Ultaviolet / S01 E05 / The Terror of Opinion and the Narcissism of Liberalism

In this podcast episode, writer Violet Grigoryan reflects on the public discourse surrounding a recent Facebook post by poet Marine Petrosyan.

The ensuing debates prompted Grigoryan to critically examine prevailing attitudes toward freedom of expression in Armenia. On one hand, the “right to express an opinion” is increasingly devalued through speculative dismissals and rhetorical distortions. On the other, the notion of “freedom of speech” is selectively upheld—granted primarily to like-minded individuals while being denied or condemned when voiced by ideological opponents.

Grigoryan highlights how the shallow dogmatization of liberal ideals often serves as a form of Orwellian newspeak, deployed to justify state propaganda, obscure the truth, rewrite historical narratives, and suppress dissent—all under the guise of progressive discourse.