Alexei Navalny was offered to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize - until recently, it would have sounded, albeit grotesque, but quite logical.
Today it looks like a bad anecdote, although this anecdote sounds absolutely in the logic of a slightly crazy world in which we all live.
In Dostoevsky's novel The Demons, which generally describe our reality more and more accurately (where is Pelevin!), There is an episodic character Pavel Gaganov - the most respected elder of a noble club, whose only distinguishing feature was the saying “No, sir, they won't deceive me by the nose! "
The nihilist and the main demon Stavrogin, hearing this phrase, could not resist: he grabbed the unfortunate Pavel Pavlovich by the nose and dragged a few steps across the hall.
Stavrogin was then considered insane.
The offended Pavel Pavlovich “was given a whole ovation: they hugged and kissed him;
the whole city was visiting him.
They even designed a dinner in honor of him by subscription, and only at his own intensified request they abandoned this thought - perhaps, finally realizing that the man was still dragged by the nose and that, therefore, there was nothing to celebrate ”.
Navalny's investigations have not improved in recent years.
He did not become more popular, did not bring himself and his associates one iota closer to the "beautiful Russia of the future", of which he so persistently reminded.
He is no longer a “young politician” or a “new face of protest”.
His, let's be honest, a fairly bright star was fading, and his role lately consisted rather in leading the opposition in a circle, posting videos familiar to everyone for a long time and, when necessary, splitting the already not very united front of protesters: what was it worth the last escapades with Golunov and Safronov, from which even the most loyal supporters fell slightly into the sediment.
On the other hand, the Nobel Prize is no longer the same.
Year after year it was given out to strange authors from countries that even educated people did not find on maps the first time.
It was given to Barack Obama when he had just become the President of the United States and did not have time to accomplish anything - neither good nor bad.
Just for the smile and for being n ... sorry, black.
Finally, the once most prestigious award in the world was given to Svetlana Aleksievich, a writer whose name even the most ardent supporters do not dare to put a comma separated by either Bunin or even Sholokhov.
Rewarding no longer says anything about the quality and importance of what was created, it is a protective letter, a confirmation of status.
"This is our man."
If not for the story of the "poisoning", Navalny would not have been nominated for any Nobel Prize - this is obvious even to his most active supporters.
But the man suffered, he was “dragged by the nose,” and by his suffering he deserved a “dinner by subscription”.
In the new world, the status of victim is the highest status, and what seemed ridiculous to Dostoevsky's heroes does not seem ridiculous to modern Europeans.
However, the nomination does not mean anything yet.
Greta Thunberg was also nominated - and where is she now?
On the other hand, Aleksichevich's laureate, which they had already forgotten about, has now come out with the most unexpected side.
Of the Belarusian coordinating council of the opposition, she turned out to be the most untouchable - even Father Lukashenko, who, it would seem, does not care about the whole world, did not dare to touch the writer overshadowed by the Stockholm check.
The bad performance with the poisoning of Alexei Navalny was needed for momentary purposes: new sanctions, the freezing of Nord Stream, another move in the offensive against our country.
But the move with the nomination shows that Navalny will not be removed from the chessboard to the box, as Skripal was.
With or without a Nobel Prize, he will return to Russia in a new capacity.
And with this, alas, we will once again have to reckon with.
The author's point of view may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.