9 myths about Russia and Russians
1. "Russians drink heavily!"
The volume of intake of alcohol per
head in Russia is lower than in France, Italy and some states of USA.
Besides the biological mentality of Russians lets them drink more
considerable quantity of vodka or spirit without any injury to health than
the specimen of other nationalities. In many respects it can be explained
by the genetic adaptation to the inclement climatic conditions.
2. "Russians are not economical and can't count money!"
Those who
have enough money to count are economical and provident. The others
contrive to have their fridges packed even when they have hard times. The
first and the second ones just don't deny themselves pleasure and may be
they realize better than the others that life is unique…
3. "You can't realize Russia!"
Russians themselves promote the
expansion of this expression. This is some kind of defence against the
superfluous attention from without and the justification of their
imperfection. Actually, all the events that take place in Russia are
explainable, logical and natural.
4. "Chauvinism is Russians' nature"
… However Russians never tried
to annihilate or lock the whole nations up in the reservations as
representatives of other very civilized countries used to do it. And what
is more, the most part of national names in many spheres of knowledge and
culture have become famous after so-called Russian "occupation" of
national regions during different phases of history.
5. "Russia is to big to be in order!"
That is much the same as the
point 3. In fact the territory of any size can be administrative divided
and controlled. The period of Stalin's totalitarianism in Russia's history
confirms the possibility of efficient administration. The problem is to
search the golden mean between strict control and democracy.
6. "Russians are retrogrades!"
But it was Russians who systematized
chemical elements, conquered space, tamed atom, won a victory over
fascism. The list can be continued endlessly… It's more correct to speak
about social backwardness and absence of citizenship.
7. "Russians are too patient…"
On the contrary - terrible hurried!
Hurry is the reason for the most of cataclysms in the history of Russia.
Speaking of the absence of walkouts, barricades and meetings against
unpopular measures and arbitrariness of the so-called "new Russians", it's
not because of patience. The reason is social passivity, "herd's
syndrome".
8. "Russians are ill-mannered and can't behave suitably in
society!"
About ten percent close to true… Mainly the foreigners see
the worst part of Russian society as their guests or migrants. Only the
thieves, bandits, "new Russians" and officials have a real opportunity to
go abroad. The two last categories in Russia have few differences from the
two first.
11. "Russia is Asia…"
Actually Russia is neither Europe nor Asia.
It's Eurasia. But it will never become a pure European country as well as
it never was and never will be a pure Asiatic state. Geopolitical
originality and historical predestination of Russia is to be a buffer
between Europe and Asia.
