According to Yuriy, in the olden days Kalmyks lived in friendship and harmony, despite their difference in clan affiliations. By contrast, Kalmyks were on guard with regard to other ethnic groups. In the Soviet period Kalmyks, however, changed and they began to write denunciations against each other. Comparing traditional and modern life, Yuriy says that before the Soviet period life was better and people knew each other, whereas today even relatives do not know one another. Other things that changed are values, not to mention the quality of food. By contrast with today, food was natural and organic in the past.