Why we, Russians are SO into foreign stuff??

Russians got famous for being enchanted with foreign things and values.

It may sound a pretty weird statement these days, when our world rapidly becomes a smaller place but glabalization has actually nothing to do with our ineradicable hunger for everything that does NOT sound, smell, act and feel as Russian.

Admittedly, we are hungry for the western lifestyle in every way. Language, food, perfume, cosmetics, gym, and the numerous ways of social interaction like kissing-accolade. We hooked on it, even we prefer to deny it or even say, 'we don't care'! Whatever we pretend, it were we who first utilized the proverbial 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence' as the type of thinking.

There are many different reasons for that. First, historically many generations of Russians were hidden under the iron curtain way too long, so we are naturally curious about new things.

Secondly, we still don’t feel ourselves authentically the part of the rest Europe. We may learn languages and plan to join World Trade Organization but secretly, we always question ourselves if what we do now, bring us any closer to desired 'western' image? With all that said, vast majority of us are remarkable patriots (and rightly so). What we struggle most is how to remain Russian and yet correspond to the western standards, we read, hear and watch everyday.

I believe, what most of us should realize is that the role of cultural go-between among two world civilizations that Russia certainly plays, is just another expression of that cultural mission, positioning us as the unique mix of Europe and Asia. Something we could be easily proud of...if we just wanted to!

What goes in reality is that we keep persisting in our wish to be total-lot Europeans in 99 cases. While we are neither Europeans, nor Asians. We are the absolutely new formation - Eurasians and this is what we learn about at our first geography lesson.

Now instead of living into and enjoying this, we see Slavic skin as something barbarian we need to mask at the worst, and transform into something more socially acceptable at best.

When abroad, we make a special effort to eliminate our accent, change our apparel and hold a conversation in the right way, God forbid to not turn off someone (now who decided what's right or what's wrong?)

We feel it would help us to look more 'westernized'...the truth, it gets us nowhere: 'to look' doesn't necessarily means 'to be'.

And unartful but still beautiful Slavic background could never be replaced with probably more sophisticated but still fake to us, western guise.

Now you likely tell me, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, and I totally agree with that. But how about forgetting being Russians in...Russia?!

Unfortunately from our very infancy we are not taught this important skill - APPRECIATE our cultural identity as it is and it plays funny and somewhat sad role in everyday's life.

Travel to any Russian city and take a walk in its streets. What you see? Billboards and showcases of biggest (and best) shops are likely to be in Latin alphabet. You should know, that Russians strongly believe that using any (often pretty meaningless - I watch it everyday) English, French or Italian phrase on signboard or T-shirt would make their product look posh and attract customers in droves. Translation works wonders. If we cannot transform Russian word into English, we transliterate it like it goes below.

Boutique ''Soblazn'' (transliterated Russian word ''temptation'').

Thus, even pretty ordinary shop immediately gets a high-end boutique look and feel, when instead of boring ‘’Zhenskaya Odezhda’’ ('Female clothes' literally, but you caught my drift), it puts on something vague and enigmatic like ‘’Nicole’’ or ''GG'' or whatever else they believe, would increase sales. The same works for restaurants or fitness centers.

You see, it is cool to occassionally mention to your friend, being asked where you got that fantastic coat, ‘’At Stilissimo last week, they had a big sale and lots of couture stuff’’.

Isn't it alone makes you feel more confident and *European*?

Ah sure, it does LOL ;-)

Let's play fairly, I am prone of it myself...or I WAS prone of it. Or, rather say I am an incurable cosmopolite, but I also think Slavic culture, and Russian launguage have enough to offer to enterprising person, willing to promote his brand. Just dig deeper and you will find a lot of marketing gems.

Back to our topic, it is Russians who are building Moscow City that resembles New York's down town skyscrapers and demand from any popular singer, (if he or she of course wants to remain popular) to record at least few songs in English or other foreign language (but English is highly preferable)...why? For the very same reason, it's much in tune with the current trend: to be foreigner in own country. It is cool.

Moscow city - business center

For the reasons given above, Russians also adopted oh so many western holidays and traditions these days.

For example, we have a nice Sweethearts Day in July but St. Valentine so strongly came into our life, we now actually can’t imagine February without bunch of hearts, teary stories in Romeo and Juliet style, chocolate treats and love confessions. That’s so commercial, it makes me goat. But that's again about love for all western just because it is ‘’western’’.

Or...we used to be huge fans of Eurovision. Every single year, we invested lots of energy, money and time to win it. We were runners-up a couple of times, and finally we have won. The nation triumphed. Now when we successfully proved to the whole world we are not just a winner but ALSO the best host of this musical contest (watch this production yourself: it is whole new level), we can't be more happier and rested.


BTW, as for Eurovision 2009. It is highly recommended you would view it for pure pleasure rather than to soothe anyone's national ambitions, it is really THAT incredible.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_2009
http://www.eurovision.tv/
http://www.1tv.ru/eurovision2009/si=5759&im=20

Hmm, one day this thirst will be over. Soon, I hope cuz I am watching a growing positive tendency in this direction.

And really, guys we have got an amazing heritage, we can be proud of: OUR history, art, literature, music, whatever you name it! But the saddest part about all that is we still didn't master the most important (simplest and hardest simultaneously) art ever - being US!

Exactly because Russia has abundance of things to choose from for literally any person, we seem always taking for granted many of them. Strangely enough, but sometimes I think, if we would have a lack of culture, probably we would appreciate even smallest things much more than we are doing it now.

Example of many countries (even much smaller size as against Russia) shows that they not only declined to assimilate into another culture, they religiously cherished their own one; the quality which alone deserves a high respect. So why such multidimensional giant Russia is, always tends to be the part of something...whereas being already complete by itself?

The question of the day is not whether we are Europeans or Asians, it's rather how to marry up our rich heritage with today's world actualities and needs? What it takes to be modern Russians - being US?

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Afterword:

I have visited Scandinavia recently and I am still amazed how they honor their countries' languages. All signboards were in Swedish, Danish and Finish and it didn’t stop here…they promoted THEIR Nordic lifestyle in each possible way; yet it all went very natural and unobtrusive. Isn't it lovely?

I wish we would have more of this in Russia too. I’d love seeing signboards in Cyrillic, as we all know that Russian is a lot easier than... say, Danish. At least, pronunciation is not full of tongue-twisters ;-)

So why not to finally start loving being US?

It is high time, really.