It is generally accepted that in the crowd we behave aggressively — precisely because it is a crowd. Football fans, known for their militant attitude, are usually cited as an example. If so, then why, say, hockey matches have a much more civilized atmosphere? And is it really about the crowd?
I’m talking about the fans again. But in a different key and in a different mood, alas.
Returned some time ago from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Morning, already dawn. Outside the window is what used to be called the suburbs. Now these are new city blocks, in particular Kupchino. But near the railway — yes, it looks like the suburbs. Small factories, warehouses, garages, dilapidated houses miraculously survived with frail plots and linen on the clothesline. Wells. A touching and at the same time mournful spectacle.
We drive for a long time on a level with a concrete fence. And suddenly I read clearly … No, this is not the right word. The graffiti is filled with multi-colored paints, the letters are voluminous (you know, black with blue shadows), in human height. And this is what is written: “There is no black in the colors of Zenith.”
Guys think metaphorically. This, of course, is not about the actual coloring of T-shirts (blue-white-blue), but about the fact that there are no black players in the team. The fool understands. This is the calculation. The newspapers I approached responded with short enthusiasm. That is, of course, yes, a bad brand of a great city and generally a disgrace. But it turns out that there are many problems in the honest work of a journalist. It is necessary to send a car with a photographer to this suburb, but there are probably no roads there either. Then find out who owns the fence. If an enterprise, then demand from it. And if the enterprise itself belongs to the federal authorities, then you should contact them. If this fence was built by the railway, then let’s blame them. Or maybe the fence is generally ownerless, then straight to the municipal authorities, or even to Smolny.
Now I’m not talking about newspapers and not even about racism. Although, if this topic is touched upon, I will still say it. I have always had the same squeamish attitude towards these enthusiasts. But once Victor Rafaelevich Dolnik, an ornithologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, etc., etc., once and for all explained to me what comes from what and how to relate to it. Here is what he said: “Counting on a different case (different species), the instinctive program made a mistake, mistaking individuals of its own species for someone else’s. Racism is a mistake. Therefore, listening to such a person — a racist or a nationalist — is not necessary. He speaks and acts, being in the power of instinct, and even mistaken. His behavior and conversations are absurd. It’s useless to argue with him. It should simply be stopped. Those who try to see in racism a point of view or even a system of views that have the right to exist, but need to be challenged, behave naively. Racism should be treated like a contagious disease.”
For a long time I was naive, that is, arguing. And now I think: there is not only Dolnik’s point of view, but also the Criminal Code.
This, of course, does not remove the topic. Perhaps we will return to it. But now I have decided on something else, so I will continue.
The wildness of football fans is known. Uprooted and swept chairs, fireworks, one of which almost maimed the goalkeeper, a battle to the death, as literally at Kulikovo or at Waterloo. And mat! I treat this non-standard vocabulary condescendingly, sometimes even with love. But here the checkmate is dirty, automatic, worthless, uninventive, and most importantly — in the wrong place. Why with women and children? To come here with your granddaughter is a night terror. Yes, and I haven’t been going with adult children for a long time: it’s disgusting, awkward, I’ll say pompously, for humanity.
But the children invited me somehow to hockey. I am not a big fan of this sport. Went, however.
Hear what different pictures. And after all, hockey is a tough sport, fights are almost programmed. And families in the stands. With children almost a year old. Everyone is comfortable and cozy. Mat? Even to imagine it is impossible. Music in pauses, dances of beautiful girls, some living dolls.
Also, interesting. Everyone is searched before entering the football stadium. The camp is still a process, humiliating. Not like vodka, beer is impossible to carry. Even a plastic bottle of carbonated water was confiscated from me: a filled bottle is easy to injure. None of the law enforcement officers had any doubts that I was a potential criminal. And I did not enter into a philosophical debate. Meanwhile, drunk and uninhibited — thousands. Find out for yourself how uncomfortable this multi-thousandth aggression is (I do not advise).
And then there’s hockey. Not a single drunk. Vodka and beer meanwhile in every stall along the radius of the stadium. I don’t want to drink. Respect only us, agreed? There are an order of magnitude fewer police officers than in football. But they miss. Video cameras, probably. Someone peacefully poured a drop from a flask to friends. He was taken out peacefully. And he did not resist, and they did not wring his hands, and his friends did not protest. They explained, it seems, and even returned to their place.
And then (you won’t believe it!), A whole part of the high sector is given over to a restaurant. There is money — sit there. Light music, lovely waitresses, palm trees brought in, drinks, if you like, exquisite. No violations and reckless statements, especially debauchery. You respect me and I respect you.
How did it happen? I mean such a division of people certainly not according to social groups and level of culture. If I had known, I would not have written. However, it’s a fact.
I do not want to say that such comfort can solve, for example, the problem of the same racism. But, I think, dark instincts are also not born in the light. A person, as you know, is easily influenced by the crowd. But the man in the crowd and the man of the crowd are different phenomena. If he feels that someone (the authorities, the organizers) is sending him a signal of goodwill, it is possible that he himself will want to respond to it in a human way, and the crowd will cease to be a crowd at all.
The park architect’s idea of laying slanting paths comes to my mind, because people always take short cuts, no matter the beauty of the geometry. People are not just more comfortable, but they still feel that they are respected. The cigarette butt is carried in a fist to the first urn, they breathe more cheerfully. Maybe that’s the issue? In mutual goodwill.