Ruhadze on Westernizing Georgia

Op-ed

This is a serious statement coming from me, not borne of anger but based on pure logic and bitter experience. Georgia’s “westernization” will take centuries to come, and here’s why: western culture, character and model of behavior cannot be learned overnight, and it cannot be achieved by means of our miserable political and quasi-diplomatic efforts. The ‘West’ must be hammered into our impenetrable heads by mastering Western rules and laws, and through prolonged and perseverant emulation of the Western way of life. We will never become members of NATO and the EU unless we learn how to drive and park our cars, or clean the mess our pets make in the streets or stop littering our environment. This is but a few details of everyday life. I’m not even talking about the more serious issues that a keen Western eye would notice every second and every step of the way in this culture and country. That keen western eye will first behold and then be embarrassed by and finally be angered at the badly parked cars in front of their gates, or right in front of their cars in public parking lots, or right in the middle of a street with their two idiot drivers sticking their stupid heads out of their car windows to chat as if they own the road. And such is happening in a country of ancient civilization and in a land of people who are terribly, terribly proud of their history and their great culture. Why? Why are we this way, folks? What’s wrong with us? Can’t we at least pretend to be civilized? Just pretend, nothing else, to allow the impression that we make on the West drag us somehow into our dream of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union!

Nugzar B. Ruhadze