there. Kosovo Albanians celebrated – just as they would the declaration of independence nine years later.

Gradually, the interest of the world media in the region faded. Kosovo is remembered abroad only on the occasion of the next anniversary: ​​in countries that have recognized the statehood of the Kosovars, they sympathize with their struggle, and in those that have not, for example, in Russia, they still support Serbia.

War of words

The same thing is happening in the Balkans. On the eve of the anniversary, Kosovo media are filled with patriotism, while Serbian media are ablaze with anger and disdain.

• "The so-called state of Kosovo" ( RTS1, Serbia).
• “For me, Kosovo as a state was born not in 2008, but much earlier” ( Kohavision, Kosovo).
• "Kosovo is ruled by criminals and drug dealers, traffickers human organs. Kosovo has shown complete economic failure" ( RTS1, Serbia).
• "We see the suffering of Albanians. The exhibition contains photographs and headlines from newspapers different countries who wrote about the war in Kosovo" (

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In such a rapidly developing world, it seems that people have found answers to absolutely all questions. We are accustomed to the fact that even if we don’t know something, then science definitely knows everything.

But website collected questions that science has not been able to answer for many years.

18. Why does the giraffe have such a long neck?

Of course, a very reasonable answer would be that the giraffe needs such a neck to reach high-growing food. But scientists are in no hurry to accept this version as the only correct one. Therefore, this question is still open, and there is no official answer to it.

17. How many years can a person live?

No matter how strange it may sound, scientists and doctors called old age a disease. It is no longer taken for granted as a part of life. And in this case, we should be more concerned about the question not about what life expectancy will be, but about how to stay healthy.

16. Why do moths gather in the light?

This behavior of insects is one of the most common. And hardly any of us thought that there was no explanation for this phenomenon. Even though the moths die from the light, they still fly towards it. Some explained this by saying that insects fly at a certain angle to the light as their stimulus. But others do not agree with them, because since the advent of fire, all moths would have died long ago. So the real reason no one can name.

15. Why do cats purr?

Yes, yes, even such a simple, at first glance, phenomenon as the purring of cats, scientists cannot explain. Animals make such sounds at a variety of moments: when they are fed, when they are hungry, when they are scared. One suggestion is that it promotes bone and tendon healing. But this option does not answer the question of why cats purr in a variety of situations.

14. Why is yawning contagious?

We start yawning when we see another person yawning. Scientists have found that this demonstrates the ability to empathize and form emotional connections with others. But people suffering from schizophrenia and autism will not respond to another person's yawn. But scientists cannot figure out why such a connection is established through yawning.

13. How do body parts “realize” that they no longer need to grow?

On this moment It is known that cell growth depends on a certain signal that stops the growth of the protein. But scientists still don’t know what kind of signal this is, how it is formed, what channels it goes through and what other processes it affects.

12. How do birds know where to fly?

From early childhood, we have been wondering how migratory birds know where to fly for the winter and where to return later. The only assumption that science puts forward in this regard is the influence magnetic field Earth. At the moment this is the only option, but it has not been accepted as the correct answer to this question.

11. Why do placebos always work?

As you know, a placebo is a substance that does not have medicinal properties. When using it, everything is based on the fact that a person sincerely believes in healing effect pills. Scientists are still arguing about how placebos work and whether it is wise to take such a drug.

10. What is at the bottom of the ocean?

This question may seem strange, but it has its place. After all, only 5% of the ocean floor has been studied. No one knows what is in the remaining 95%. And it seems that scientists are in no hurry to find out: according to them, it is much easier and faster to get to the Moon than to go down to the deepest part of the ocean.

9. Is it possible to travel in time?

By various reasons, but we have all thought at least once that it would be nice to have a time machine. But it seemed to us that this was impossible. From a purely technical point of view, science tells us that travel to the future is possible. Only for this you need to accelerate a person to an incredibly high speed. But traveling into the past is still impossible.

8. Why are most people right-handed?

It is known that 9 out of 10 people will be right-handed. But for as long as 160 years, no one has been able to figure out why the majority of the planet’s inhabitants have a dominant right hand.

7. Why do we yawn?

Yes, many say that humans, like other vertebrates, yawn due to a lack of oxygen in the body. But this version was also not officially approved. Therefore, scientists cannot fully explain this phenomenon.

Scientists are still arguing about how long ago Homo sapiens appeared on Earth ( Homo sapiens). The following is known for sure: about 40 thousand years ago, our distant ancestors already lived on all continents. Despite the huge cultural difference, in a physiological and anatomical sense they were very similar to modern people. Scientists believe that Homo sapiens continues to evolve today. At the same time, his body is influenced not only by natural factors (especially those that cause genetic mutations), but also sociocultural parameters.

Let's talk about what changes in humans in the coming millennia researchers consider the most likely.

Source: depositphotos.com

Increase in height

According to anthropologists, growth primitive man did not exceed 160 cm. Now such people are considered short. The average height of a Russian these days is 175-178 cm, and even among the fair sex, heights above 170 cm are quite common. However, this parameter strongly depends on both ethnic characteristics and individual heredity. In addition, scientists have noticed that in developed countries, where high-calorie foods are available to everyone, average height representatives of each next generation increases, while in regions where there is still a shortage of food, this does not happen. Considering that the international community is making serious efforts to combat hunger, it can be assumed that people will gradually grow up in the future.

Darkening of hair and eyes

Scientific and technological progress has made people mobile. Now people move freely around the world, change their places of residence and assimilate. This is how the transfer and infusion of new genetic material into ethnic groups, who until recently lived separately and retained a specific appearance. In cases where the specificity is due to recessive genes, it disappears. Already today there is a decrease in the number of people with blond hair and eyes. Scientists believe that this process will continue, and in the future blue-eyed blondes will become a real rarity.

Increasing number of obese people

The reason for the increase in the number of people with overweight, is not so much the availability of high-calorie foods, but a shift in the food preferences of many residents of developed countries towards fast food. This food is convenient and doesn't require cooking. In addition, manufacturers introduce additives into its composition, addictive and refusal of regular home-cooked food. The sad results of the fast food craze have been noticeable for a long time. According to statistics, over the past 20 years the number of Europeans suffering from obesity has doubled. Unfortunately, without a conscious transition to a healthy diet, this process will continue.

Changes in teeth and jawbones

The main factor behind changes in appearance is a change in a person’s diet. The share of foods consumed in unprocessed form is steadily decreasing. Food manufacturers, trying to make it as attractive as possible, often take the route of eliminating solid components. Consumption of food that practically does not require grinding leads to the fact that the human chewing apparatus does not experience the loads programmed by nature and gradually becomes unnecessary. In practice, this leads to weakening of the jaw bones, chewing muscles and dental tissues. Many people today are born without wisdom teeth. According to scientists, there is a possibility that a person’s teeth will become smaller over time, and the weakening of the jaw apparatus will lead to changes in the skull, which will greatly affect the appearance of our distant descendants.

Reduction in muscle volume

The daily activities of a modern person, as a rule, do not require significant muscular effort, and not everyone wants to play sports. Thus, the strength of muscles and skeletal bones becomes a redundant trait from an evolutionary point of view. There are hypotheses that present the person of the future as a physically weak creature with a huge brain, but not even able to move independently. Most likely, this is an exaggeration, but the fact that we are physically much weaker than our primitive ancestors can be considered an established fact.

Weakened immune system

The progress of medicine has helped humanity get rid of many fatal dangerous illnesses and contributed to an increase in life expectancy. Unfortunately, many scientific discoveries also had negative consequences. In particular, the widespread use of antibiotics has caused a weakening of natural human immunity. Our the immune system already accustomed to the fact that her functions are taken over by medications, household chemicals and perfumes and cosmetics. A number of scientists believe that in the future protective forces people will weaken, making him more and more dependent on the achievements of civilization.

Blurring gender differences

Some researchers talk about the development of a post-gender society in the future. This is what they call a community of people whose gender differences are largely erased. Some elements of such changes can already be observed today. Many residents of developed countries exhibit traits and habits that are unusual for their gender (overly feminine men and overly masculine women appear). The number of same-sex families is growing, as is the number of people seeking to use reproductive technologies that do not require the participation of a permanent partner of the opposite sex. It is hardly worth counting on the fact that over time natural reproduction will completely disappear, but the tendency to erase gender differences should not be completely discounted.

Rising number of people suffering from depression

According to statistics, about a third of Americans today suffer from depression. Modern man falls into almost daily stressful situations, leading to deterioration of his physical and mental health. Scientists believe that the situation will worsen over time, and consider the tendency to depression to be one of the factors that can lead humanity to the brink of extinction.

Researchers' forecasts look disappointing. It turns out that our descendants are doomed to be weak, sick, depressed and overly dependent on the achievements of civilization. In some ways this is true, but each of us can still make a difference. It is necessary to change one’s own existence: to give preference healthy eating, go in for sports, give up unnecessary use of medications, develop a positive outlook on the world. Only in this way will we set a good example for our children that will help them live correctly, interestingly and effectively. Ultimately, this can have a positive impact on the health and appearance of future generations.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

From the meanings of cave paintings to the final moments of a mummified man's life, archeology provides a wealth of debate as inquisitive minds try to uncover the truth. I'll tell you about some of the most famous archaeological mysteries, which still cause active debate among scientists.

Skull number 5
It is one of five skulls discovered in the city of Dmanisi, Georgia. The unusual size of the skull is the subject of ongoing debate in archaeological communities. Scientists mainly argue about whether the Dmanisian hominoid was an early form of Homo erectus or not.

spanish hill


The mysterious Spanish Hill is located in Pennsylvania. Researchers cannot come to a consensus regarding the origin of the structure and mounds found on the hill. Some believe that they were created by the first farmers, others - that these are the remains of settlements of ancient Indians, and still others - that fierce battles took place at this place.

33-meter temple in the city of Tikal


The debate surrounding this Mayan temple was not about its origins or purpose, but about the fact that archaeologists decided to dismantle the structure in order to see what it looked like. First stage its construction.

Grolier Codex


This pre-Columbian Mayan book first appeared in the private collection of a New York collector in the 20th century. However, since then its authenticity has been repeatedly challenged by archaeologists.

Piri Reis Map


The map was compiled by the Turkish admiral Piri Reis, and is supposedly a copy of one of the many maps of Christopher Columbus. Long time in Turkey it was considered a source of national pride. However, experts have questioned its supposed accuracy, especially in relation to the New World and the coasts of Antarctica.

Baghdad battery


This is the name of a number of artifacts discovered in 1930 in Iraq. The vessels suffered from corrosion, and therefore archaeologists suggested that they were probably used to store vinegar or wine. However, later a hypothesis arose that these vessels could have been used as galvanic cells to cover gold with silver. Although MythBusters proved that it was at least theoretically possible, controversy regarding its purpose continues to this day.

Ötzi


Ötzi's mummy was found high in the Alps on the border of Austria and Italy. The Ice Man Mummy, also known as the Tyrolean Ice Man, is the oldest naturally preserved mummy in Europe. There are many disputes and hypotheses regarding how Ötzi died. The most popular theories include everything from participation in a search party to ritual sacrifice.

Cyrus cylinder


An ancient cylinder containing Akkadian cuneiform was discovered in 1879 in what is now Iraq. This manuscript was written in the name of the Achaemenid king, Cyrus the Great. To this day, debates among scientists regarding its historical significance continue. Some experts see it as affirming the repatriation of Jews, while others see it as the oldest known human rights charter.

Calico Prehistoric Man Site


Thousands of stone artifacts resembling prehistoric tools have been unearthed during archaeological excavations in southern California at an area known as the Calico site. However, there is still ongoing debate among scientists regarding whether these “tools” are artifacts (made by people) or an archaeological site (formed by nature).

Monte Verde, Chile


The discovery of the archaeological site of Monte Verde in Chile has led numerous archaeologists to believe that people settled in America much earlier than previously thought (the age of the monument is determined to be 14.5 thousand years).

Sandia Cave


Perhaps one of the most controversial archaeological finds history includes a cave located in New Mexico that was excavated by Frank Hibben in the 1930s and 1940s. Many of his methods of work and the conclusions he reached are a source of great controversy in archaeological circles even today. Particularly controversial is the assumption that humans settled North America much earlier than previously thought (once again).

Piltdown Man


Piltdown Man may have been one of the most famous anthropological hoaxes ever perpetrated by humans. After all, in essence, after bone fragments, discovered in England, presented as the remains of previously unknown species early people It took the scientific world more than 40 years to expose this deception. The identity of the forger remains unknown.

Runamo


Runamo is a fractured diabase dyke located in Sweden with a supposed runic inscription on one side. This theory has been the source of several recent debates in scientific world about whether the cracks found here are of any kind or whether they are the result of natural wear and tear on the structure.

Cave of the White Shaman


This 7-meter painting, discovered in Texas, has become the main topic of numerous debates and discussions regarding its purpose and design. The most common theories include a variety of ideas, ranging from rituals performed before battle to ancient religious ceremonies.

Terterian tablets


Three tablets found in Romania in 1961 have caused considerable controversy among archaeologists, especially regarding their age and significance. More specifically, experts disagreed on whether they constitute early form letters or not.

Jam minaret


This is an amazingly well-preserved minaret in Afghanistan, exact date construction and the true purpose of which have become the source of much debate among scientists. Even if we assume that the inscription on the side supposedly includes this information, it cannot be correctly interpreted.

Andean candelabra


While the Nazca Lines may be more famous, the Andean Candelabrum is another nearby geoglyph that has puzzled archaeologists. While some of them claim that it had religious significance, others have pointed to the fact that since it is carved on the side of the hill that can be seen from up to 20 km away, being on the open sea, it may have been its a kind of guide for sailors.

Uffington White Horse


This prehistoric figure, found on a hill in England, consists of deep trenches filled with white chalk. However, for many years scientists have debated whether it is a horse or some other animal altogether. The date of its creation is an even more controversial issue than the previous one.