I've been talking to this Russian guy in the Hostel and he has a pretty interesting theory. He says foreign relations and expectations of Russia would be better if only Russians looked more different than Europeans (like asian or black or something). His theory is that people don't realize how different Russian culture is from european and that people tend to forget because Russians are white. Expectations are thus set differently and people are less sensitive to cultural difference which just paints the Russians as being "crazy"instead of different. He rambled quite a lot about Russia, he has some interesting perspectives. You talk about Tsarist ideals but he compared Russia to Byzantine. You're either a slave, manager or slave owner in Russia. Which honestly s not too far off the truth considering Russia was the only place to enslave their own people (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serfdom_in_Russia) less than 150 years ago.
In a book by Thomas Mann ( The magic mountain ) the narrator become obsessed with a woman. The narrator keep on talking on how she has those Russian eyes and features. I think it's something somewhat Asian looking: Slightly slanting black eyes. A friend of mine of Russian ascend has them. On other side of thing, I kind of feel the US has that type of male with wide solid jaws that seems so prevalent in US compares to the rest of the world. The average of people face by country might prove me wrong.
Nonsense. Why are Germans and the French considered so vastly different, then? They're both white people, but their culture is obviously and vastly different to anyone, even the most uneducated. People of France have baguette, people of German have Pretzeln; France has wine, Germany (and the mostly-German, culturally, countries) has beer; France has relaxed attitude towards work while Germans are workaholics. I mean, even if we go by solely stereotypes, it doesn't make any sense, - so maybe it's Russia, after all, that is to blame.He says foreign relations and expectations of Russia would be better if only Russians looked more different than Europeans (like asian or black or something)
Are they? I think you'd be hard-pressed to get someone from Malaysia to think of big differences. Go back a few hundred years (about 1200), and they're the same people! Those things you listed, I could list them for every Bundesland, there's always a difference, but those differences are minuscule in comparison to Russia, a country that has a very different history and origins. While France and Germany have always been in close contact with each other, it wasn't until maybe the 17th century that western europe really became aware of Russia as something to deal with. Then there's the fact that the early conflicts were mainly against the khanates of the steppe, culminating in the Golden Horde's rule, which lasted about 300 years. At that time, Germany and France were mainly occupied with infighting (in the case of proto-Germany) or the fight against muslims. The two countries are inextricably linked in their history. Just look at how the frech and german kings circled each other in the matter of the Italian city states. And that thread winds through, Russia just dealt with very different things historically (up until the Napoleonic wars). And history forms culture. And common history fosters an understanding you don't have with completely new aquaintances.Why are Germans and the French considered so vastly different, then?
Wouldn't it be reasonable to assume every culture to be different, therefore? If the "white West" sees within themselves the difference (do dare call a US person not so different from a German), why stop there for Russia specifically? I'd argue that it's Russia's appearance that makes other countries turn away and not investigate further. Like that kid in your class whom no one talks to because he's "weird". And wouldn't it be even more reasonable to assume such a vast difference for a country with such a different history? No, I'm not buying the physical appearance argument.Those things you listed, I could list them for every Bundesland, there's always a difference, but those differences are minuscule in comparison to Russia, a country that has a very different history and origins.
I wonder where in Russia he is from? It makes a BIG difference. The "Russians" we Westerners think of are from the Russia where the vast majority of Russians live: a rough triangle with points at St Petersburg, Moscow, and Kiev. Go further south or east and "Russians" are VERY different, physically, mentally, and culturally. The Byzantine nature of the Russian southeast through the length of the Silk Road is readily apparent, even today. But the look/culture/style of those "Russians" are not what we Westerners would consider "Russian" at all.
Berobijian from what I heard was ussrs attempt the exile Jews to Siberia more diplomatically than sending them to the gulag. One of my grandfather had "Jew" as his nationallity in his passport (he was born in ukraine) and I remember getting into countless debates about the question back in high school. Here in Canada you can be Israeli, being a Jew is not a nationality . Brings back some memories... I don't really know where I was going with this comment anymore