What are Russians really like?

bobbyss

I don't know any Russians and couldn't really distinguish a Russian from any other eastern European. Have been looking at a civilian activist group called Stop a Douche bag whereby they put stickers on illegally parked cars in Moscow and St Petersburg. With the support of the government it seems.

The reactions of the car owners to getting the stickers to this group are quite interesting. I am of course relying on subtitles.

Hostile to a man and indeed a woman.
Almost everyone threatens violence. Some pull a gun. Yet the activists are slow to call the police in the face of these threats.
Constant references to the group as 'retards' and '******s' and other coarse sexual obscenities. Not just from young people but quite elderly also.
Many references to 'I'll get my gang to sort you out'.
Many demands from the car owners: 'Show me your passport'.
Maybe a patronizing attitude to those living outside Russia eg Ukrainians and other nationalities etc.
They seem to lack any semblance of manners and respect for law and order and seem not to have any understanding of civil society at all.
Police seem to be lazy and useless.

Has anybody actually lived in Russia and what are your experiences of the ordinary Russian? Does any of this make sense to you?

They always seem to be in a hurry.

TheValeyard

[Deleted User] wrote: »

They always seem to be in a hurry.

Well they were Stal'in for a long time.

dmc17

TheValeyard wrote: »

Well they were Stal'in for a long time.

That's because they were driving Ladas

corner of hells

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know any Russians and couldn't really distinguish a Russian from any other eastern European. Have been looking at a civilian activist group called Stop a Douche bag whereby they put stickers on illegally parked cars in Moscow and St Petersburg. With the support of the government it seems.

The reactions of the car owners to getting the stickers to this group are quite interesting. I am of course relying on subtitles.

Hostile to a man and indeed a woman.
Almost everyone threatens violence. Some pull a gun. Yet the activists are slow to call the police in the face of these threats.
Constant references to the group as 'retards' and '******s' and other coarse sexual obscenities. Not just from young people but quite elderly also.
Many references to 'I'll get my gang to sort you out'.
Many demands from the car owners: 'Show me your passport'.
Maybe a patronizing attitude to those living outside Russia eg Ukrainians and other nationalities etc.
They seem to lack any semblance of manners and respect for law and order and seem not to have any understanding of civil society at all.
Police seem to be lazy and useless.

Has anybody actually lived in Russia and what are your experiences of the ordinary Russian? Does any of this make sense to you?

My neighbour is Russian, he just cant get his head around hurling, he goes up to the GAA club , watches the senior games, has a few Guinness, watches hurling on TV even understands the rules but keeps asking why would anyone want to play hurling.
Nice bloke too , my dog likes him too.

That's all I know about Russians.

thequarefellow

So, you...

bobbyss wrote: »

don't know any Russians

But you say...

bobbyss wrote: »

They seem to lack any semblance of manners and respect for law and order and seem not to have any understanding of civil society at all.
Police seem to be lazy and useless.

And you probably wonder why Irish are regarded as slightly ignorant and uneducated abroad.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Check out bald and bankrupt on youtube for some enlightenment.

The average Russian is no different to you or me really. They have their fair share of lunatics and the anti gay thing is really ingrained. I wouldn't like to live there either tbh.

I know two Russians, one is sound as a pound and the other was raised in Israel, he's of the opinion that all Muslims need to be exterminated. We are not friends.

branie2

Very fast

Sonny noggs

I have worked with a few Russians over the years, one had a weird leather hat. He left it in bathroom once to dry after it got wet in the rain. This was probably 18 years or more ago. But it might as well have been yesterday.

riffmongous

I used to watch those videos too, but after a while I started to find them needlessly provocative.. not to mention their Putin connection undermining their 'douchebag' message for me

I think now if you went to any country in the world and started putting stickers on the cars of people, especially criminals you'd get similar reactions.


The Russians I know are a mixed bag, some very nice others total idiots, a lot of moronic machos and golddiggers

Sonny noggs

branie2 wrote: »

Very fast

Sergey Sirotkin wasn’t that fast, even if he was driving a crap Williams.

mikemac2

I knew someone from Ukraine who got mighty insulted if you called them Ukrainian. No they were Russian

Maybe like a nationalist from Derry I suppose *shrug*

Sonny noggs

mikemac2 wrote: »

I knew someone from Ukraine who got mighty insulted if you called them Ukrainian. No they were Russian

Maybe like a nationalist from Derry I suppose *shrug*

Londonderry nationalists.

Bobblehats

You know what they say, take a Russian girl from the underground pipes of Novosibirsk put her in a pearly necklace and gown and she’ll be the belle of the ball

mad muffin

Are we talking about white or Black Russian?

Lackadaisical

Worked with several Russians over the years and it’s a bit like asking what are Eurasians like. It’s an absolutely vast place and people vary a lot.

My experience of them was they were very warm a good craic.

Don’t ever get into a drinking competition with them tho!!

briany

corner of hells wrote: »

My neighbour is Russian, he just cant get his head around hurling, he goes up to the GAA club , watches the senior games, has a few Guinness, watches hurling on TV even understands the rules but keeps asking why would anyone want to play hurling.
Nice bloke too , my dog likes him too.

That's all I know about Russians.

To relate hurling to a Russian, you could tell it's a bit like ice hockey, except it's not always as cold, you use a ball rather than a puck, and protective gear is a fairly recent development.

Bobblehats

mad muffin wrote: »

Are we talking about white or Black Russian?

There’s black russians?! Ew...

Only drink White Russians myself.

ILoveYourVibes

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know any Russians and couldn't really distinguish a Russian from any other eastern European.

My best friend is Russian.


This makes me think of her. Her soul.

tim3000

I visited St Petersburg and Moscow a few years ago. The locals are rather rude and uninterested in foreigners for the most part. They could easily pick up on the fact that I was foreign and their demeanour would change to gruff disinterest. However in balance with this I did meet some absolutely lovely people, these were predominantly younger folks though.

Weird country not tourist friendly in a large capacity.

The last encounter I had with a Russian was the lady who cleaned our sleeper cabin her words were simply "get out" haha

bobbyss

riffmongous wrote: »

I used to watch those videos too, but after a while I started to find them needlessly provocative.. not to mention their Putin connection undermining their 'douchebag' message for me

I think now if you went to any country in the world and started putting stickers on the cars of people, especially criminals you'd get similar reactions.

The Russians I know are a mixed bag, some very nice others total idiots, a lot of moronic machos and golddiggers

Yes they do become tiring I have to say. But I am amazed at the how deep the anti-gay references are. The references to minorities. The almost hysterical reaction to being filmed on a mobile phone. The almost mafia style approach to solving problems ie violence, gangs, guns, threats. Very macho culture from what I can gather. And yes I did think what the reaction of Irish people would be if someone put stickers on your car for driving on paths, not a common problem here but there it seems to be, but I don't think it would be quite as hostile.

McMurphy

Have a supplier who is Russian, been living in Ireland for ten years or so at this stage, he's a very likeable fella, nothing uniquely "Russian" about him tbh.

InTheShadows

They are in my experience a warm wonderful people. I spent a good 5 weeks in Russia on my travels riding my motorbike and they went out of their way to make me feel welcome without looking my payment. Although i have to say i only spent two days in Moscow and everyone there seemed to be in a hurry it was an amazing city and i always felt safe. I think we are programmed to hate them and view them as cold because of years of western propaganda that even goes on to this very day.

rossie1977

I don't know if it's just confined to St Petersburg and Moscow but the average Russian aged 18-30 walking the street in those cities is very attractive.

Plumbthedepths

Work with a few and happy to call some of them friends. Great bunch of lads.

milehip

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know any Russians and couldn't really distinguish a Russian from any other eastern European.

Has anybody actually lived in Russia and what are your experiences of the ordinary Russian? Does any of this make sense to you?

In Russia, Sense makes you!

Mad_maxx

Miriam Sticky Veteran wrote: »

Check out bald and bankrupt on youtube for some enlightenment.

The average Russian is no different to you or me really. They have their fair share of lunatics and the anti gay thing is really ingrained. I wouldn't like to live there either tbh.

I know two Russians, one is sound as a pound and the other was raised in Israel, he's of the opinion that all Muslims need to be exterminated. We are not friends.

More Russians relocated to Israel this past twenty five years than Americans, the real hardcore Jews

ILoveYourVibes

Highly intelligent. Highly socially and emotionally intelligent.

Great sense of humour.

Open friendly they will come up and shake your hand etc.

They can be naive.

Russians accept life challenges stoically, and with resignation. They can bear anything.

Not a great work ethic though.


There is a slight case of this and it is an attitude that pervades Russian politics business etc maybe a bit beyond.
Amorality: we were given one moral code in Soviet times. Now we’re being given exactly the opposite moral code. Neither is worth believing in. There is a lot of mess in Russia still.

They have a lot of self respect. Pride.


This is really noticeable though.
I found them very empathetic on a really personal level. I mean really personal sometimes within a little while of meeting me. I mean they owed me nothing I was a stranger.

A lot of former soviet countries will have an innate sense of do or do not say this. But it gets no more nuanced than that.

Russia on the other hand I find people do 'say it this way'.

Gimme A Pound

thequarefellow wrote: »

So, you...


But you say...




And you probably wonder why Irish are regarded as slightly ignorant and uneducated abroad.

Why would they probably wonder that? And they're one person, not the Irish.

But I agree, while there seems to be a macho culture prevalent in Russian society, there's bound to be much nuance among the millions and millions of individuals.

Every time on these threads though, there'll always be at least one person who says "Don't generalise", then go on to say sh1t things about Irish people... because THAT generalising is ok.

Franz Von Peppercorn II

Sonny noggs wrote: »

I have worked with a few Russians over the years, one had a weird leather hat. He left it in bathroom once to dry after it got wet in the rain. This was probably 18 years or more ago. But it might as well have been yesterday.

Why?

Is it still there?

Mad_maxx

Gimme A Pound wrote: »

Why would they probably wonder that? And they're one person, not the Irish.

But I agree, while there seems to be a macho culture prevalent in Russian society, there's bound to be much nuance among the millions and millions of individuals.

Every time on these threads though, there'll always be at least one person who says "Don't generalise", then go on to say sh1t things about Irish people... because THAT generalising is ok.

European and American PC ( or even liberal) culture never reached Russia, even the Poles have a more traditional view of male and female roles

Franz Von Peppercorn II

Gimme A Pound wrote: »

Why would they probably wonder that? And they're one person, not the Irish.

But I agree, while there seems to be a macho culture prevalent in Russian society, there's bound to be much nuance among the millions and millions of individuals.

Every time on these threads though, there'll always be at least one person who says "Don't generalise", then go on to say sh1t things about Irish people... because THAT generalising is ok.

Yeah I don’t like that.

I wonder about the questions about Russia though. There’s definitely a tinge of Russophobia about.

Always Tired

Only really knew one, had a Russian manager in my last job. He was the nastiest little pr!ck ever, and I've worked with some pieces of work.

But I wouldn't judge them all based on him, of course. Eastern European men though I find are unfriendly a lot more often then people from other parts of the world. Though in fairness I'd say things are not easy where they come from, and some of them just need to get to know you before they will take off their mask of a permanent scowl.

Franz Von Peppercorn II

mikemac2 wrote: »

I knew someone from Ukraine who got mighty insulted if you called them Ukrainian. No they were Russian

Maybe like a nationalist from Derry I suppose *shrug*

Exactly like that. I knew a Russian from Latvia, the same. Wasn’t Latvian at all. To be fair Russians are treated badly there.

pyramuid man

Sonny noggs wrote: »

Sergey Sirotkin wasn’t that fast, even if he was driving a crap Williams.

I thanked you for the F1 reference, but Sergey has some serious skill. That Williams was a dog tho.

DellyBelly

They love their children apparently

ILoveYourVibes

Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »

Exactly like that. I knew a Russian from Latvia, the same. Wasn’t Latvian at all. To be fair Russians are treated badly there.

I went to school with a Russian girl from Latvia.



I didn't have any friends and when she saw I was alone she asked to sit behind me ...she said it was incase i didn't want to be bothered but so i wasn't alone!

:pac:

I said sit beside me and we became friends!

I also went to college with a latvian guy ...from wait for it...Lativa ...very precise about being latvian NOT russian etc.

He was a feminist. (it was a philosophy degree though!).

I've also worked with estonian people polish people etc. Estonians are WILD!

ILoveYourVibes

DellyBelly wrote: »

They love their children apparently

They bring them out at night to restaurants etc even late.

n97 mini

Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »

Exactly like that. I knew a Russian from Latvia, the same. Wasn’t Latvian at all. To be fair Russians are treated badly there.

With the free movement of people in the Soviet Union a lot of Russians moved to other countries. Laterally it caused issues, as some of those countries looked more to the west. Probably the best example is Transnistria, a sliver of Moldova that is sort of autonomous and has a large Russian population.

Blaizes

Taught a young chess champion from Moscow he had also won a young pianist competition, he was gifted from a wealthy family but ever so nice, a little gentleman. I know one Russian in Ireland, nice very quiet seems like a refined person. Guess we can’t generalize as look at the size of the place, the culture does seem macho though but again we have to look at history. Another stereotype is how they can down the vodka. Read somewhere that Moscow had more millionaires per square kilometer than any other city, that was a while back though. Would love to visit there.

tayto lover

Sonny noggs wrote: »

I have worked with a few Russians over the years, one had a weird leather hat. He left it in bathroom once to dry after it got wet in the rain. This was probably 18 years or more ago. But it might as well have been yesterday.

Is it still wet?

TheValeyard

The Tesla Coil was an awesome defence weapon in Red Alert.

ILoveYourVibes

Blaizes wrote: »

Taught a young chess champion from Moscow he had also won a young pianist competition, he was gifted from a wealthy family but ever so nice, a little gentleman. I know one Russian in Ireland, nice very quiet seems like a refined person. Guess we can’t generalize as look at the size of the place, the culture does seem macho though but again we have to look at history. Another stereotype is how they can down the vodka. Read somewhere that Moscow had more millionaires per square kilometer than any other city, that was a while back though. Would love to visit there.

Its very cultured. Lots of theaters, opera houses, ballet jazz, modern art, clubs etc.

There is a reading culture there too.

Gimme A Pound

DellyBelly wrote: »

They love their children apparently

I hope they do.

We share the same biology, regardless of ideology.

spurious

Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »

Exactly like that. I knew a Russian from Latvia, the same. Wasn’t Latvian at all. To be fair Russians are treated badly there.

I think the Russians remind the Latvians that they backed the wrong horse in the last war. Amazing how Independent Latvia gets away (within the EU) with how they treat some of their people (even if they like to call them aliens).

My partner is Russian born in the old Latvian SSR, voted for independence and then got stiffed by the Latvians by not being given citizenship of the new Latvia. She has since got Irish citizenship, so no more Stateless/Refugee category on Ryanair.

Once thing I have noticed about many Russian women is, they speak to other women in a normal tone of voice, but when a man enters the conversation their voices change to this really annoying high pitched almost aggressive tone. It's very odd.

ILoveYourVibes

spurious wrote: »

I think the Russians remind the Latvians that they backed the wrong horse in the last war. Amazing how Independent Latvia gets away (within the EU) with how they treat some of their people (even if they like to call them aliens).

My partner is Russian born in the old Latvian SSR, voted for independence and then got stiffed by the Latvians by not being given citizenship of the new Latvia. She has since got Irish citizenship, so no more Stateless/Refugee category on Ryanair.

Once thing I have noticed about many Russian women is, they speak to other women in a normal tone of voice, but when a man enters the conversation their voices change to this really annoying high pitched almost aggressive tone. It's very odd.

:eek:
None my friends do that!

In mother Russia, biggest cause of death is death on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uBFwqI4TlM

being honest I don't really know any Russians but have come across them in various tourist situations.

wouldn't really have a sense of queuing, self-awareness or a good rudeness filter in some tourist situations that I've seen.

some of the women have fantastic bodies it has to be said but I know a guy that married one pretty quickly and she now lives in what was his house in London with her mother and he doesn't see a lot of his child.

Elemonator

I don't think you can generalise on any nationality. There is a lot of hate for Iranians online for example but every single one I ever met had the best sense of humour!

Fritzbox

spurious wrote: »

I think the Russians remind the Latvians that they backed the wrong horse in the last war. Amazing how Independent Latvia gets away (within the EU) with how they treat some of their people (even if they like to call them aliens).

My partner is Russian born in the old Latvian SSR, voted for independence and then got stiffed by the Latvians by not being given citizenship of the new Latvia. She has since got Irish citizenship, so no more Stateless/Refugee category on Ryanair.

Once thing I have noticed about many Russian women is, they speak to other women in a normal tone of voice, but when a man enters the conversation their voices change to this really annoying high pitched almost aggressive tone. It's very odd.

How can you say Latvia backed the wrong horse during the war - the country remained neutral until it was occupied by the USSR in 1940. If there was any country which backed the wrong horse it was the Soviet Union - Nazi Germany's main ally right up to the 22nd of June 1941...

Wibbs

Elemonator wrote: »

I don't think you can generalise on any nationality. There is a lot of hate for Iranians online for example but every single one I ever met had the best sense of humour!

+1 E. I've yet to meet an Iranian I didn't like. Ditto for Zimbabweans. Of Russians, I've known a fair few and know a couple still. Generally a more traditional conservative people, particularly in gender ideas(though have way more women CEO's and biz owners than most places in the west). Very family orientated. Stoic and can appear cold if they don't know you, but if they do; different ballgame. Very supportive and genuine. Prone to sentimentality, which goes agin the stoic perception. I generally like them I have to say.

Blaizes

Wibbs wrote: »

+1 E. I've yet to meet an Iranian I didn't like. Ditto for Zimbabweans. Of Russians, I've known a fair few and know a couple still. Generally a more traditional conservative people, particularly in gender ideas(though have way more women CEO's and biz owners than most places in the west). Very family orientated. Stoic and can appear cold if they don't know you, but if they do; different ballgame. Very supportive and genuine. Prone to sentimentality, which goes agin the stoic perception. I generally like them I have to say.

I’m being reminded of Dr Zhivago now!