Distinctive features of Russians. The mysterious Russian soul - what is it like? Major folk holidays
Recent Events such as the overthrow of the government in Ukraine, the secession of Crimea and its decision to join the Russian Federation, the ensuing military campaign against civilian population in eastern Ukraine, Western sanctions against Russia, and, more recently, an attack on the ruble are all it caused in Russian society certain phase shift, which is misunderstood in the West, if at all. This misunderstanding puts Europe at a huge disadvantage in terms of being able to negotiate an end to the crisis.
And if before these events they were inclined to perceive Russia as “another European country”, now they remembered that Russia is a different civilization with other civilizational roots (rather Byzantine than Roman), which once or twice a century became the object of an organized Western attempt to destroy it, because it was attacked by Sweden, Poland, France, Germany, or alliances of these countries. This in a special way influenced the Russian character, which, if misunderstood, can lead the whole of Europe and even the whole world to disaster.
If you think that Byzantium had an insignificant cultural influence on Russia, then you are mistaken: its influence was in fact decisive. It began with the advent of Christianity - first through the Crimea (the birthplace of Christianity in Russia), and then through the Russian capital Kiev (the same Kiev that is today the capital of Ukraine) - and allowed Russia to "jump" a whole millennium cultural development. This influence has also defined the opaque and clumsy bureaucracy of the Russian state apparatus, which unnerves - along with many other things - the West, which loves transparency so much, especially in others. Russians often like to call Moscow the Third Rome, after the real Rome and Constantinople, and this is not so unreasonable. But this does not mean that Russian civilization is something derivative. Yes, she managed to absorb all the classical heritage, which was viewed primarily through the "eastern prism", but the vast northern expanses turned this heritage into something radically different.
This topic is generally very complex, so I will focus on four factors that I consider fundamental to understanding the transformations that we are witnessing today.
1. Reaction to attack
Western states were born under conditions of limited resources and relentless popular pressure, which largely determines how these states react when they become the target of attack. For quite a long time, when the central government was weak, conflicts were resolved in a bloody way, and even the most insignificant injection from a former friend immediately turned him into a rival who was fought with swords. The reason was that under these conditions, the protection of the territory was the key to survival.
On the contrary, Russia extends over an almost boundless territory in which resources are dispersed. In addition, Russia skillfully used the generosity of the trade route that led from the Varangians to the Greeks, and was so active that Arab geographers were confident in the existence of a strait that connects the Black and Baltic Sea. Under these conditions, it was important to avoid conflicts, and people who grabbed weapons at every side glance would have a hard time living in such an environment.
Therefore, a very different strategy for resolving conflicts was formed, which has survived to this day. If you offend or harm a Russian in any way, it is unlikely that a fight will start (although this is exactly what happens during demonstrative skirmishes in public or in the expected settling of scores through violence). More often than not, the Russian will just send you to hell and want nothing to do with you. If the situation is complicated by physical proximity, then the Russian will think about moving - in any direction, but the main thing is to stay away from you. In ordinary conversation, all this is formulated by the one-syllable statement "Pshel", a form of the verb "send". With an almost infinite amount of free land to settle in, this strategy works remarkably well. Russians live settled lives, but when they need to move, they behave like nomads, among whom the main way to resolve conflicts is voluntary movement.
This reaction to offense is a kind of constant aspect of Russian culture, in connection with which the West, which does not understand this, can hardly achieve the results it desires. For people from the West, an insult can be redeemed with an apology, something like “I am sorry!”. But for a Russian, to a certain extent, this is nothing, especially in the case when the one who was sent to hell brought an apology. A verbal apology that is not accompanied by anything tangible is one of the rules good manners, which for Russians is a kind of luxury. A few decades ago, the usual apology sounded like "I'm sorry." Today, Russia is much more polite, but the basic cultural patterns have been preserved.
And while a purely verbal apology is priceless, a tangible redress is not. "Fix things up" could mean parting with rare possessions, proposing a new and serious commitment, or announcing a major change in direction. The main thing is to do everything, and not only in words, because at a certain stage words can only aggravate the situation, and the call to “go to hell” can be supplemented by the less pleasant phrase “let me show you the way.”
2. Tactics against invaders
Russia has a long history of invasions from all sides, but primarily from the West, thanks to which Russian culture has come to a certain type of thinking that is difficult to understand from the outside. First of all, you need to realize that when the Russians repel invasions (and the fact that the CIA, along with the US State Department, run Ukraine through Ukrainian Nazis, is also considered an invasion), they are not fighting for territory, at least not directly. They are rather fighting for Russia as a concept. And the concept is that Russia has been attacked many times, but no one has ever conquered it. In the Russian mind, conquering Russia means killing almost all Russians, and as they like to say, "You won't kill us all." The population can be restored over time (22 million were killed at the end of World War II), but once the concept is lost, Russia will be lost forever. It may seem nonsense to people in the West when Russians talk about Russia as a “land of princes, poets and saints,” but that is precisely the way of thinking. Russia has no history, it is history itself.
And since the Russians are fighting more for a concept than for a specific piece of Russian territory, they are always ready to retreat first. When Napoleon invaded Russia, he saw the land being burned by the retreating Russians. Finally, he reached Moscow, but she, too, died in the flames. He stopped there for a while, but in the end he realized that he could not do more (did he really have to go to Siberia?), So at last he left his retreating, starving and frozen army, leaving it to the mercy of fate. As he retreated, another aspect of the Russian cultural heritage: every peasant in every village burned during the Russian retreat participated in the Russian resistance, which created many problems for the French army.
The German invasion during World War II also moved very quickly at first: a large territory was occupied, and the Russians continued to retreat, the population, entire factories and other institutions were evacuated to Siberia, families moved inland. But then the German procession stopped, turned around and eventually turned into a complete rout. The standard model was repeated when the Russian army broke the will of the invaders, and most of the local residents who were under occupation refused to cooperate, self-organized in partisan detachments and inflicted the maximum possible damage on the retreating aggressors.
Another Russian method in the fight against the invader is the hope for the Russian climate, which will do its job. In the village, people usually get rid of all unnecessary living creatures in the house, simply stopping heating: in a few days at minus 40, all cockroaches, fleas, lice, nits, as well as mice and rats, will rest. This also works with occupiers. Russia is the northernmost country in the world. And although Canada is further north, most of its population lives along the southern border, and not one Big City not located beyond the Arctic Circle. And in Russia there are two such cities at once. Life in Russia in some respects resembles life in space or on the high seas: you cannot live without mutual assistance. The Russian winter simply will not let you survive without cooperation with the locals, so to destroy the aggressor, it is enough to simply refuse to cooperate. And if you are sure that the occupier can force cooperation by shooting a few locals to scare the rest, see point 1.
3. Tactics in relations with foreign powers
Russia owns almost the entire northern part of the Eurasian continent, and this is almost a sixth of the land. On the scale of the planet Earth, this is enough. This is not an exception or a historical accident: throughout their history, the Russians have sought to ensure their collective security by developing as much territory as possible. If you're wondering what made them do it, go back to Tactics Against Invaders.
And if you think that foreign powers have repeatedly tried to attack and conquer Russia in order to gain access to huge natural resources, then you are mistaken: there was always access - it was enough to ask. Usually Russians do not refuse to sell their natural wealth - even to potential enemies. That's just the enemies, as a rule, wanted to "stick" to Russian sources for free. For them, the existence of Russia is a nuisance that they tried to get rid of with the help of violence.
But they only achieved that after their failure, the price for themselves increased. It's a simple principle: foreigners want Russian resources, and to protect them, Russia needs a strong, centralized state with a large and strong army, so that foreigners must pay and maintain thereby Russian state and the army. As a result, most of the finances of the Russian state are taken from export tariffs, primarily oil and gas exports, and not from taxation of the Russian population. In the end, Russian population paid dearly by fighting the constant invaders, so why burden him with taxes even more? This means that the Russian state is a customs state that uses duties and tariffs to obtain funds from enemies that could destroy it, and also uses these funds for its own defense. In view of the fact that there is no replacement for Russian resources, the principle works: the more hostile the world behaves towards Russia, the more money he will pay for Russia's national defense.
But this policy is used in relations with foreign powers, not foreign peoples. For centuries, Russia "absorbed" a lot of immigrants, say from Germany, during Thirty Years' War, and France, after the revolution there. Later people moved from Vietnam, Korea, China and Central Asia. Last year, Russia took in more migrants than any other country except the United States. In addition, Russia has received almost a million people from war-torn Ukraine without too much difficulty. Russians are more of an migrant population than many others, and Russia is a bigger melting pot than the US.
4. Thank you, but we have our own
Another interesting cultural trait is that Russians always see the need to be the best in everything - from ballet and figure skating, hockey and football to space travel and microchip manufacturing. You may think that Champagne is a protected French brand, but recently on New Year's Eve I became convinced that Soviet Champagne is still selling out at the speed of light, and not only in Russia, but also in Russian stores in the US, because, you know, French things can be good, but they don't taste Russian enough. For almost everything you can think of, there is a Russian version, which Russians consider the best, and sometimes say outright that it is their invention (for example, Popov invented the radio, not Marconi). Of course, there are exceptions (say, tropical fruits) that are acceptable provided they are from " brotherly people”, which, for example, is Cuba. This model has already worked in Soviet times, and it seems that to a certain extent it has survived to this day.
During the ensuing "stagnation" of the era of Brezhnev, Andropov and Gorbachev, when Russian ingenuity was indeed on the wane along with everything else, technologically (but not culturally) Russia lost ground in relation to the West. After the collapse Soviet Union Russians wanted Western imports, which was completely understandable, since Russia itself at that time produced practically nothing. In the 90s, the time came for Western managers who flooded Russia with cheap imports, setting themselves a long-term goal - to destroy the local industry and Russian production, turn Russia into a mere exporter of raw materials, which will be defenseless against the embargo, and which can be easily forced to lose sovereignty. Everything would have ended in a military invasion, against which Russia would have been defenseless.
This process went pretty far before it got a few snags. First, Russian production and non-hydrocarbon exports recovered and multiplied in one decade. The growth also affected the export of grain, weapons and high-tech products. Secondly, Russia has found quite a few friendlier and more profitable trade partners in the world, however, this in no way detracts from the importance of its trade with the West, more precisely with the EU. Thirdly, the Russian defense industry was able to maintain its standards and independence from imports. (The same can hardly be said about defense companies in the West that depend on Russian titanium exports).
And today, a “perfect storm” broke out for Western managers: the ruble partially depreciated due to low prices for oil, which displaces imports and helps local producers. Sanctions have undermined Russia's confidence in the West's credibility as a supplier, and the conflict in Crimea is bolstering Russians' confidence in their own abilities. The Russian government has taken the opportunity to support companies that can immediately replace imports from the West with other products. The Russian Central Bank has been tasked with financing them at a lending rate that makes import substitution even more attractive.
Some compare the current period with when in last time the price of oil fell to $10 per barrel, which to a certain extent brought the collapse of the USSR closer. But this analogy is wrong. Then the USSR economically stagnated and depended on Western grain supplies, without which it could not feed the people. The disintegration was led by the helpless and controlled Gorbachev - a peacemaker, a capitulator and a world-class phrase-monger, whose wife loved to go shopping in London. The Russian people despised him. Today, Russia is once again becoming one of the world's largest grain exporters, led by an exemplary President Putin, who enjoys the support of more than 80% of the population. Comparing the USSR before the collapse with today's Russia, commentators and analysts only demonstrate their ignorance.
This passage is written literally by itself. This is a recipe for disaster, so I will write everything down, as in the recipe, point by point.
1. Take the people who respond to attacks by sending you to hell, turning away from you and wanting nothing to do with you - instead of fighting with you. Realize that this is a people whose natural resources are necessary for you to have light and heat in your homes so that you can produce transport aircraft, military fighters and much more. Remember that a quarter of the light bulbs in the US are powered by Russian nuclear fuel, and shutting off Europe from Russian gas would be a disaster.
2. Enter economic and financial sanctions against Russia. Watch with horror as your exporters lose profits and the Russian backlash blocks agricultural exports. Remember that this is a country that has survived a long chain of attacks and has traditionally relied on unfriendly countries to fund Russian defenses against those enemies. Or Russia turns to such methods as the already mentioned winter. “No gas for NATO countries” sounds like a great slogan. Hope and pray that Moscow doesn't like it.
3. Organize an attack on their national currency, which will lose some of its value, and do the same with oil prices. Imagine how Russian officials chuckle when they go to the Central Bank when the low ruble rate means filling the state budget despite the low price of oil. Watch with horror as your exporters go bankrupt because they can no longer take a place in the Russian market. Remember that Russia does not have a public debt worth discussing, that it is being run with an insignificant budget deficit, that it has large gold and foreign exchange reserves. Think about your banks that "lent" hundreds of billions of dollars to Russian companies - those companies that, by imposing sanctions, you cut off access to your banking system. Hope and pray that Russia does not freeze the payment of debts for west bank when new sanctions are introduced, because your banks will be blown up.
4. Watch with horror as Russia rewrites gas export agreements that now involve everyone but you. And when they start working, will there be enough gas left for you? But it seems that this is no longer Russia's concern, because you offended her, because the Russians, such and such, sent you to hell (and do not forget to take Galich there). Now they will trade with countries that are more friendly to them.
5. Watch with horror as Russia actively looks for ways to exit trade relations with you, looks for suppliers in other parts of the world, and organizes production to replace imports.
And then a surprise appears, by the way, underestimated by everyone, euphemistically speaking. Russia recently proposed a deal to the EU. If the European Union refuses to sign the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US, it may join the Customs Union with Russia. Why freeze yourself when Washington can freeze? This would be redress for the EU's past aggressive behavior, which Russia would have accepted. And it's in the highest degree generous offer. And if the EU accepts it, it will prove a lot: that the EU does not pose any military and economic threat to Russia, that European countries very cute and small, produce delicious cheeses and sausages that the current crop of politicians is worthless, dependent on Washington and that a lot of pressure needs to be created to figure out where the interests of their peoples really are ... So will the EU accept such a proposal or accept Galich as a new member and “freeze” ?
The character of the Russian people was formed mainly under the influence of time and space. The history and geographical location of our homeland also made their own adjustments. The constant danger from possible raids and wars rallied people, gave birth to a special patriotism, the desire for a strong centralized power. Climatic conditions, it must be said, not the most favorable, forced the people to unite, tempered a particularly strong character. The vast expanses of our country have given a special scope to the actions and feelings of the Russian people. Although these generalizations are conditional, it is still possible to identify common features and patterns.
Since its inception, Russia has shown itself to be an unusual country, not like the others, which aroused curiosity and added mystery. Russia does not fit the mold, does not fall under any standards, everything in it is not similar to the majority. And because of this, her character, the character of her people, is very complex and contradictory, difficult for foreigners to understand.
Nowadays, scientists and researchers began to find everything big role national character in the development of society as a whole. It is a single, integral system with a hierarchy of traits and qualities that influence the way of thinking and acting of a given nation. It passes to people from generation to generation, it is rather difficult to change it by taking administrative measures, but still it is possible, though for large-scale changes it is necessary a large number of time and effort.
Interest in the Russian national character is shown not only abroad, but we ourselves are trying to understand it, although this is not entirely successful. We cannot understand our actions, explain some historical situations, although we notice some originality and illogicality in our actions and thoughts.
Today, a turning point is taking place in our country, which we are experiencing with difficulty and, in my opinion, not entirely correctly. In the 20th century, there was a loss of many values, there was a decline national identity. And in order to get out of this state, the Russian people must, first of all, understand themselves, return their former features and instill values, and eradicate shortcomings.
The very concept of national character is widely used today by politicians, scientists, media mass media, writers. Often this concept has a very different meaning. Scholars have debated whether there really is a national character. And today, the existence of certain features characteristic of only one people is recognized. These features are manifested in the way of life, thoughts, behavior and activities of the people of a given nation. Based on this, we can say that the national character is a certain combination of physical and spiritual qualities characteristic of only one nation, norms of activity and behavior.
The character of each people is very complex and contradictory due to the fact that the history of each people is complex and contradictory. Also important factors are climatic, geographical, social, political and other conditions that affect the formation and development of the national character. Researchers believe that all factors and conditions can be divided into two groups: natural-biological and socio-cultural.
The first explains that belonging to different races people will show their character and temperament in different ways. It should also be said here that the type of society formed by a particular people will also have a strong influence on its character. Therefore, the understanding of the national character of a people occurs through an understanding of society, the conditions and factors in which this people lives.
It is also important that the very type of society is determined by the system of values adopted in it. Thus, social values are the basis of the national character. National character is a set of important methods for regulating activity and communication, created in accordance with the social values inherent in given people. Therefore, in order to understand the Russian national character, it is necessary to single out the values characteristic of the Russian people.
In the Russian character, such qualities as catholicity and nationality, striving for something infinite stand out. Our nation has religious tolerance and ethnic tolerance. A Russian person constantly has dissatisfaction with what is on this moment He always wants something different. The peculiarity of the Russian soul is explained, on the one hand, by “walking in the clouds”, and on the other hand, by the inability to cope with one’s emotions. We either contain them as much as possible, or let them out all at once. Maybe that's why there is so much soulfulness in our culture.
The most accurate features of the Russian national character are reflected in the works of folk art. Here it is worth highlighting fairy tales and epics. The Russian peasant wishes for a better future, but he is too lazy to actually do anything for this. He would rather resort to the help of a goldfish or a talking pike. The most probably popular character of our fairy tales - this is Ivan the Fool. And this is no accident. Indeed, behind the outwardly careless, lazy, unable to do anything, son of an ordinary Russian peasant is hiding a pure soul. Ivan is kind, sympathetic, savvy, naive, compassionate. At the end of the tale, he always wins over the prudent and pragmatic royal son. Therefore, the people consider him their hero.
The feeling of patriotism among the Russian people, it seems to me, is beyond doubt. From time immemorial, both old people and children have been fighting invaders and occupiers. Suffice it to recall the Patriotic War of 1812, when all the people, the entire army asked to give battle to the French.
The character of the Russian woman deserves special attention. huge power will and spirit forces to sacrifice everything for the sake of a person close to her. For her beloved, she can go even to the ends of the world, and this will not be blind and obsessive following, as is customary in Eastern countries, and this is a conscious and independent act. You can take as an example the wives of the Decembrists and some writers and poets sent into exile in Siberia. These women very consciously deprive themselves of everything for the sake of their husbands.
It is impossible not to say about the cheerful and perky disposition, about the sense of humor of Russians. No matter how hard it is, a Russian person will always find a place for fun and joy, and if it’s not hard and everything is fine, then the scale of fun is guaranteed. They have been talking about the breadth of the Russian soul, they are talking about it, and they will continue to talk about it. A Russian person simply needs to roam to the fullest, make a splash, splurge, even though, let him give up his last shirt for this.
Since ancient times, there has been no place for self-interest in the Russian character; material values have never come to the fore. Russian man has always been able to make great efforts in the name of lofty ideals, whether it is the defense of the Motherland or the upholding of sacred values.
The harsh and difficult life has taught Russians to be content and survive with what they have. Constant self-restraint left its mark. That is why the desire for money accumulation and wealth at any cost was not common in our people. This was the privilege of Europe.
For Russians, oral is very important. folk art. Knowing proverbs, sayings, fairy tales and phraseological units, reflecting the reality of our life, a person was considered educated, worldly wise, possessing folk spirituality. Spirituality is also one of the characteristic features of a Russian person.
Due to increased emotionality, our people are characterized by openness, sincerity. This is especially evident in communication. If we take Europe as an example, then individualism is highly developed there, which is protected in every possible way, but in our country, on the contrary, people are interested in what is happening in the lives of those around them, and a Russian person will never refuse to tell about his life. This, most likely, can be attributed to compassion - another very Russian character trait.
Along with positive qualities, such as generosity, breadth of soul, openness, courage, there is one, of course, negative. I'm talking about drinking. But it is not something that has gone hand in hand with us throughout the history of the country. No, this is an ailment that we caught relatively recently and cannot get rid of it. After all, we did not invent vodka, it was brought to us only in the 15th century, and it did not become popular that hour. Therefore, it is impossible to say that drunkenness is a distinctive feature and feature of our national character.
It is also worth noting such a trait that you are both surprised and delighted at the same time - this is the responsiveness of the Russian people. It is instilled in us from childhood. Helping someone, our person is often guided by the proverb: "As it comes around, it will respond." Which, in general, is correct.
The national character is not static, it constantly changes as society changes, and, in turn, has its impact on it. The Russian national character that has developed in our days has similarities with the character that was once before. Some features remain, some are lost. But the basis and essence has been preserved.
Russian people are generally broad people ..,
wide as their land,
and extremely inclined
to the fantastic, to the disorderly;
but the trouble is to be wide
without much genius.
F.M. Dostoevsky
One can talk endlessly about the Russian character and its features ... There are so many things mixed in a Russian person that one cannot count on one's fingers.
What does it mean to be Russian? What is the peculiarity of the Russian character? How often do gray-haired academicians ask this question in scientific debates, nimble journalists in various shows, and ordinary citizens in table discussions? They ask and answer. They answer in different ways, but everyone celebrates our, Russian, “speciality” and is proud of it. You can’t lure a Russian person with a kalach - Russians are so eager to preserve their own, dear, that they are proud of the most disgusting aspects of their originality: drunkenness, dirt, poverty. Russians make up jokes that no one can drink them too much, gladly showing their dirt to foreigners.
"The mysterious Russian soul"... With what epithets we do not reward our Russian mentality. But is it so mysterious, the Russian soul, is it so unpredictable? Maybe it's much easier? We Russians are capable of self-sacrifice in the name of our homeland, but we are not able to defend our interests as citizens of this country. We meekly accept all the decisions and decisions of our leadership: we choke in queues for the replacement of driver's licenses; we lose consciousness in the passport and visa services in anticipation of receiving a new passport; we knock on the thresholds of the tax office in order to find out under what number you now live in this world. And this list is endless. Boundless patience - that's what distinguishes a Russian person. How to disagree with foreigners who personify us with a bear - huge, formidable, but so clumsy. We are probably rougher, certainly tougher in many cases. Russians have both cynicism, and emotional limitations, and a lack of culture. There is fanaticism, and unscrupulousness, and cruelty. But still, in the main, Russians strive for good.
For a Russian person, this is the most terrible accusation - it is an accusation of greed. All Russian folklore is based on the fact that being greedy is bad and greed is punishable. The catch, apparently, is that this very breadth can only be polar: drunkenness, unhealthy excitement, life for free, on the one hand. But, on the other hand, the purity of faith carried and preserved through the ages. Again, a Russian person cannot believe quietly, modestly. He never hides, but for his faith he goes to execution, he goes with his head held high, striking enemies.
Very accurately, the features of the character of a Russian person are noticed in folk tales and epics. In them, the Russian peasant dreams of a better future, but he is too lazy to realize his dreams. He still hopes that he will catch a talking pike or catch goldfish that will fulfill his desires. This primordially Russian laziness and love to dream about the coming of better times has always prevented our people from living like human beings. And the tendency to acquisitiveness, again mixed with great laziness! A Russian person is too lazy to grow or make something that a neighbor has - it is much easier for him to steal it, and even then not by himself, but by asking someone else to do it. A typical example of this is the case of the king and rejuvenating apples. Of course, in fairy tales and satirical stories many features are greatly exaggerated and sometimes reach the point of absurdity, but nothing arises from scratch - there is no smoke without fire. Such a trait of the Russian character as long-suffering often crosses the boundaries of reason. From time immemorial, Russian people have meekly endured humiliation and oppression. The already mentioned laziness and blind faith in a better future are partly to blame here. Russian people would rather endure than fight for their rights. But no matter how great the patience of the people, it is still not unlimited. The day comes and humility is transformed into unbridled rage. Then woe to those who stand in the way. It is not for nothing that a Russian person is compared to a bear.
But not everything is so bad and gloomy in our Fatherland. We Russians have many positive traits character. Russians are deeply partisan and possess high fortitude, they are capable of defending their land to the last drop of blood. Since ancient times, both old and young have risen to fight against invaders.
A special conversation about the character of Russian women. A Russian woman has an unbending fortitude, she is ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of a loved one and follow him to the ends of the world. Moreover, this is not a blind following of a spouse, as in Eastern women, but a completely conscious and independent decision. This is what the wives of the Decembrists did, following them to distant Siberia and dooming themselves to a life full of hardships. Nothing has changed since then: even now, in the name of love, a Russian woman is ready to wander all her life through the most remote corners of the world.
Speaking about the peculiarities of the Russian character, one cannot fail to mention a cheerful disposition - the Russian sings and dances even in the most difficult periods of his life, and even more so in joy! He is generous and loves to walk in a big way - the breadth of the Russian soul has already become a parable in languages. Only a Russian person for the sake of one happy moment can give everything he has and not regret later. Let's remember the poor artist who sold everything he had and covered his beloved with flowers. This is a fairy tale, but it is not so far from life - a Russian person is unpredictable and you can expect anything from him.
Russian man is inherent in the aspiration to something infinite. Russians always have a thirst for a different life, a different world, there is always dissatisfaction with what they have. Due to greater emotionality, a Russian person is characterized by openness, sincerity in communication. If in Europe people in personal life are quite alienated and protect their individualism, then a Russian person is open to being interested in him, showing interest in him, taking care of him, just as he himself is inclined to be interested in the life of those around him: both his soul is wide open, and it is curious - what is behind the soul of another.
There are dozens of images in our literature, each of which bears an indelible stamp of the Russian character: Natasha Rostova and Matryona Timofeevna, Platon Karataev and Dmitry Karamazov, Raskolnikov and Melekhov, Onegin and Pechorin, Vasily Terkin and Andrey Sokolov. You can't list everyone. Isn't there such a person in life? The pilot saves the city at the cost of his life, without leaving the stalled plane until the last moment; tractor driver dies in a burning tractor, taking him away from grain field; a family of nine takes in three more orphans; the master creates a unique, priceless masterpiece for years and then gives it to orphanage... You can continue indefinitely. Behind all this is also a Russian character. But aren't other people capable of this? Where is the line that will help distinguish a Russian person from the rest? And there is, after all, another side to it: the ability for unbridled revelry and drunkenness, callousness and selfishness, indifference and cruelty. The world looks at him - and sees a riddle in him. For us, the Russian character is an alloy of the most best qualities who will always prevail over dirt and vulgarity, and, perhaps, the most important of them is selflessly devoted love for their land. Gently stroking a birch tree and talking to it, greedily inhaling the intoxicating aroma of arable land, tremblingly holding a poured ear in the palm of your hand, seeing off a crane wedge with tears in your eyes - only a Russian person can do this, and may he remain so forever and ever.
The Russian character is complex and multifaceted, but this is what makes him beautiful. It is beautiful for its breadth and openness, cheerful disposition and love for the motherland, childish innocence and fighting spirit, ingenuity and peacefulness, hospitality and mercy. And we owe all this palette of the best qualities to our homeland - Russia, a fabulous and great country, warm and affectionate, like the hands of a mother.
From all that has been said, one has to conclude that the only indisputable feature of the Russian character is inconsistency, complexity, and the ability to combine opposites. And is it possible on such a land as Russian, to be not special? After all, this feature did not appear today, but was formed from day to day, from year to year, from century to century, from millennium to millennium...
And Leskov tried to create in his works just such a Russian person ...
The Savior once said about Christians: “If you were of this world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of this world, because I took you out of the world, the world hates you.” The same words can also be applied to the Russian people, into whose flesh and blood Christianity has been absorbed most of all.
Today we often encounter open Russophobia and hatred from other states. But this is not a reason to panic, it did not start today and will not end tomorrow - it will always be like this.
The world hates us, but does not suspect how much he himself needs the Russian people. If the Russian people disappear, then from the world take out the soul and he will lose the very meaning of his existence!
That is why the Lord keeps us and the Russians exist, despite all the tragedies and trials: Napoleon, Batu and Hitler, revolution, perestroika and Time of Troubles, drugs, a decline in morals and a crisis of responsibility ...
We will live and develop as long as we ourselves remain relevant, as long as the Russian person retains the character traits inherent in our people.
Caring “friends” often remind us of those features inherent in us that can be classified as bad, trying to make us hate ourselves and self-destruct ... We will consider the positive features of the Russian soul in order to remember what gifts the Lord has generously endowed us with and what we should always stay.
So, TOP 10 best qualities of a Russian person:
1. Strong faith
The Russian people at a deep level believe in God, have a strong inner sense of conscience, the concept of good and evil, worthy and unworthy, proper and not proper. Even the communists believed in their Moral Code.
It is a Russian person who considers his whole life from the position son of God — Father will like it, or upset. To act according to the law or conscience (according to the commandments of God) is a purely Russian problem.
A Russian person also believes in people, constantly doing them good and even beyond that. sacrificing personal for the good of others. A Russian person sees in another person first of all Image of God, sees equal recognizes the dignity of another person. This is precisely the secret of the victorious power of Russian civilization, our gigantic spaces and multinational unity.
The Russian person believes in himself as a bearer of the Truth. Hence the strength of our actions and the legendary Russian survival rate. Not a single conqueror in the world could destroy us. Only we ourselves can kill the Russian people, if we believe in that negative image Russian person who is being imposed on us.
2. Heightened sense of justice
We cannot live in comfort while falsehood is rampant in the world. "Let's put together a strong coffin with the rabble of mankind!" from the song "Holy War" - it's about us.
We for a long time fought with the Turks for the freedom of the Slav brothers, we saved the poor from the bais and their extortions Central Asia, stopped the genocide of the Chinese by the Japanese army and saved the Jews from the Holocaust.
As soon as a Russian person believes that a threat to all mankind comes from somewhere, Napoleon, Hitler, Mamai or anyone else immediately disappear from the historical canvas.
The same rule applies in the inner life - our riots and revolutions are just attempts to build a just society, punish the presumptuous and alleviate the lot of the poor (naturally, if we consider the motivation of ordinary workers and peasants, and not the cynical leaders of the revolution).
You can rely on us - after all, we keep our word and do not betray our allies. The concept of honor, unlike the Anglo-Saxons, is not only familiar to the Russian person, but also deeply inherent.
3. Love for the motherland
All nations love their homeland. Even Americans, a people of immigrants, are reverent towards their national symbols and traditions.
But a Russian person loves his Motherland more than others! White emigrants fled the country under the threat of death. It would seem that they should have hated Russia and quickly assimilated where they came. But what really happened?
They were so ill with nostalgia that they taught their sons and grandsons the Russian language, they yearned for their homeland so much that they created thousands of small Russias around themselves - they founded Russian institutes and seminaries, built Orthodox churches, taught Russian culture and language to thousands of Brazilians, Moroccans, Americans, French, Germans, Chinese ...
They did not die of old age, but of longing for their Fatherland and wept when the Soviet authorities allowed them to return. They infected others with their love, and today Spaniards and Danes, Syrians and Greeks, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Africans are going to live in Russia.
4. Unique generosity
The Russian person is generous and generous in everything: both for material gifts and for wonderful ideas and for the manifestation of feelings.
The word "generosity" in ancient times meant mercy, mercy. This quality is deeply rooted in the Russian character.
It is completely unnatural for a Russian person to spend 5% or 2% of their salary on charity. If a friend is in trouble, then the Russian will not bargain and gain something for himself, he will give his friend all the cash, and if it is not enough, he will pass his hat around in a circle or take off and sell his last shirt for him.
Half of the inventions in the world were made by Russian "Kulibins", and cunning foreigners patented them. But the Russians are not offended by this, since their ideas are also generosity, a gift of our people to humanity.
The Russian soul does not accept half measures, does not know prejudice. If in Russia someone was once called a friend, then they will die for him, if an enemy, then he will certainly be destroyed. At the same time, it does not matter at all who our counterpart is, what race, nation, religion, age or gender he is - the attitude towards him will depend only on his personal qualities.
5. Incredible work ethic
“The Russians are a lazy people,” Goebbels propagandists broadcast and continue to repeat their current followers. But it's not.
We are often compared to bears and this comparison is very apt - we have similar biological rhythms: the summer in Russia is short and you have to work hard to have time to harvest, and the winter is long and relatively idle - chop wood, fire the stove, remove snow, and collect crafts. In fact, we work a lot, just unevenly.
Russian people have always worked diligently and conscientiously. In our fairy tales and proverbs, the positive image of the hero is inextricably linked with skill, diligence and ingenuity: "The sun paints the earth, and labor makes a person."
Since ancient times, labor has been glorious and revered among peasants and artisans, scribes and merchants, warriors and monks, and has always been deeply linked to the cause of protecting the Fatherland and increasing its glory.
6. The ability to see and appreciate the beautiful
The Russian people live in extremely picturesque places. In our country you can find large rivers and steppes, mountains and seas, tropical forests and tundra, taiga and deserts. Therefore, the sense of beauty is heightened in the Russian soul.
Russian culture has been formed for more than a thousand years, incorporating particles of the cultures of many Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes, as well as accepting and creatively reworking the heritage of Byzantium and the Golden Horde and hundreds of small peoples. Therefore, in terms of the richness of content, it cannot be compared with it. no other culture in the world.
The consciousness of the immensity of their own wealth, material and spiritual, made the Russian person benevolent and understanding in relation to other peoples of the Earth.
A Russian person, like no one else, is able to highlight the beauty in the culture of another people, admire it and recognize the greatness of achievements. For him, there are no backward or underdeveloped peoples, he does not need to treat anyone with disdain from the consciousness of his own inferiority. Even among the Papuans and Indians, a Russian will always find something to learn.
7. Hospitality
This national character trait is associated with our vast expanses, where one could rarely meet a person on the way. Hence the joy from such meetings - stormy and sincere.
If a guest comes to a Russian person, he always expects a set table, the best dishes, festive food and a warm bed for the night. And all this is done free of charge, since it is not customary for us to see in a person only a “purse with ears” and treat him as a consumer.
Our man knows that a guest in the house should not be bored. Therefore, a foreigner who came to us, leaving, can hardly put together memories of how he was sung, danced, rolled, fed to satiety and watered to amazement ...
8. Patience
The Russian people are surprisingly patient. But this patience is not reduced to banal passivity or "servility", it is intertwined with the victim. Russian people are by no means stupid and always endure in the name of something, for a meaningful purpose.
If he realizes that he is being deceived, a rebellion begins - the same merciless rebellion, in the flames of which all usurers and negligent stewards perish.
But when a Russian person knows in the name of what goal he endures difficulties and works hard, then national patience gives incredible positive results. For us to cut down a whole fleet in five years, to win world war or to industrialize in the order of things.
Russian patience is also a kind of strategy of non-aggressive interaction with the world, decisions life problems not due to violence against nature and the consumption of its resources, but mainly due to internal, spiritual efforts. We do not plunder the property given to us by God, but slightly moderate our appetites.
9. Sincerity
Another of the main features of the Russian character is sincerity in the manifestation of feelings.
A Russian person is not good at grinding out a smile, he does not like pretense and ritual politeness, he gets annoyed at the insincere “thanks for the purchase, come again” and does not shake hands with a person whom he considers a bastard, even if this could bring benefits.
If a person does not evoke emotions in you, then you don’t need to express anything - go through without stopping. Acting in Russia is not held in high esteem (if it is not a profession) and those who speak and act the way they think and feel are most respected. God put on my soul.
10. Collectivism, catholicity
The Russian man is not alone. He loves and knows how to live in society, which is reflected in the sayings: "in the world and death is red", "one man is not a warrior."
Since ancient times, nature itself, with its severity, has prompted Russians to unite in collectives - communities, artels, partnerships, squads and brotherhoods.
Hence the “imperial nature” of Russians, that is, their indifference to the fate of a relative, neighbor, friend, and, ultimately, the entire Fatherland. It was precisely because of catholicity that there were no homeless children in Rus' for a long time - orphans were always sorted into families and brought up by the whole village.
Russian catholicity, according to the definition of the Slavophil Khomyakov, is “a holistic combination of freedom and unity of many people based on their common love for the same absolute values”, Christian values.
The West failed to create such a powerful state as Russia, united on a spiritual basis, because it did not achieve catholicity, and to unite peoples it was forced to use, above all, violence.
Russia has always united on the basis of mutual respect and mutual consideration of interests. The unity of the people in peace, love and mutual assistance has always been one of the basic values of the Russian people.
Andrey Segeda
In contact with
You can't understand Russia with your mind, you can't measure it with a common yardstick: it has become special in Russia - you can only believe in Russia. Fedor Tyutchev.
If the holy army shouts:
"Throw you Rus', live in paradise!"
I will say: “There is no need for paradise,
Give me my country."
Sergey Yesenin.
Who are these strange Russians, and why strange laws they live?
What is the peculiarity of the Russian character, and why does such a mentality not even exist anywhere in the world?
Why is the behavior of a Russian person abroad so recognizable, and for what reason are we either adored or hated, but never simply indifferent?
All attempts by the government to build in our state, living strictly according to the laws and consciously observing them, failed with a deafening crash. Any imposed Western-style values are rejected by our people as a foreign body.
What is the reason? After all, on these principles the whole world has been standing and flourishing for many years. Western Europe and America.
Together with that revolutionary ideas Lenin and, which have no analogues anywhere in the world and are not supported by any other countries, were received with a bang, and in just two decades they turned the political system upside down, creating a society that is fundamentally different in terms of its mechanisms of existence.
What was it? A utopian idea that has taken root in an atypically thinking society?
Russia cannot be understood with the mind,
Do not measure with a common yardstick:
She has a special become -
One can only believe in Russia.
Fedor Tyutchev.
Faith in the life of a Russian person has always occupied a special place, but at the same time, we have always been tolerant towards non-believers. In Russia, many nationalities have always coexisted, and each had its own religion.
The Russian character has always been a mystery to any foreigner. Completely illogical acts - this strange penchant for reckless recklessness, ostentatious, inexplicable generosity, reaching squandering, love for luxurious expensive things, even for one day, even without a penny in your pocket, as if it were his last day, and then take and give everything to someone, but at least to the first person you meet - no, it's impossible to understand.
Terrible, cruel crime, total corruption and thieves' laws that are observed better than the criminal code - what are these, too, features of a national character or a dead end into which the whole country has entered?
Can our person abroad become so "one's own" to feel happy?
What determines the Russian character - heredity, climate, social system or landscape conditions?
Read on for exhaustive and most unexpected answers…
national character. Hot blood cold steppes
The Russian character is a psychological portrait of an entire nation, the mentality of the state, and not even of Russia alone. Some of it is present in every Russian man, these are the features that unite us, make us similar, create the basis on which we understand each other a little better than people with a different mentality.
The formation of the national character took place over many centuries, the foundation for this was the special geopolitics of one of the great leaders of the past - Genghis Khan.
The unique combination of endless steppes and impenetrable forests created the prerequisites for the emergence of the urethral-muscular mentality, which is the basis of the Russian character.
The specific role of the representative of the urethral vector is the leader, the head of the tribe, his task is to preserve the living substance of the pack, advance it into the future or develop new lands.
unpredictable strategic thinking, complete absence fear and high endurance - these are the properties that ensure the implementation of its species role.
The highest rank, the first right to bite, given by nature, cannot be disputed or questioned. Anyone who encroaches on his primacy will instantly know what the urethral lion's anger is. There can be only one leader in the pack, when the second one appears, everything is decided by a deadly fight, the outcome of which is either the death of one of them, or exile. The defeated, at best, leaves to look for his flock.
He himself does not obey anyone and does not recognize any restrictions, having an innate sense of mercy and justice. Merciless to strangers and the most tolerant of his own, he forgives everything except crimes against the pack, for which he punishes right there - cruelly and mercilessly.
The interests of the pack are of the highest value for him, personal interests are always deeply secondary. His pleasure is in bestowal, in the realization of his animal altruism. That is why the communist ideas of building an ideal society, where everyone works for the good of the country, receiving as much as is necessary for life, turned out to be so close to the hearts of Russian people.
The most generous and disinterested, he will give the last shirt to those who need it more. By this he satisfies his needs for bestowal, receives his pleasure. A fur coat from a master's shoulder, expensive gifts and fabulous tips - all this is a manifestation of urethral generosity, a kind of evidence of his highest rank, his status.
Hence the love for glory and luxury - the leader must have everything that is most expensive, luxurious and unique, but at the same time he is absolutely not going to store, protect or save it all. These are trifles, albeit royal, but compared to his goals and values, all these are trifles that he can give to anyone he meets when he wants.
Risk is a noble cause!
This expression is typical only for Russians. A leader cannot be afraid. He is always the first to rush into the fray, the first to attack, conquer new unexplored horizons, do things that no one else is capable of. For this he was born, the whole flock follows him, he does not have and cannot have another way. Only for the flags, only forward, contrary to common sense, logic or experience. Restrictions, rules, laws are for others, he has a purpose and nothing else matters. And this goal is to save the flock, even at the cost of one's own life, the goal is still more important.
Only a representative of the urethral vector is able to make a decision to ram or rush to the embrasure, as the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War defending the Motherland, their people, even at the cost of their own lives.
Russian peasant is a simple man
The impenetrable taiga and other forests of Russia are the closest and dearest place for the representatives of the muscular vector: they are the only ones who accurately navigate and feel quite comfortable among the dense forests.
The properties of the muscle vector are basic for all living beings, so they simply dissolve in the desires of other vectors, strengthening them.
Characteristic for the muscular vector, the perception of oneself as only an inseparable part of the common collective “we” and a wary attitude towards strangers amazingly mixes with urethral generosity, tolerance and hospitality, turning into the so-called xenophobia on the contrary. This was manifested by our inexplicable love for foreigners, for whom we always laid a magnificent table, organized holidays, gave gifts, gave the most beautiful girls as wives.
It was thanks to this property that the most diverse nationalities with their culture, traditions and religions coexisted peacefully in our vast country.
A muscular person will never take more than he needs for life, he simply does not have such a need and such a desire, and in combination with urethral altruism, he will rather give his own than take too much. , it was the muscular people who were ready to work for the good of the Motherland practically for free all their lives.
We have always lived like this - at the call of the soul
There are obvious reasons why the sound idea of Lenin and Trotsky, pushed forward by the urethral commissars and found a response in inner world every Russian person, for such a short time brought such significant results and radically changed the face of the country.
Close to the urethral mentality, such values of the anal vector as honesty, decency, friendship, respect for elders, for the traditions of the past have become widespread and generally accepted, especially in the anal phase of human development, which ended with the end of the Great Patriotic War.
With the transition to the Russian, who until recently considered himself Soviet, he found himself in a contradictory situation.
On the one hand, the urethral mentality has been and remains, but along with this, new values modern society are sharply opposed to such a mentality.
The basis of all properties of the skin vector are limitations that absolutely cannot be perceived in the urethral mentality. Any laws, rules, regulations, which are mandatory mechanisms for regulating the skin society, are rejected by the Russian character, which is based on an unlimited urethral mentality.
The skin phase of human development, like any other, is inevitable for everyone, including Russians. It would be wrong to judge that it is bad or good. It continues, and Russia also lives in a world of consumption, high technology and law. Somewhere clumsily, somewhere in our own way, but we are learning to adapt the landscape in such strange conditions for us. This is development, moving forward, evolution of a kind, overcoming obstacles.
It is impossible to protect the boundless steppe with a fence, it is simply impossible. To force the leader to obey is even more impossible. He is more likely to die in a deadly fight, but he will not bow his head, especially in front of some skinner, who by nature has a rank much lower than the leader. This behavior is contrary to the whole urethral nature. He wanted to spit on some skin laws. The law is his word! This is how it is given by nature, this is how he feels himself and simply cannot live differently.
His urethral laws are the most correct, since they are based on real mercy and justice without a shadow of personal gain, only for the good of the pack, for the same reason they completely contradict logical and rational skin values and cannot be understood.
Representatives of the urethral vector, who did not receive sufficient development of properties before the end of puberty, and often vice versa, beaten at home and driven into school frames, run away from home in search of their flock, which they find on the street, among homeless children. Perceiving the world as hostile, as it was all childhood, they learn to defend themselves from it and protect their flock, living by their own laws and turning into a criminal authority.
Thieves' laws, for all their cruelty, are fair, but they are fair for primitive society, for the animal flock and are, in fact, a manifestation of the archetypal program of the urethral vector.
In which feelings of mercy, justice and responsibility for others are brought up, he perceives the whole society as his flock and is able, like no one else, to bring socially useful benefits to it.
Representatives of the Western skin mentality, being next to Russians, subconsciously feel their lower rank due to our urethral mentality. It manifests itself in any case, even if we are talking about a person with a skin vector, who, it would seem, has every chance to harmoniously fit into a developed consumer society. A Western person gets a lot of stress from how Russians spend money, because for him saving is a priority, rational logical thinking in everything in which urethral habits do not fit in any way. Many Western women are captivated by the passionate, generous Russian nature, but at the same time they are alarmed by inexplicable behavior and illogical life decisions, and men are humiliated by the position of a lower rank next to the leader, even if all these moments do not have a bright manifestation in behavior.
Misunderstanding of the behavior of Russians abroad is due to the peculiarities of the national character, which simply cannot be understood in a skin society due to the significant remoteness of innate properties. Only awareness of one's own nature and qualities of another person makes it possible to communicate harmoniously with a representative of any vector or mentality, since there are no bad or good vectors, it all depends on the level of development and the degree of realization of the properties of each individual person.
A society with a urethral mentality - it is from here that the next phase of human development will begin, which will be based on spiritual altruism. What awaits us, read in the next article.
The article was written based on the materials of the training " System-Vector Psychology»