Based on a video in defense of anti-vaxxers
Last year, I made a video in defense of anti-vaxxers, where I compared them to the tribes of Zomia (a region in Southeast Asia), who were hiding first from local and then colonial governments. At the same time, they sometimes abandoned writing and switched to the oral tradition, because. they saw in writing the tool by which they can be accounted for, taxed and recruited. This is reminiscent of today's anti-vaxxers who, in their flight from the state, deny science and medicine. To deny science, as well as writing, of course, is not worth it. However, it is difficult to disagree with the fact that all this can really be an instrument of authoritarianism. Therefore, I suggested not to get involved in the shaming of anti-vaxxers, because their smoke, as they say, is not without fire.
And here you are. The Moscow surveillance system, worked out on covid restrictions, has now been used to catch evaders, and the management structure, which is now being created as part of the declared "non-war" situation, suspiciously resembles the one that functioned during the epidemic. Operational headquarters, in conditions of a "high level of readiness" - this is the same legally unknown crap as the anti-covid headquarters a year and a half ago. The rhetoric of soothing omissions again found its application: there was self-isolation, within the framework of an undeclared state of emergency, it became - partial mobilization, within the framework of an undeclared war. You, most importantly, do not worry: nothing special happens, everything is only "partial", "special" and, of course, with the prefix "self-".
The escalation of authoritarianism in the era of covid was described in the language of expertocracy, in which “facts” (something voiced by experts) were opposed to “fakes” (something not recognized by experts). Power came under the slogans of science, medicine and progress. Opponents were declared obscurantists, deniers of science, medicine and progress (including specialists who disagree with the official consensus). The current pro-war propaganda speaks different languages, but also the same "language of science." Let's say the aesthetics of "fighting fakes" successfully switched from the topic of covid to serving SWar (reference to russian "SVO", from russian "special military operation"). Previously, they exposed "antiquity fakes" - now they expose "ukrainian fakes".
And it is important not to forget that the authorities themselves did not invent this "language of science" - they appropriated it. Whereas the Russian intelligentsia developed it. It all started with a boom in scientific popularization in the 2000s - remember when "real scientists debunking myths" sounded from every iron? Further, the language of expertocracy entered the sphere of urban planning, giving rise to our beloved "Moscow urbanism".Then the same language came in handy during the epidemic. And here is the finale - "the fight against ukrainians fakes". Of course, I am not saying that Panchin and Kazantseva are to blame for Russian authoritarianism. And I'm not saying that scientific pop is not needed. But I suggest remembering that such a "language of science" is basically authoritarian, and the concept of expertocracy is initially sewn into the idea of hierarchy. Therefore, under certain conditions, the authoritarian government easily appropriates this language and takes it into service. So, this language is not suitable for discussing public issues. And it is worth being careful with all these appeals to absolute knowledge obtained in the course of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials.
Mihail Pojarsky 23/10/2022
