Six months ago, an intriguing sociological study conducted in dozens of countries was published. According to the study, over the past ten years, liberalism has been on the rise among women aged 18-24, and feminist ideas are going viral. While these trends may vary from country to country, the overall pattern is clear.

On the other hand, over the past ten years, young men of the same age have become more conservative, surpassing the 55-65-year-olds who were previously seen at the forefront of conservatism; this indicates a shift away from the traditional belief that each new generation is generally more liberal and instead shows a trend of increasing conservatism among young men.

It is challenging to assess the situation in Armenia accurately. Public sociology is quite limited in our country and tends to focus mainly on presenting the political landscape. Moreover, the war and internal political tension have significantly influenced public opinion, leading to a resurgence of conservatism as a gesture of unity against external threats. Conservatism, patriotism, and national values are the primary tools of political competition in Armenia; this creates considerable uncertainty regarding the actual state of affairs, as genuine opinions are often suppressed due to potential public backlash.

Foreign political factors also influence the internal mood in Armenia. For instance, the ongoing conflict between Russia and the West has led to polarization in the propaganda narratives. According to the propaganda, the West supports the Ukrainian army in the name of liberal values. At the same time, Russia presents itself, especially President Putin, as the unwavering defender of national and family values. Similarly, the internal political rivalry in the United States between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is perceived in Armenia and elsewhere as a conflict between two opposing forces.

When we observe Armenian social networks if, at all possible, it becomes evident that the majority of content can be categorized into two major categories: politics and non-ideological entertainment, daily life events, and advertisements. If we exclude these two categories, we’ll notice that the primary and most prevalent conflict today is between liberalism and conservatism. Furthermore, this polarization is growing and extending into all aspects of society.

I recall the times around twenty years ago when the primary debates in Armenian forums revolved around topics like “red apple,” whether there should be a sexual life before marriage, and who it is meant for. Nowadays, seemingly innocent topics spiral into intense debates about whether the “overly developed” individuals are harming the country or if it’s the “closed-minded” ones.

The downside is the increasing aggression on this topic. Poles are becoming uncompromising and are influencing discussions on almost any topic in social networks, which leads to the shaping of public opinion, or rather, perceptions about public opinion.

Given that politics in Armenia has primarily become dominated by populism, this has significantly impacted the political landscape. Although it may seem distant, the upcoming elections are pretty close.