World-Famous Liberal Tolerance - Professor Calls for Abolishment of Soviet Generation in Russia
"Discriminatory discourse", as the TV presenter, Vladimir Soloviev, judged the lecture delivered at the Ural Federal University. It was read by this man, Konstantin Yurchenko, Director of the Economic Department. It was meant for 11th-grade students but he didn't dedicate his speech to them, but for those who were born in the period of 1965 to 1975. And this is how it looked on the slide, "this generation is one of the biggest evils, because they are good at lying, take credit for others' accomplishments, and to shift blame. and haven't gotten rid of the Soviet Union in them".
I can't argue, it grabs attention, and the conclusion is impressive. Supposedly these people are at once the government base of modern Russia and the reason for corruption. As they say, one size fits all. The opinion of the same Soloviev, this isn't permissible in any civilized country. And why is it permissible in one of the largest government universities. Anton Podkovenko will tell us.
- Hello Anton.
- Hello.
- And if we take into account that the leadership of the university itself is from this generation, maybe it's some internal squabbles?
- We can't completely rule this out, but it doesn't look like it. In any case, no one has fined or fired Konstantin Yurchenko.
The title of the lecture is quite positive, "Why students will get the economy out of crisis." Only the professor doesn't talk about how the new economists and policymakers should behave, but about how the current ones are bad, who finished their universities in the 90s.
Konstantin Yurchenko: "These people were forced to somehow adapt. They learned to steal, to kill, to cheat, to lie, to be corrupt, to give bribes, to accept bribes. Today, people in this age group are holding the high positions. As directors of various factories, assistant directors, also university deans."
And these weren't even university students but 11th graders, who expect to attend the Ural University. Their first experience with the university was an unexpected one. Everyone in UrFU is talking about Konstantin Yurchenko's lecture.
Glushat Gizitdinova, Student: "Of course it isn't right, not everyone is the same, and one shouldn't group them together".
Victor Popov, Student: "Of course it's not correct to give labels and group people into categories based on their age".
During his lecture, Yurchenko painted a picture of Russia's reality with broad strokes. Supposedly 80% of those born between 1965 — 1975, are "lost people", his thesis even has exact dates. The Ural economist is noticeably more restrained during an interview.
Konstantin Yurchenko: "I did not say anything radical. I really only said that life has been changing very quickly lately. This leads to some generations growing older much quicker when they encounter new technologies and new economic realities. I wanted to generate passion in the students".
Yurchenko included his university administrators to the so-called "generation lost in the 90s." So maybe the very critical professor has his own motives.
His colleagues are calling his lecture an "academic mistake," but there's no hurry to take disciplinary actions.
Sergei Korotov, Acting Dean: "As a teacher, Mr. Yurchenko did not behave ethically or correctly, because even if such statements are allowed in an adult scientific discussion, they are absolutely not appropriate with school pupils".
There's no argument that the 90s weren't easy, but calling a whole generation evil is a bit strange.
Andrey Suzdaltsev, Higher School of Economics: "I also belong to this generation, but we had a benefit of a very good Soviet education. And because of this, a big part of my generation, from the 1960s and 70s is in demand, and being used until now. Also, working in higher education, I want to say that unfortunately, no one can replace us yet".
Konstantin Yurchenko insists that he wanted to inspire the future students. But the lecture doesn't have a single point on how to form a new ruling elite.
Valentina Ivanova, MSU Dean: "There's a clear attempt to paint a bad picture of everyone who grew up during the Soviet era, and received a Soviet education. We can't allow antithesis between the actions of fathers and children".
Naturally, every lecture bears a mark of the teacher, but it's not easy to teach in a way so that personal opinion becomes an instrument and not an end in itself. Otherwise, a university may become a platform from which it's very easy to apply labels.
Anton Podkovenko about the fight with the Soviet Union in the Urals.