# A membrane for those who are too talented (using the example of Vladimir Vysotsky). A culturological essay

Henry de Overwood

MMMDC. A membrane for those who are too talented (using the example of Vladimir Vysotsky). A culturological essay. - January 10, 2025.

A membrane for those who are too talented (using the example of Vladimir Vysotsky). A culturological essay.


It is interesting to analyze the techniques that were used for overly talented individuals in the epoch of socialism and post-socialism.


Some persons were targeted by a multi-year check of 'people's control' (party-state organization) - with the following seizure of scientific business.


Others, due to a combination of circumstances, reached a certain social position. Let's say, a person knew French perfectly well, worked in French archives, and taught (part-time) classes at one of the leading French universities.


So, what follows after this?


In his native Russial university, he was "marinated". He's a candidate of science (not a doctor) and an associate professor (not a professor). He is placed in a subordinate position in relation to a man who knows many times less than him. But by virtue of his knowledge and skills, he took a leading position in the (not-governmental) movement of historical reconstructions.


And the keys were picked up to him ("to open" him), and he was removed, and his place (in the movement of historical reconstructions) was taken.


But it's better to do without such complex algorithms!


In the biography of Vladimir Vysotsky, we see such an interesting moment: he and his comrades at the theater educational institution decide to create a new metropolitan theater.


Everything is moving in a successful way. Young geniuses find a place for themselves - a place for rehearsals and theatrical productions. They are creating the structure of a new theater. They put on interesting performances. The surname of the son of the person - of the person who heads the theater educational institution (where Vladimir Vysotsky and his comrades study) - appears. This man (the son of an influential person) is identified in Vysotsky's biography as one of the candidates for the post of head of the new (planned) metropolitan theater.


But it seems that this son does not have enough support from the staff of the new, almost created theater - enough support to take the official chair of the head of the new theater.


The project of a new theater cannot be carried out for decades (or it is possible?). At some point, the enthusiasm of young theatrical geniuses runs out.... Vladimir Vysotsky and his friends failed to create a new metropolitan theater.


Dangerous guys!


They are dangerous both for those who hold positions in bureaucratic structures, and for those who belong to the stratum of leading creative figures.


Vladimir Vysotsky is all the more dangerous. He may potentially be almost independent of bureaucratic structures: Moscow in the late 50s and early 60s (20th century), - according to Vysotsky's biography, - is a small city where everyone knows each other. Vysotsky is being invited to various Moscow friendly companies (teams of friends) to perform various kinds of songs. It is enough to send a hat (headdress) by a circle in such a company after performing songs, and Vysotsky is financially independent.


A dangerous, very dangerous situation!


A strange person appears on the historical scene. He is the head of one of the capital's theaters, and he is an enthusiastic person. He's into talented actors. He invites them to his theater. He confesses his love for the talented actor, he tells sincere tales about a wonderful actor's future. He's full of promises. After a talented actor succumbs to the persuasions of an enthusiastic theater director, the actor begins a new life: he is given only minor (humiliating) roles (for example, once per performance to go through the stage with a drum).


If a person (an actor) believes all kinds of fairy tales about a wonderful and fair social order, if he believes in a decency of other people, if he considers as normal thing a fulfilling of promises, then such a person (actor) begins to experience a severe stress.


It is easier for a talented person to live if he adequately looks at reality. Some people saw in Vysotsky such a quality as cynicism. Apparently, there wasn't much cynicism in him. And (on the contrary) social illusions (which he received when he was a child) - these illusions deeply embedded in his personality.


Lack of outstanding roles - lack of opportunity to prove themselves, to gain a position and an actor's fame - lack of money, of housing.


They are young people (after the graduating out of theater institute). Vysotsky's first wife loses her child and moves to another city. With his second wife (and their two children) Vysotsky lives practically in poverty.


Strange events happen to Vysotsky and his entourage.


Some people whom Vysotsky knew as neighbors by his home, they suddenly become creative leaders. They pay Vysotsky some additional money: they give him supporting roles in naive Soviet films.


Does everyone in Moscow know each other in those years? (Moscow is a small city?). Vysotsky's friends invite him to viewings (in theaters). But - strangely - he is not hired. Even by acquaintance.


For a man who was raised in lofty ideals as a boy (whose father was a Soviet officer), (this boy asked his parents to sew for him a small (children's) military uniform), - a strange life begins for such a person. It's like he's (in socialist country) in a pen (it's like he's surrounded by hunters and dogs), like he's surrounded by hunter's red flags. It's like he's being hunted.


Prolonged stress, in any case, produces some kind of result (in some form).


The simplest thing is excessive alcohol consumption, is to start to participate in numerous scandals.


And so a talented person acquires a 'second reputation': he is an alcoholic, a drunkard, a brawler, a scandalous man.


And the guitar songs? A tag is attached to them: it's thug (that is, criminal) songs. These are not anti-Soviet songs for which a person is "packed up" and is sent far away. But - on the edge (millimeters away from the propaganda of the anti-Soviet way of life). So with songs, with private or public concerts, he must be careful (he must feel apprehension, risk). (Not only questions of ideology, but also of receiving income for songs: is this legal income? The average honest, patriotic Soviet person from Central Russia was trained to have a salary from state, he 'floated', he felt insecurity and fears in matters of receiving independent income.)


Well, that's another matter!


In this new situation and renew social position, Vysotsky poses no danger to anyone: neither to bureaucratic structures, nor to representatives of the stratum of creative leaders.


They can provide such a person with a workplace (an actor's job) and they can create some conditions for him. He will be obedient enough. Maybe he'll sing rebellious songs? But he is a talented man, so all his thoughts will be expressed in an allegorical form.


Thus they can even listen to him, enjoy his talented songs, and smile at all kinds of poetic images, such as the "oaks- sorcerers" in the 'bewitched forest'.


One of my comrades, whose dad worked for the Oblast committee of the CPSU, told me how Vysotsky was invited (to sing) for a narrow circle of Oblast committee workers (employees) when Vysotsky visited Rostov-on-Don. This schoolboy had a strange expression on his face when he told me about it, and I remembered that expression, even though I didn't understand what it meant at the time.


People who are addicted to alcohol, brawlers - they don't live long. If a person does not pass away on his own, then he can be helped. Let's say he took an alcohol drink in a good volume, and so that he wouldn't get violent, his hands and feet could be tied up, and he could be put out on the balcony (for a sufficiently long period of time).


After the death of a talented person, they can support various cultural initiatives (the creation of monuments, museums in his memory, etc.), they can demonstrate their concern for the development of talents, about a creating favorable conditions for them - so that talents act for the benefit of society.


It turns out that there are almost ten times more theaters in modern Moscow than in Moscow in the late 50s and early 60s (20th century). So there is nothing impossible in a creating of new theaters.


But (social) membranes are required for the smoothness of the process.


January 10, 2025 07:29


Translation from Russian into English: January 10, 2025 12:15

Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Мембрана для слишком талантливых (на примере Владимира Высоцкого). Культурологический очерк. '.


{ 3629. Мембрана для слишком талантливых (на примере Владимира Высоцкого). Культурологический очерк. - 10 января 2025 г.

MMMDC. A membrane for those who are too talented (using the example of Vladimir Vysotsky). A culturological essay. - January 10, 2025.


Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}