The Two Me’s 233events. Often the best way to operate was to show up and give a concert on
the spur of the moment. This way our presence became an emotional
pressure which overturned the Perceiver 'facts' associated with some other
tentative plan.
The Perceiver confidence required for learning principles of cause and
effect is also generally not present in post-communist Russia. For instance,
there was a children‟s playground outside one of the apartments in which
we were staying. Within twenty feet of this playground was a manhole
with the cover missing. The hole was at least twenty feet deep. Any child
could have fallen in and killed himself. But, no one cared. Without
Perceiver confidence, there is no sense of cause and effect.
In Russia, the law states that people in cars must wear seat belts. I
presume that is the law, because every time we drove past a police
checkpoint, the people in the front seats would faithfully hold on to their
seat belts and pretend to wear them. Almost never did I see a person
actually use his seat belt. As usual, the only thing which seemed to matter
was the emotional significance of the police, and not any concern for cause
and effect. As a foreigner, I would think that the Russian style of driving
would be a sufficient hazard to make anyone want to wear his seat belt.
Perceiver confidence also leads to conscience, which forces a person to
live with his mistakes. In Russia, it seems that out of sight is out of mind.
Garbage is dumped anywhere and everywhere. There is severe pollution.
Cities are littered with the rusting hulks of failed factories. Walking in a
Russian town is an adventure. We found ourselves continually picking our
way past discarded cans, detouring around piles of dirt, avoiding holes, and
trying not to trip on protruding nails or half-buried wires.
Without Perceiver confidence, escapism predominates. People search
for emotional experiences which can help me to feel better. In Russia, this
escapism turns up in the most unexpected places. For example, we found
much of the food rather tasteless, except for the desserts. I remember a
high school graduation banquet in which our family spontaneously sang a
few songs (more planning gone awry). After we performed, we were given
tea and nine different varieties of home baked pastries, cakes, and sweets,
all in a town where very little of substance could be found in the local store.
Here is a similar example. As I have suggested, the number of goods which
can be purchased in the stores is somewhat limited. One exception is candy
bars. The variety of imported chocolate to choose from rivaled what is
available at home. The escapism can also be seen in the architecture. The
fanciest building in most towns is the cultural hall or theater. Even if most
of the houses in a village are old and decrepit, there will still be a meeting
hall which tries to look ostentatious and elegant. Of course, the most
obvious form of escapism is also well represented. Vodka is plentiful and
potent and alcoholism common.