Start with yourself - one of the most disgusting phrases for me. Do you want the world to change? Begin with yourself. Do you want the country to change? Begin with yourself. Do you want the power to change? Begin with yourself. Let's continue this ridiculous list. Do you want sex? Begin with yourself. Do you want to punish the villain? Begin with yourself. Do you want to eat? Begin with yourself. You know, no, I will eat bread, love my wife, and if I need to punish the villain, I will start with him, not myself. Because if I start with myself, he will run far. I have claims to the authorities in Russia, so I will start with them, not with myself. While we take care of ourselves, they take care of us, while we start with ourselves, they start with us. I keep my soul here, I keep my inner purity, I try not to breathe almost at the sight of the rising sun. But please tell meWhat does this have to do with the population of Siberia and the state of the Russian army, with offshore companies and the activities of the Minister of Transport? It is high time to understand: our social life and our spiritual life are different things. They converge only on one point - in how much we ourselves correspond to the truths that we utter. Otherwise, these are completely different activities. What can I do with myself so that ships do not sink and planes do not fall?
I am specifically me, the physical body and spirit, which no one has seen in the eyes. The state around me is far from just me, and oddly enough, its existence does not in the least depend on how often I go to confession. Enough of these absurd generalizations: if everyone corrects himself, then … These generalizations are a continuous fog, and nothing is visible in it. After all, we are adults and we know that not every one of us, not even half of us, will ever improve. Stupidity, greed and lust are vices that are not conquered once and for all, but disappear only with life. The path of our spirit is our personal business, our state is our common business. It is not necessary to confuse the private with the public and, moreover, replace one with the second.
Zakhar Prilepin ©