Krytyka marks its second anniversary in Lviv

Noted literary critic and Harvard Professor George Grabowicz was like a house afire to establish a periodical in Ukraine to become his business card in Ukrainian culture as a modern European, not provincial culture. His Ukrainian colleague, Mykola Riabchuk, also a celebrated literary critic, was convinced that few if any would appreciate it in Ukraine, and that the whole project could turn into a waste of time and money. In the end Prof. Grabowicz's arguments (money being not least) prevailed and soon Mykola Riabchuk rolled up his sleeves as managing editor of the newly founded Krytyka [Critique]

It has been in existence for two years, not too long, considering that only some 20 issues have appeared. On the other hand, the Krytyka has evolved into a markedly professional quality periodical matching the highest world standards in the field. Largely thanks to the editors, of course, who from the outset decided that their mouthpiece would be a unique topnotch podium for public dialogue concerning various things happening in the world. Making it “a model intellectual, politically correct liberal democratic discourse far remote from the scandalous prevalence of the gutter press, forced esoterica practiced by certain mock elite publications, and highfalutin melodrama of all those ‘genuinely Ukrainian' and ‘patriotic' periodicals” took enormous efforts. Krytyka has rallied thinking individuals, people who have things to say and views to share with this world, among them Andrzej Walicki, Dmytro Zatonsky, Yaroslav Hrytsak, Solomiya Pavlychko, Dmytro Horbachov, Serhiy Vasyliev, Yuri Andrukhovych, Volodymyr Dibrova, plus a couple dozen of noted historians, political scientists, economists, literati, critics in all fields — in a word, people who have made their mark.

And it would seem that we can now analyze realities and phenomena, voice our opinions, help mold fellow citizens' world views (something we often complain about in our public appearances, official discussions, and private coffee shop conversations). And then suddenly we hear Mykola Riabchuk admit to journalists in Lviv during the anniversary festivities that authors present the biggest problem. Not that they lack interesting ideas, but that not all of them commit them to paper. Thus the magazine has about twenty regular contributors. Pretty paltry, considering the number of thinking individuals among Ukraine's 50 million inhabitants. “I don't know what can actually make our people concentrate and commit their thoughts to paper. There is some kind of all-pervasive inner laziness, which neither the urge to seek truth, chance to see one's views in print, nor even money can overcome.”

This slumber of reason produces monsters. Francisco de Goya knew this from his own experience. Will we stop complaining about this society's outrageous ignorance and continue to sleep? In any case, greetings to our Krytyka colleagues and happy birthday! Let's hope that the day of awakening will also come.