Cars can attract unwanted attention for all kinds of reasons. Perhaps the front of the car is damaged, or it is an old obsolete brand that has seen better days or it is the unpleasant noise the exhaust pipe makes. But John could not figure out why his car was attracting all kinds of glances. People shot him an astonished, scared or angry look. But what had he done wrong? He was only working hard running his gardening business in England where he trimmed hedges, trees and improved a person's garden.
He finally found out when a person approached him and asked him "Why do you have the letter 'Z' on your car? Do you support what is happening in Ukraine?" John responded that the letter 'Z' expressed no political connotations. He had named his small business 'Zoya' after his daughter whom he supports. He was at pains to point out that there was no connection between what has been termed 'Special Military Operations' in Ukraine and his car. So John has been forced to rethink the name of his business. He is not alone.
According to some unconfirmed rumors and hearsay, the Swiss company named Zurich Finance is considering renaming their company. But such a new name could cost as much as ten million dollars or more. The problem has arisen due to the letter 'Z' being used as a symbol of support for the Russian military abroad. If you walk around Moscow you might notice police cars passing you with a huge 'Z' on their back window and at kiosks you can buy 'Z' badges. Some people chalked the letter 'Z' on doorways.
But where does it leave people who simply use the letter 'Z' as a design on a tee-shirt or to decorate some shoes? And what if a 'Z' is simply a 'Z' without any intended political or social meaning? What if a person wearing the letter 'Z' happens to be an old loyal fan of a popular 1960's British television serial 'Z' Cars ?
This is not the only symbol which you have to be careful where and when you wear it. The Saint George's Ribbon which is usually orange and black striped is often worn by Russians around the time of the Day of Victory on 9th May to commemorate the end of the war. It is mainly worn in remembrance of the dead as well as to express respect for the war veterans. This is what I was led to believe. But now some people are seeing a different meaning attached to it. Some even believe that it is a symbol of support for the government and a form of militarism. If this is so then why do even opponents of the government wear this ribbon as well as pacifists?
One week ago, a musical band turned up to take part in some school rehearsals. One musician had a Saint George's ribbon attached to his guitar. To his bemusement a teacher told him to take it off as 'It is a symbol of totalitarianism.' Another teacher asked, 'Why can't he be allowed to express his beliefs?' Yet all the ribbon meant was a symbol of respect to all those who had suffered and died during the Great Patriotic War! An ugly argument followed. For the mood in Moscow since 24th February has become more tense than even before the pandemic.
People seem more angry, aggressive and keen to pick fights. For instance, once I walked into the post office. A member of staff always likes to practice his English me. Unfortunately another customer asked me twice "How is your president ?" I retorted "I don't have a president. I am Scottish. Not everyone who speaks English is American."
When my friend Yevgeni tried to open a bank account abroad he received a harangue about the conflict in Ukraine. Yevgeni explained that "I came here to open a bank account not to have a political discussion." In some ways the old advice not to discuss politics and religion at parties or meetings makes sense. This old English saying arose to prevent needless conflict following civil wars in England during the 17th century.
Perhaps there exist inexhaustible ways to interpret a symbol. You can almost interpret and misconstrue a symbol in any way you want. For a symbol to have a real resonance which binds people there has to be an agreed consensus of a shared explicit meaning. When people attempt to alter or transform the original meaning then confusion can set in.
Just take the symbol 'X' as an example! Professor Ursula Hall points out how this symbol is heavy laden with different meanings. She states, 'Now a little reflection will remind us what a tricky symbol the 'X' is. It is easy and natural form to use in any idle doodling or any conscious designing context, an obvious structure to divide up or decorate a space.
Of course, not every X 'means’ something' {page 130, The Cross of Saint Andrew, Ursula Hall, Birlinn, Edinburgh, 2006}. Hall then goes on to explain how 'X' can be both a letter and number, can express 'X' marks the spot, a vote, a mistake in an answer to a question, and an expression of love through a kiss. It could also be interpreted as the cross on which Saint Andrews was crucified. A legend suggests Saint Andrew was crucified on a particular cross which was distinct from the cross which Christ hung from. So everyone has to take up their own cross. So the cross can be interpreted not only as an expression of love but torture!
The meaning of symbolism inherited in the icons, ribbons and medals of Saint George can also be perplexing ! The Moscow coat of arms depicts Saint George as a knight slaying a dragon with his lance. The dragon is writhing in agony as it is pierced by his lance. On the surface it seems to convey a very aggressive and militaristic image! But in other medieval images Saint George does not kill the dragon but tames it. Since 1880 in Bulgaria, a day of courage is celebrated as Saint George's Day. Saint George is the saint of the military and his icon is carried on military parades. In Russia, Saint George was the patron saint of shepherds, and of agriculture.
But if some see his image conveying a sinister authoritarian meaning then you can have interpretations suggesting otherwise! Russian peasants were free to choose a new master a week before Saint George's Day and a week after it {the date by the old calendar was 26th November}. So peasants reserved the right to desert an oppressive lord for a more decent one! It could be argued that Saint George was a symbol of what little freedom a Russian peasant had at least up to full imposition of serfdom in the late 16th century.
What do we mean by slaying the dragon? By dragon we might mean the negative passions which enslave us and prevent us from developing into better humans! For we are oppressed not only by an unjust system but can be slaves of all kinds of negative emotions which prevent us from becoming truly free persons. Those passions might be uncontrolled outbursts of anger, addiction and a deeply rooted bitterness which can seem difficult to master. Those passions represent a challenge to transform in a liberating way. It is no accident that Buddhist, Christian monks and the Stoic philosophers spent years attempting to wrestle with those problems.
A Russian film director Mark Zakharov made a film called 'To Kill a Dragon' in 1988. The film discusses how Sir Lancelot attempts to kill an oppressive tyrant dragon who rules a town. When he finally liberates the town he is disappointed to find that the people don't want freedom. They would rather he would become the new dragon! A frustrated Sir Lancelot points a finger at his temple saying, "You have to kill the dragon in your own head.'
So what was Zakharov attempting to say? Perhaps the moral is that it can be easy to change a government and introduce reforms but a much more tremendous feat to radically change ourselves. In this respect I don't think a person deserves a second chance but a third, fourth , fifth and sixth...... A person not only falls once but so many times. So a Saint George ribbon need not be misconstrued as implying militarism, support for war or affirming authoritarianism. It can mean imply a struggle for a profound peace of mind where we help rather than hinder neighbors.
We have to control rather than be controlled by the dragon.