What should you do if everyone around you turns into a rhinoceros?

People sometimes turn into rhinos very quickly. Too quickly. The desire to conform (commonly known as sycophancy or brown-nosing, the tendency to fawn or curry favor) will always distinguish the strong from the weak. The desire to distance oneself and think, “It’s none of my business, I know nothing,” often leads to sad and tragic events. Just like the lack of will to acknowledge the obvious. Although sooner or later, weak people will have to acknowledge the obvious.

A little something for lovers of the Russian language:

Flattery is behavior characterized by excessive, obsequious attempts to please someone, usually with the aim of gaining personal advantage or favor.

Synonyms for the word “flattery”
flattery, servility, brown-nosing, fawning, sycophancy, obsequiousness, groveling, sycophancy, servility

What do rhinos have to do with this? Literary reference:

Eugène Ionesco’s *Rhinoceros*: How to Remain Human in the Herd
“This play is a salutary slap in the face, both for our times and for the future. Its philosophical satire remains relevant today; it is, in fact, one of the best plays of the 20th century—a cautionary tale for all ages.” Director Mark Rozovsky

In 1959, French playwright Eugène Ionesco wrote *Rhinoceros*, a play whose originality challenged public taste, ensuring it an enviable theatrical fate. And so it happened: since its publication, the play has been staged countless times on stages around the world, taking on new meanings and interpretations.

The play tells the story of mysterious events in a small town where the residents gradually turn into rhinoceroses. At first, only one person turns into a rhinoceros, which shocks the other residents, but as the plot unfolds, the transformations begin to affect more and more people. The main character, Béranger, initially views the phenomenon with skepticism and tries to find a logical explanation for what is happening and to preserve his individuality in the face of social pressure. Gradually, people succumb to mass influence, lose their uniqueness, and take on a new form, becoming part of the collective “herd.”

The Rhinoceros Metaphor

Eugène Ionesco wrote *Rhinoceros* as a response to the social and political upheavals of his time. In his memoirs, he noted that the idea for the play was born when his acquaintances, including those he considered close friends, joined the fascist “Iron Guard” movement in Romania in 1938. Ionesco sensed the changes taking place in society: the spontaneous acceptance of new ideas and frenzied fanaticism. He observed how people, unexpectedly for themselves, became part of the masses and succumbed to a new ideology. The rhinoceros is a powerful symbol of the transformation of the individual into a mass machine, devoid of individuality. The transformation of people into rhinoceroses is an allegory of how ideas can influence society and manipulate the collective consciousness.

Anyone who has read this far will now be able to grasp the essence of our story and understand what is wrong with the draughts players from those proud federations:

Today, a general meeting will be held for all members of a once-proud federation that is becoming increasingly impoverished and insignificant. For six years in a row now, five useless and incompetent officials, along with their henchmen, have been gradually killing off the sport within a limited area (thank God that only a limited territory is under their control). By constantly participating in various political campaigns, they have completely destroyed the junior component of the sport, lost all possible funding, and have practically completely destroyed the coaching base (we do not take into account the two acrobat brothers who kowtowed to the radical nationalist head of the three-letter club and who are utterly incapable of independent thought and more akin to impotents than to people capable of teaching anything). And they will continue to destroy Russian draughts, as well as do everything to make it impossible to play draughts in this limited space. And this period will come if they continue to “pour into people’s ears” all sorts of nonsense and outright stupidity.

Robert Misans posed some very specific questions for the general meeting, but we know he won’t be heard. We remember his heated exchange with the “rhinos” five years ago. And the issues raised back then were ignored. And they’ll never be resolved, since the “rhinos” won’t be able to change anything. Unfortunately.

Let’s compare some facts about the Rhinos and the Useless Budgeters to the mindset of infantile teenagers who feel wronged by fate. Let’s conditionally identify two periods of the checkers’ existence in the proud federation.

	The “Albatross” Era: Through 2022	The Actions of Useless Idiots, 2020–2026	Note
1. Children’s tournaments	In children’s tournaments held across the country, cash prizes were awarded and gifts were distributed. A skilled player could earn 500 euros or more through their own skill. An automated electronic rating and registration system was developed, as well as an electronic system for tracking results statistics.	The children started playing with the few remaining adults, and the most they could get was a bag of some kind of candy and a kind word. They’d never even heard of electronic systems. An Excel file is here to help.	By the way: During the pandemic, two clown acrobat brothers came asking for the tournament to be placed under the federation’s management. They were sent on a long, arduous journey.
2. Tournament for Prospective Students and Current Students of RTU	The tournament was sponsored by the country’s largest and most modern educational institution. It was organized in collaboration with the bridge and chess federations. Prospective students were offered scholarships for academic programs.	These student tournaments are held with as few as 10 young children participating. No prizes. No students. It’s complete nonsense—not a tournament at all.	By the way: The organizer of the three-letter club—to which two clowns had completely submitted—assured everyone, puffing out his chest, that he had connections at RTU. He lied without batting an eye.
3. Russian Draughts and IDF Tournaments	The Albatross Time Friends continue to compete in international tournaments and enjoy staying at 5-star hotels while playing Russian draughts. And they’re improving.	They refuse and keep staying home, trying to write a book on Portuguese checkers in an Excel file. It’s been five years now.	By the way: They try to cause trouble any way they can, wherever they can. Feces have been found at many international venues. They’ve left an indelible mark.
4. Computer programs and software	Electronic systems for registration, statistics, and results processing have been developed. The Lidraughts system has been tested on the international stage. Various state-of-the-art electronic training devices have been purchased.	Excel file. File processing.	By the way: All the calculations and record-keeping are done by hand—using a specially trained file.
5. Global cooperation	High-level international tournaments were held. International ties and communication were strengthened.	We’ve fallen out with just about everyone. We’ve been picking on the kids from the other federation.	By the way: They write letters in small handwriting, but they reek of excrement and surrender.
6. Number of actual clubs	The clubs were real and actively interacted with one another.	Most of the clubs are nominal legal entities, and false information about their activities has been provided. Many clubs are on the verge of collapse.	By the way: Vote rigging has been going on throughout the entire term of these useless idiots.

 

The general meeting will take place. The rhinos will remain, and perhaps even multiply. In this confined space, checkers is turning into a sport for losers and government employees who are good for nothing in life. And it’s heartbreaking to watch how the homeland of Johanna Cine, Valdis Zvirbulis, Laimonis Zalitiss, Vladimir Vigman, Viktor Adamovich, and many, many other talented draughts players turns into a vast, empty, useless field of political idols and impotents, running around and manually editing Excel files while thinking they are developing, rather than suffering from intellectual deficiency. Rhinoceroses, in a word.

Read classic literature. And add the works of E. Ionesco to your reading list!