Social media users accused Drobyshevsky of imperial chauvinism.

The words of Russian anthropologist Stanislav Drobyshevsky about the construction of infrastructure in the former Soviet republics distort reality and demonstrate imperial chauvinism, commentators noted on Facebook**. Drobyshevsky is wrong when he speaks contemptuously about freedom, noted a human rights activist.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the lectures of Russian anthropologist Stanislav Drobyshevsky were canceled in Tbilisi after users drew attention to his words that all of Georgia was built during the Soviet era. Drobyshevsky himself stated that he was unaware of the cancellation of his lectures in Tbilisi and perceived the refusal without regret.

The post about the cancellation of Drobyshevsky's lectures in Tbilisi and his contemptuous comments about Georgia, published on the page of “Caucasian Knot” on Facebook** on the evening of November 8, received 387 comments. Some commentators, some of whom identified themselves as natives of Georgia, aggressively defended Drobyshevsky's thesis, while others expressed protest against the spread of such theses.

“With such statements, he discredited himself as a scientist,” said Marina Bershka. “This is what happens when you accept uninvited guests,” noted Tsitsino Ubilava.

User Alexander Pogorelov noted that he considers Drobyshevsky “a decent anthropologist,” but disagrees with his recent political statements. “If you listen to him exclusively on his specialty - he is quite reasonable,” he believes.

Alexander Pogorelov argued with one of the supporters of the “great power” worldview. “The dumbest thing a Russian can say is: 'look what THEY built for you.' The main thing is that you impose this idiotic narrative on everyone: from Chukchi to Ukrainians and Georgians. The residents of the republics built it. Money was allocated from the budgets of the union republics for this. Do you think that kind Russians built houses and schools for Georgians while unfriendly natives threw shit and bananas at them?” he wrote.

User Marina Konakova, defending Drobyshevsky's proclaimed thesis, wrote a series of comments insulting users from Georgia. “Your Georgia was built entirely during 70 years of Soviet power,” one of them stated.

“The fact that there are houses in [...] Georgia built during the USSR does not mean that Georgians should be grateful. We freed ourselves from the empire and are rebuilding our cities ourselves. Batumi should be seen by this anthropologist,” stated Tim Djim.

“If it weren't for 1921, we wouldn't have had any Soviet misunderstandings. We didn't ask for such shabby buildings as Khrushchyovkas, and we don't want anything from Russians now,” noted Davit Margishvili.

User Avt Bas supported the cancellation of Drobyshevsky's lectures. “I watched his interview, he expressed himself quite contemptuously and derogatorily about the history of Georgia... he tried to glorify the Soviet legacy while humiliating the history of Georgia,” the commentator wrote.

“I don't think anyone local would come to listen to him. He was going to the 'relocants,' of whom there are countless in Georgia,” suggested Vasily Gogoladze. “He should apologize to the Georgian people,” believes Gocha Markelia.

Sasha Tikhun criticized Russians who proclaim themselves as “builders” of the former union republics. “For some reason, Russians think that factories, plants, Khrushchyovkas - this is their merit in the countries of the former USSR [...]. And this scientist is just as he is, a bit strange, like a blessed one,” he wrote. “Let them speak! And we must hear and not forget who they are and why we should keep our distance, barricade ourselves more thoroughly,” added Natalja Kotomenko.

“In his text, there is a combination of Soviet nostalgia, historical ignorance, colonial thinking, and manipulative opposition of material development to political freedom. He may be a good paleontologist, but when it comes to history, he opens his mouth and becomes an ordinary Soviet,” concluded Vazha Gaprindashvili.

“He is as much a 'scientist' as Medinsky. I watched his video lecture on YouTube, where he talks about the origins of 'Russians.' A typical picture when the dogma of Moscow priests about the 'Third Rome' is attempted to be combined with data from anthropological studies. A typical apologist for 'great power',” wrote user Bromba.

“He was outraged by the fact that there is a museum of Soviet occupation here. If it were up to me, I would force all incoming tourists from Russia to visit this museum,” stated Temuri Vashakidze.

“Well, I sincerely understand citizen Drobyshevsky: despite the fact that he is a scholar and an intellectual, deep down he is an imperialist and a chauvinist, who is burned inside by the realization that 'the genius Russians' (lost) two empires in one century,” noted Andria Torel with irony.

Freedom is already a lot

The head of the “Civil Assistance” committee* Svetlana Gannushkina*, commenting on Stanislav Drobyshevsky's words about Georgia in the pre-Soviet period and now, characterized his statements as illiterate.

“Firstly, the statement is fundamentally incorrect - even before the USSR, even before Georgia's annexation by the Russian Empire, there was its own high culture and architecture. This is rather not imperialism, but simply illiteracy in this area,” she told the correspondent of “Caucasian Knot.”

Comparing mass Soviet construction and modern residential buildings in Georgia, she noted that the approaches to housing construction have changed significantly after the collapse of the USSR: the private sector has come into the field and started building quite differently.

Gannushkina* noted that the anthropologist is wrong to speak contemptuously about freedom, stating that in independent Georgia “everything is falling apart.” “Only freedom is already a lot in itself,” she emphasized.

* included in the Russian register of foreign agents.

** the activities of the Meta company (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.