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Post by mmm on Apr 25, 2005 3:59:45 GMT -5
When I was in Russia I think the environment itself is very depressing; I heard that Muscovites are hostile to foreigners and to Russians from other places, but in private they are more open and friendly.
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Post by Soomaal on Apr 25, 2005 4:53:26 GMT -5
I don't know why people think Russians are so nasty.LOL
My father was in the old military academy in Leningrad, he told me that they were some really nice people and that the teachers and the people were really great.
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Post by nockwasright on Apr 25, 2005 5:31:20 GMT -5
It predates communism, IMHO I agree, as such pessimistic attitude is already evident in the works of the great Russian writers. Moreover, their works depict a society made up by warriors/noblemen and peasants, without a middle class. I noticed that often in Dostoevskij the tailors, shoopkeepers, musicians, doctors are non Russian. Such a society may well favour more harsh manners as it is based more on strenght than on trade. It's just an idea, actually we should agree first on Russians being "nasty"; something I never noticed personally.
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Post by zemelmete on Apr 25, 2005 5:39:41 GMT -5
Yes, between russians are many nice people. But they can be also nasty. I have russian friends which I can describe as very nice, cute etc. But sometimes they have also not so nice attitude to several people. Once we went together and saw one tramp on the street. My friends started to scream towards him:"hey you smelly, dirty ass!" Then one specially dropped bred to the ground and screamed:"come and eat it!" Everybody were laughing (exept, of course, that tramp). Now I understand that it actually wasn't funny, but we, propably, had something negative in our souls what wanted to throw out.
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Post by Soomaal on Apr 25, 2005 5:52:48 GMT -5
Yes, between russians are many nice people. But they can be also nasty. I have russian friends which I can describe as very nice, cute etc. But sometimes they have also not so nice attitude to several people. Once we went together and saw one tramp on the street. My friends started to scream towards him:"hey you smelly, dirty ass!" Then one specially dropped bred to the ground and screamed:"come and eat it!" Everybody were laughing (exept, of course, that tramp). Now I understand that it actually wasn't funny, but we, propably, had something negative in our souls what wanted to throw out. This is everywhere, there are good and bad people everywhere. If you call that bad, heck my people would be really nasty if you think that is nasty.LOL
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Post by zemelmete on Apr 25, 2005 7:12:41 GMT -5
Of course, everywhere people can be nasty. But frequency and strenght of rudiness, agressiveness etc. varies from nation to nation. In that part of Siberia, where I lived, were people of different nationalities, not only russians. I lived in village where lived russians and khanty. As a child I played with children form both nationalities. Already then I noticed difference between them- khanty children were far much more calm and silent than russian children.
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cullen
Junior Member
Posts: 73
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Post by cullen on Apr 25, 2005 14:48:44 GMT -5
they don't hide their opinions so much as western europeans (it is so called "heartopeness") and can say straightly what they think about somebody. Yeah, it is difficult to admit that they are lazy slobs with bad upbringing. ;D The third, russians usually strictly divide people into "our" and "stranger". In other words, they are racists. I heard that they call Georgians, Armenians, Chechens black people. And they also killed a girl who actually looked more white than many of them.This is a picture of the 9-year old girl who was killed only because she wasn't Russian. Couple of weeks ago I read that students from Africa and Indonesia were killed in Moscow. I think that all these negative things are because of really sad russian history which started since mongol invasion and continues till this day. Of course, how many centures ago did that happen? Weren't Russians slaves to their own landed classes only 144 years ago? African Americans can't forget about slavery, I wonder if Russians remember about their ancestry? Especially big stroke was soviet system what really spoiled and destroyed everything- not only nature and environment, not only culture, not only were killed people, not only economics were uneffective, but also changed way of thinking of people, made them agressive, apathy, pesimistic. In soviet times many people didn't see any reason to live. Still today in Russia is one of the highest pecentage of suicides in the world. How about now? Are they happy now?
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Post by NuSapiens on Apr 25, 2005 18:51:35 GMT -5
Some of these traits were described before the Soviet era, so they seem to be enduring Russian cultural traits.
Perhaps there is something very Eastern European about all of this. A Hungarian once described to me how in his culture, (to paraphrase) people are never really happy, there is always a feeling of unhappiness.
I've noticed that the few Eastern Europeans I've met to often have a negative edge to them. But perhaps this is partly how they feel in an American cultural context. Many Latin Americans I've met have been negative about the USA.
People often aren't happy when they are not culturally "at home," in general. It does not feel good to be surrounded by strangers.
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Post by vojta on Apr 25, 2005 19:41:50 GMT -5
don't take it personally.....but anytime you are dealing with communism, neo-communism, or ex-communism, you can expect to see the scars of insolence. (exceptions abound of course) I think I feel "most sorry" for Belarus. + =
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Post by Josh on Apr 26, 2005 21:26:18 GMT -5
I don't personally know any Russians, but I do know a Ukrainian guy in my math class who is quite nice. My friend has told me that no Russian he's ever known had any sense of humor.
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Post by zemelmete on Apr 27, 2005 9:48:05 GMT -5
I don't say that all russians have bad upbringing. But they sometimes tell their opinions straightier. Here, in Latvia, that is one of differences between russians and latvians. Latvians rarely will say negative things towards stranger, they will more or less hide it. But russians can say something negative and, if it is needed, even scream. Because in Russia (and other Eastern European countries) aren't many really darkskinned people. This naming "blacks"of georgians, armenians, gypsies etc. is historical, because earlier in Eastern Europe they were the darkest people. What is that girl's ethnicity? Yes majority of russians were slaves in their own land. Officially they were called peasants but in reality they were slaves. Here is painting of slaves in Russia who are hauling ship(author Ilya Repin). In western Europe at that time instead people used horses.
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Post by zemelmete on Apr 27, 2005 9:59:27 GMT -5
Really? Russians are one of the biggest jokers I know!
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Post by SensoUnico on Apr 27, 2005 10:08:47 GMT -5
Yes, but they need to be primed with vodka first, at least that is my impression. I have to say that I have found Russians to be cautious, wary at first but very friendly and generous when the ice is broken.
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Post by zemelmete on Apr 27, 2005 10:18:23 GMT -5
Yes, but they need to be primed with vodka first, at least that is my impression. I have to say that I have found Russians to be cautious, wary at first but very friendly and generous when the ice is broken. hehe about that vodka. Actually usually russians are joking being non-drinked as well as other people. But in the next sentence you are right. Russians are cold towards strangers. But it is typical not only for russians. Baltic people, finnish are even more closed for strangers. Later, when you get russian, estonian or latvian as friend, they are really friendly. But the difference is, that russians are opening much faster than latvian or estonian.
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Post by Tautamo on Apr 27, 2005 10:20:54 GMT -5
This started out as a question about Russian attitudes/personalities, and became one of physical attractiveness. ?? I haven't met many Russians, but they (and people from former Soviet Bloc countries as well) often do come across as rather bitter or pessimistic. Perhaps this is an artifact of recent history, but it might be an enduring cultural characteristic. I have learned that there certainly is some truh to the stereotype of Slavic nihilism and fatalism (as opposed to Anglo-American or German emphasis on personal initiative and will) as cultural traits. all poor people (farmer) types are pissed they have no money need i say more? Anglo Americans and Germans are nice? umm have you ever been down south? (in America) lol
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