Turkey: Total Mental Eclipse

In Chișinău, time seems to slow down despite the brevity of the days, creating a laid-back atmosphere that allows me to embrace my most relaxed self. Surrounded by icy pavements, I embrace my Mediterranean inclination towards laziness. Watching leaves tearing down from trees, evolving into lifelessness, and hearkening to their silent screams brings a sense of clarity to my mind. All the rest is placid: bare woods, strollers, pleasant aromas wafting from cafés. I wade through lives that will end where they began, in the same way they began. The serene stillness in the air softly envelops me, albeit suddenly.

Nevertheless, amidst this tranquillity, I find myself burdened by unconscious habits such as the feeling of being late, the compulsion to stay busy, and the emptiness that comes with a lack of planning. These are ingrained patterns that feel unavoidable in our fast-paced world, where societal pressures often dictate our paths, where escape routes seem blocked. We're conditioned to believe that accumulating possessions and achievements will bring fulfilment, leading to a relentless pursuit of more. This phenomenon could be termed the affliction of possession. In the continuity of these trance states, the self departs from the body, allowing malevolence to comfortably settle within a selfless form. This is, indeed, an annihilation.

During my upbringing, I observed how malevolence permeates Turkish society, influencing behaviours and social interactions. This pervasive influence, even among those closest to me, creates a perception that the entire world is woven with darkness, which burdens my heart deeply. It's a cycle where normalising wickedness becomes a societal norm, gradually shaping individuals to embody its essence. Put plainly, this is a realm where everyone, to some degree, becomes entangled in moral compromise.

In Istanbul, a bustling metropolis, I've witnessed how secular and educated youth are lulled into sleep by state-backed drug trafficking. Erdogan's regime enforces strict anti-drug policies to appease his fanatics, while simultaneously poisoning his opponents through his loyalist drug barons. Similarly, his hypocritical migrant policies exploit migrants for financial gain on the global stage, yet fuel xenophobia within domestic politics. Refugees are manipulated into supporting his authoritarian agenda, often coerced into modern slavery, serving as both cheap labour and sex workers to benefit his loyalist bourgeois.

Reflecting on societal norms, I note disparities such as parental leave favouring mothers over fathers, societal marginalisation of unique individuals, high tax rates, low female participation in the workforce, increasing rates of depression and addiction, and limited engagement in intellectual or sports activities. This is a country where religious teachings are conveyed in an unfamiliar language, perpetuating superstitions within collective memory. Where people are unable to lead their own lives due to social pressure, often making existence unbearable for others. Where masculine institutions are established for men, promoting behaviours like alcoholism, gambling, brothels, infidelity, and cruelty to animals. These realities underscore a society where inequalities persist, where dissent is suppressed with harsh consequences, including the incarceration of journalists and activists.

The societal fabric perpetuates animosities from one generation to the next. Early on, children are pressured to favour one parent over the other, conditioned to envy their siblings, engaged in competitive dynamics with relatives, and compelled to transfer these behaviours onto their peers. This environment fosters cycles of violence, shaping childhood experiences and perpetuating societal malaise. Children bear the brunt of this hostility under the misguided belief that these actions will be forgotten as they mature. Even in schools—the first place outside the family for socialisation—children with behavioural disorders are often excluded and mistreated by teachers or school administrators. Neglect, brutality, and a lack of nurturing environments contribute to children developing addiction issues as early as high school and sometimes even in primary school in certain neighbourhoods. In such a system, dropping out of school may seem like the only viable option for some.

Workplaces spanning global corporations, civil society, and universities reflect this pervasive mental eclipse. They appear eviscerated, with only precarious remnants remaining, akin to dynamite on the verge of detonation. In this context, fundamental moral values like justice, equality, honesty, kindness, patience, respect, helpfulness, cooperation, forgiveness, and transparency appear to be increasingly sidelined. Instead of prioritising these essential values, what is being instilled from childhood onward?

Despite these challenges, I hope to always retain the capacity to feel disappointment anew with each scandal that erupts in Turkey incessantly. 

May all beings live in peace and harmony.