Serhiy Datsyuk. The country’s ability to change. Outline with notes.

Serhiy Datsyuk was recommended by a friend of mine, a senior business executive. Serhiy’s approach is the opposite of our editorial board’s: we move away from fundamental knowledge about man and the world, he moves more towards historical logic and European philosophy, which is more focused on society and the social patterns it sees.

The country^[1] has no plans to change!

We, Ukrainians, cannot change. We are not focused on development, which means death (which, by the way, is reflected in our current anthem, author’s note).

Victory requires us to change! The defeat of Ukraine is that it remains the same. We see ourselves in an eternal war. Ukraine is very similar to Sparta. It was a military oligarchy that died because it ran out of citizens. Despite all the positive things on TV, Ukrainian citizens are running away.

The Ukrainian elite is lying to its people, leading them nowhere. They are promising us NATO, which the West no longer needs. Domestic propaganda, a telethon, maintains trust in the elite, which means a path to nowhere (because they are lying to us). Even civil war is not the worst scenario for change, according to Datsyuk. Ukraine could be divided on the basis of its ability to change, because Ukrainians of different groups are unable to agree.

Interestingly, spiritual leaders note that the number of people in Ukraine who are beginning to think clearly and be aware of themselves and their surroundings is steadily increasing. Ukraine is constantly changing. It just does not reach the ruling elites. They, like some representatives of the military elites, consider the people to be stupid and short-sighted .

What should we do^[2]?

The country has no plans to change. The country, in the sense of the majority of the population, wants to return to its original state, to the past. No changes are planned. Ukraine is not to blame for this war. It is the fault of others. Ukraine and Ukrainians are not responsible for anything. The whole world owes Ukrainians because Ukrainians are fighting for everyone. (A firm position! The sense of self-righteousness is irresistible! – author’s note)

In such circumstances, we have to formulate doctrines, plans, and ideas. This will give an impetus, if not to us, then to our successors, to the new, not the old. We do this in faith, despite the fact that this work seems meaningless, unnecessary and impractical (in fact, it is enlightenment – author’s note)..

This thesis fits well with our vision. The period of enlightenment. The period of forming the right idea of society. By the way, Datsyuk recalls that the US Constitution (the Declaration of Independence, ibid.) was the product of grandiose discussions that lasted for years. “Water does not flow under a lying stone: we work!” – author’s note.

Changes are possible anywhere and anytime! Just don’t be afraid of them!

History knows examples of leaders and elites changing. And the wrapper is not important. For example, China managed to build capitalism under the leadership of the Communist Party.

Zelenskyy was given proposals for change. An opportunity to learn and become a driver of change. He chose something else: a hero who remained in charge of the country but did not change. Great for his ego, great for citizen Zelensky, but devastating for the country and for the role of the President. In fact, there is no elite in our country today.

The possibility of change applies not only to the President, but also to all influential figures in our establishment, including military generals, politicians and public figures – author’s note.

Mistakes and limitations of nationalism

Examples from science and politics. Ukrainianisation takes time. Today’s specialists are not able to change the language and terminology of thinking in a year. This will change gradually, with new generations. Therefore, we should be tolerant of the useful heritage that we have inherited, even if it is in a hostile language and with hostile scientific authorities. (Although science should probably not have enemies – author’s note)

About happiness

It was very interesting to listen to Serhiy’s attempts to describe happiness. And in fact, without knowing the formal definition, he successfully described some symptoms. What struck me was that very intelligent people (and Sergey is certainly one of them) seem to be uninterested in the fundamental principles of human existence. They are more interested in materialistic aspects. In my opinion, European philosophy is not perceived by intelligent people as something practical, and I agree with this. European philosophy is derived from fundamental principles that intelligent people do not want to get involved with because they smell like religion (bad food for the mind) and spiritual practices (requires a lot of time and effort, and you will be a weirdo in the circle of respectable friends). As Sadhguru seems to have said, philosophy is the occupation of unemployed men.

The good news is that there is a growing discussion in Ukraine and in the world that combines fundamental knowledge about human beings (which is gained through practice, experience, and not just speculative description) with the fruits of rational reflection. This creates a balance that will hopefully lead to the practical renewal of society as a whole, or in its individual groups.

Conclusions

1. Serhiy Datsyuk’s vision is focused on the elites, or what is now called elites, and in this sense he is absolutely right. Experts agree that the current elites are no longer capable of changing, at least not on their own.
2. Ukraine is officially looking backwards. And those who turn their backs on their past automatically turn their backs on their future. There is a symptom. It is visible. There is something to work with.
3. Educational work, the work of teachers, makes sense and is almost the only means of action now. I am grateful to Sergey. This is a significant contribution to the motivation of our editorial board.

1. It is almost obvious that by Ukraine, Serhiy means its ruling elite. Because people in Ukraine are changing. This is obvious to us – author’s note. ↑
2. We are the ones who design and promote versions of a future, renewed Ukraine. ↑