Russian Youth ‘First Generation in a Century’ that Doesn’t Want to Fight, Kasamara Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, January 4 – Many think that young Russians are only interested in money or are attracted by the siren sound of military adventurism, Valeriya Kasamara says, but in fact, “this is a generation of pacifists, the first in century which doesn’t want to fight, frighten anyone or be afraid of anyone.”

            Instead, the pro-rector of Moscow’s Higher School of Economics tells Tatyana Zhatkina of the URA news agency, what is “really important for them is to do good deeds; and she points to numerous cases when “young people have left good jobs because they found it insufficiently useful for society” (ura.news/articles/1036279346).

            Zhatkina cites Kasamara’s observation at the end of an article about what for many older Russians is an inexplicable and troubling phenomenon: young Russians say they would rather be bloggers or street artists than become cosmonauts or any of the professions that their parents and grandparents dreamed about.

            Many older Rusisans view this focus as reflecting the pursuit of money and fame at all costs, but the URA journalist says that many who want to be bloggers have been inspired not by those who attract attention for their outrageousness but rather for their commitments to public welfare and the betterment of society.

            Nikita Ivanov, a student in St. Petersburg, says that what he values in people “is not so much the level of their prominent as their altruism. “Those who want to help people and not simply earn money” are the ones he hopes to emulate. Others point to the work of Dr. Lisa and another doctor who chronicled his fight with cancer.

            According to Ilya Vinshteyn, a young blogger, young Russians are attracted by and want to emulate those who gain attention because of their passionate commitment to higher values. “For the young, the level of attention their idol attracts is not the most important thing.” They want honesty and authenticity.”

            “Young people today do not like when people lie to them, and they very quickly vote with their dislikes,” he says. That weeds out a lot of the more noxious people who may try to gain attention by blogging.   Indeed, the current fascination young Russians show for becoming bloggers may be among the most positive developments in the country, Vinshteyn suggests.