Winds of change. Reasons why Baku's inhabitants are feeling irritated.
- rashad blog
- Apr 24
- 11 min read
I haven't penned anything since my book's release. It marked a significant milestone for me as both a father and a writer. Still, this craft is truly addictive—no matter the results or achievements.
At times, all a writer needs is a single moment of gratification to continue their writing journey. That spark acts like a gentle nudge, setting a snowball in motion down a hill. While I don't pursue this craft for the sake of validation, however when it does come my way, it feels like an unexpected reward.
Couple of days ago, a fellow writer (although he does not want to be called that yet) asked me to review his article & provide feedback. Before I went on reading it, I asked his purpose for writing. Because people have different reasons to choose this path. I wanted to know his purpose in order to align my feedbacks in that direction.
While he was recording his voice note on whatsapp, it got me thinking. Why do I keep on writing? Why do I keep on sharing stories about business, psychology, history, philosophy & other range of topics?
First of all, a writer definitely learns more than the reader. That is a fact! In order to come up with and write 5 paragraphs of researched thesis, I have to read 25 paragraphs & filter through it. Therefore, the process of learning is one of the main reasons.
The second important reason is that I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences to make a difference. Although this path in my career began with a strategic focus on personal branding, it has evolved into something entirely different over the past couple of years. I take pleasure in creating an impact in this manner, sharing experiences that cost me time, effort, and resources—free of charge—so that readers don’t have to bear the same “cost” that I did.
The most selfish reason of my purpose for writing is - this is f’ing therapeutical. With this craft, I can reaffirm or debunk any psychological bottleneck that I have in my mind. It has helped me a lot, to wrap my head around hardships that occur in my personal and professional life. At times the genuineness of what is being written leaves no space for interpretation or self-deceit. I do not need hours and hours of therapy sessions to find out whats wrong. I just need a keyboard & an ability to put myself in a required mental state.
Allow me to elaborate on the last paragraph. A few months ago, an impulse struck me, and I thought, “I need a therapist; I need to talk to someone.” This led me on a journey of finding a therapist overseas, sifting through options, selecting one, and then spending ten one-hour sessions on Zoom just to gain some initial insights. To be honest, it bored the hell out of me. Instead of doing all of that, I picked up a laptop and immersed myself into a dialogue. Like a chess player who plays against himself. I had a written dialogue where I was both the client and the therapist. After 5 scroll-downs worth of text - I was done. In no need for a therapist no more. Moved on - with all the answers I needed.
Before I go back to the original story line about the fellow writer, I have a piece of advice for those seeking or undergoing regular sessions with therapists. Therapy should be wrapped around a specific or set of problems. When they are resolved you should move on. If you stick around have weekly sessions just to pour your heart out, then you have created a new problem! A therapist is just like any other doctor. You do not go back to your dentist to talk about your teeth every week once you have filled all your cavities. Move on! What you need is regular flossing & less sugar.
Pivoting back to the fellow writer I have mentioned before. After I have provided him with a long feedback about his article, we have agreed to meet over coffee. During which we discussed my work, his work & our common admiration towards craft of writing. The article which was the initiator of that meeting, was in fact beautiful. It had a wide variety of emotions. It portrayed a loving father, a mourning son, an exhausted entrepreneur & a resilient man who kept going regardless of the storm ahead.
The topic I plan to write about today has been on my mind for quite a while. However, the final push for this idea came from that same fellow writer who told me, “You inspired me to write.” It brought me joy to realize that I played a small part in helping him push his snowball down the hill. Clearly, what he created later—the article he wrote—was truly beautiful!
Here it is, after four months of silence. I’m writing again—thanks to the downhill snowball push I received yesterday. Thank you!
Now, I’d like to transition to the actual topic of this story. It’s a thesis of my own creation, so please feel free to judge and provide feedback.
The thesis is about city of Baku & it’s vibe. However, I should describe the city before I move on with my thesis. For those who have not seen or been to Baku. This is how it looks like.
The official population of Baku is 2.4 million, however unofficial sources & pure logic say it is actually around 4 million. It is a densely populated city on the coast of Caspian Sea. However the downtown part is surrounded by Bayil cliffs & hills. Another peculiar point about Baku is that, it is 28 meters below sea level.
Baku is known as the windiest city in Eurasia, earning it the nickname "City of Winds." Its transformation into an industrial city began in 1846 when the world's first oil well was drilled in the Bibi-Heybat suburb of Baku. Additionally, in 1878, the Nobel brothers launched the world's first tanker ship in Baku, named Zoroaster, in reference to the Zoroastrianism that was once practiced by many Azerbaijanis. This historical connection is also one of the reasons Azerbaijan is often referred to as the "Land of Fire."
Since regaining its independence Azerbaijan has been flourishing due to it’s immense natural resources & major part of investments have been directed towards Baku. Therefore, Baku became a regional hotspot for many industries and events.
All of these factors played a huge role for Baku in becoming a very vibrant and busy city.
At this point, I’d like to take you back to a dinner I had a week ago. During that dinner, a friend of mine, who had flown in from Dubai, posed the following question: “Every time I arrive in Baku, I notice that people seem a bit irritated and somewhat negative. Why is that?”
His question triggered a theory of mine, which was brewing in my mind for quite some time. Will now attempt to unravel that idea.
Couple of years back I had a road trip in place called Osetiya in Russian Federation. In the outskirts of mountainous Vladikavkaz we stopped by a shrine to a famous actor.
His name was Sergei Bodrov jr. He is most famous for the movie called “Brother”. May he rest in peace, he died in the Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide at the end of the second day of shooting of his film “The Messenger”. The avalanche and mudflow killed more than 120 people, including a film crew of 27 people.
There I am standing in front of a collapsed cave. I find myself and 100+ other visitors behaving a bit differently. We were all whispering, walking slow, causing minimum disruption to surroundings & just being weirdly cautious around the whole thing. Not just out of respect, the location had a peculiar energy or an energetic field around it.
The feeling I got there was similar to ones we get at a mosque, temple, synagogue, church or a cathedral. “The older the building, the greater the vibration becomes for every person praying in that temple. This is because throughout time, the faithful have embedded the vibration of their being into the stone and the wooden pews. It makes no difference as to your religion or spiritual belief system, be it Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, etc.”
Alok Ranjan from the Times says that: Most of us like to believe that a divinity guides our existence in this universe. The supreme cosmic force we refer to as God is omniscient, omnipresent and so cannot be confined to the four walls of a temple or any other specific place of worship. It is also difficult to believe that certain places have greater presence of God than do others.
Continuously, people come to places of worship with immense faith and think positive in the belief and hope that they shall be granted what they ask for. It is these positive and often uplifting thoughts in the mind of the devotees that transform the atmosphere inside a temple into one that creates an ambience suitable for reflection and meditation.
It creates spiritual field of energy. This explains how one starts thinking of God inside a temple. It is the attitude and mindset of the seeker, which creates this field of spiritual energy.
Recently a friend of mine asked me the following:
- Rashad what is the biggest lesson life has taught you?
- There are two. First one is; Rely only on yourself, everyone else is circumstantial. Second; God is great and almighty.
Therefore, I do not want to focus much on religions and undeniable presence of God. What I need you to focus on is how specific locations collect, accumulate, amass & store energy. The kind of energy we can feel but cannot usually explain.
My thesis is that, energy accumulation is not limited to holy temples. In fact same logic can be applied to a mountainous area in Vladikavkaz, cemeteries, burial grounds and even cities as a whole.
Yana Budnik wrote the following within her article; The atmosphere of a city begins with its pulse — the movement of people. Crowded marketplaces, bustling streets, and vibrant public spaces give a city its sense of life. From the rush of morning commuters to the leisurely strollers in a park, each movement contributes to a shared kinetic energy.
In cities like New York or Tokyo, the high pace and constant motion give an almost electric charge to the atmosphere, one of urgency and aspiration. Conversely, cities like Florence or Geneva may exude a more serene and reflective vibe, as people move with a slower, more deliberate pace, reflecting a deep connection to history and tradition. In Tbilisi, Georgia, a mix of lively street life and cozy, narrow lanes creates a unique atmosphere where old meets new, and tradition blends seamlessly with modernity.
If we go back to the question I was asked during a dinner couple of weeks ago. Every time I arrive to Baku I find people a bit irritated and somewhat negative, why is that?
Here is my answer to this question. Over the past centuries citizens of Baku have collected a certain psychology, mood and behavioral pattern. An example of that is high walls and fences around private housing. Those are erected not just for security against intruders. I believe, we do build those walls for multiple purposes.
- Ownership. First thing we do when buy a plot of land in Azerbaijan is, we build a wall around it. Azerbaijan is a place where - almost every century there has been a transition of the ruling power. Major assets transitioned from hand to hand. And a wall creates a sense of security - “No one will attempt to take this away from me!”
- Privacy. We do not like to be seen in our private homes. We Azerbaijanis like show only what we choose. A high wall is also a portrayal of wealth.
- Actual physical security. A huge proportion of population still keeps their valuables under the pillow.
Of course there are some other reasons as well, but these are the ones people do not like to admit.
Along with behavioral patterns of cities there is also accumulation of feelings and energy. Which are affected by geography, current state of economy, architecture, city planning, living conditions, weather, and history.
Geography - Baku being below sea level and being surrounded by hills and walls can subtly create a subconscious feeling of entrapment. Landscape theory says the following: “ Landscape theory often explores how physical environments influence human emotions and behaviors. In the context of feeling trapped, this theory suggests that certain landscapes can evoke feelings of confinement or restriction due to their design or characteristics.
For instance, dense urban areas with limited green spaces may contribute to a sense of entrapment, as individuals might feel disconnected from nature or overwhelmed by their surroundings. Conversely, open landscapes or natural settings can promote feelings of freedom and relaxation.”
Current state of economy - Azerbaijan has failed to diversify from it’s oil revenues. To this day more than half of our economy is dependent on sales of “Brent” oil. Which indicates that all other non-oil industries in Azerbaijan have not matured. According to statistics, work eligible population of Azerbaijan is around 4.5-5 million (half of the whole population). However, legally employed proportion of that figure is only third of it. That does not mean that we have the biggest unemployment rate in the world. That just means that a huge proportion of the work eligible population earns its living unofficially. Average salary in Azerbaijan is 494 US dollars. There is also a huge speculation about the actual inflation rate of Azerbaijani manat. I do not want to get into much detail about economic state of Azerbaijan and Baku. What I want to stress is - the current state of economy intensifies the “rat race”. The agitation towards making a living way above the median salary. Baku is becoming an expensive city and it is a challenge to feed a family of four for 500 US dollars per month.
Architecture and city planning in Baku have focused on vertical growth over the past few decades. According to the State Statistics Committee, since the year 2000, a total of 478,800 apartments have been built, with an average size of 110 square meters. More than 90% of these apartments are located in buildings with ten floors or more. This vertical development has led to significant overcrowding in the city, largely due to a lack of appropriate city planning.
Horizontal expansion only began after we recognized this failure, leading to a more balanced approach to urban development. The result of this confined living space is a constant rush; drivers hurry from one location to another, pedestrians rush to cross streets, and taxi drivers rush to make ends meet—all contributing to a chaotic atmosphere in the city.
As mentioned earlier, Baku is the windiest city in Eurasia. Research has indicated that wind direction can influence anxiety and energy levels. For instance, warm, inland winds tend to lower energy levels and elevate feelings of anxiety. The premise is that wind blowing from the "wrong" direction can contribute to a sense of discomfort, while wind from the "right" direction may help alleviate anxiety and boost energy. This relationship between wind conditions and emotional well-being is particularly relevant in a city like Baku, where the windy climate can significantly impact residents' daily lives and moods.
Living conditions - Most of the dwellings or living spaces in Baku have low exposure to sunlight & nature. Not so many trees & parks can be seen from our windows. I do not have to stress how important nature in relation to stress levels. Another contributing factor to stress levels in Azerbaijani culture is in-home lighting. Predominantly, almost every living space has some sort of a chandelier hanging from the ceiling & sometimes is surrounded by smaller spot lights. Since homes are spaces for rest, rejuvenation, and relaxation, the lighting used in residences plays a direct role in regulating mood. Thoughtful lighting choices at home can improve both physical and psychological comfort. Incorrect in-home lighting can disrupt circadian rhythms & production of melatonin hormone. Which will lead to stress, lack of sleep, anxiety and etc.
Therefore, when these above mention & some left out - indicators pile up. A city’s vibe shifts to be different. The psychology of the group of people inhabiting it - shifts towards negativity.
Do not get me wrong, I love Baku & some people who live in it. This was not an attempt to disregard so many efforts made to make this city a better place. However, many man-made errors were made. Therefore, this was an attempt to outline the implications and outcomes of those errors.
Returning to my original point or thesis, I wanted to emphasize the theory that cities, too, can accumulate and channel energy, much like holy places, memorials, libraries, and cemeteries. Everything or every reason I've mentioned above theoretically affects this citiy's spectrum of vibrations. As the saying goes, places hold memories.
Despite all this, I don’t allow myself to get frustrated about the situation. It is what it is. I’ve become accustomed to not letting things I cannot control bother me, and I believe others should adopt the same mindset. Instead, I focus on avoiding entanglement in these issues and finding a way to navigate through them.
Pura Vida!
Rashad
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