Matt, I remember reading an article about Moscow where a citizen said something to the effect of, “Americans see everything as black and white; Russian, 90% is grey.” Does that strike you are fair? If so, could you explain it a bit?
[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]Chushin wrote:
Thanks again, Matt.
I’d like to ask you about something else. Almost without exception, the Russians that I’ve had contact (mostly superficial) with here in Japan have been, well, less than polite to me. Have I just been unlucky in who I’ve come across, do you think? Is it a cultural thing? Is there some antipathy toward Americans?[/quote]
We are an intense people, but not usually rude to people who have not offended us and I don’t see you as doing that. Maybe you have run into mainly diehard pro-Soviet Union types who hate Americans. There is still some antipathy toward Americans, but nothing that would cause the general population to act that way.[/quote]
Thanks.
BTW, as a second language speaker myself, I find your command of English to be truly amazing. I would never guess that it is your second language (and I’ve known some folks who were VERY good, but had subtle telltale signs).
How the hell did you manage that? :-)[/quote]
It is because I am typing and can take my time and think about how to properly “say” things, as well as to read over and revise what I have written. Speaking to me in real life is much different.
[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
Matt, I remember reading an article about Moscow where a citizen said something to the effect of, “Americans see everything as black and white; Russian, 90% is grey.” Does that strike you are fair? If so, could you explain it a bit?[/quote]
I don’t know who said that, but I don’t agree with that at all. Russians, as a people, tend to view things as they are instead of some idealized fantasy that I noticed many Americans tend to view things as (that was not meant to be an attack or insult to Americans). If something is white, we view it as white, same with black and grey.
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
It’s now on a shelf, waiting as last resort for the zombie apocolypse, after more civilized weaponry.[/quote]
[quote]roybot wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
It’s now on a shelf, waiting as last resort for the zombie apocolypse, after more civilized weaponry.[/quote]
[/quote]
I was thinking of the exact same thing, but was too lazy to look up a pic of Obi-wan.
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
Matt, I remember reading an article about Moscow where a citizen said something to the effect of, “Americans see everything as black and white; Russian, 90% is grey.” Does that strike you are fair? If so, could you explain it a bit?[/quote]
I don’t know who said that, but I don’t agree with that at all. Russians, as a people, tend to view things as they are instead of some idealized fantasy that I noticed many Americans tend to view things as (that was not meant to be an attack or insult to Americans). If something is white, we view it as white, same with black and grey. [/quote]
Actually, I think your response fits. Americans, it is theorized, tend to consider things in a rather dualistic way, ignoring all the complicating space in between. Sounds like, from what you wrote, y’all deal with the stuff in between becaus
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]roybot wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
It’s now on a shelf, waiting as last resort for the zombie apocolypse, after more civilized weaponry.[/quote]
[/quote]
I was thinking of the exact same thing, but was too lazy to look up a pic of Obi-wan.
[/quote]
I was actually referring to my M4, any of the various shotguns, pistols, other rifles whatever I own, even my Weatherby .300 I’ve used to kill elk.
The Mosin is just a terrible rifle, iron sites, etc. What keeps them around is they were cheap, plentiful, forgiving of poor maintenance, forgiving of ill-fitting ammo, and a peasant who never held a rifle before can be taught to use one in about 45 seconds.
Consider them the Trabant of rifles. Perfect symbol of the Soviet Union.
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]lanchefan1 wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]lanchefan1 wrote:
Matt first let me start by saying thank you for sharing so much of your personal history with all of us. Being a child of the cold war myself it is very interesting to read what was taught to you from you perspective (as I learned much of the same about the Soviet Union - which was very little).
I’ve heard similar stories from other Russians that have moved here as well.
One thing I have run into in my profession is what I can only describe as fear and distrust towards those of us that do police and fire. Could you elaborate (it would help me greatly in my job)?[/quote]
Police officers in the Soviet Union were very corrupt. They would beat people (sometimes even in public) and rob us, falsify evidence and worse, so that is a big reason why we tend to be very mistrustful and wary of cops.
[/quote]
Very understandable, what about fire/ems?[/quote]
I don’t really know on that one. There weren’t too many problems with those guys behaving like that. Maybe it is something to do with your local community?
[/quote]
LOL no I don’t think it is that, we were wearing our button shirts with our badges on them, so I can see the apprenhension (we look just like a cop).
bump - way to quiet here
[quote]derf wrote:
bump - way to quiet here[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that but I have been very busy these past few days and will likely be for the next few days. When I have a little bit more time I will tell some more stories about the Soviet Union.
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]derf wrote:
bump - way to quiet here[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that but I have been very busy these past few days and will likely be for the next few days. When I have a little bit more time I will tell some more stories about the Soviet Union.[/quote]
Just like Tiger. Kidding.
What is the SU’s view of China?
[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]derf wrote:
bump - way to quiet here[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that but I have been very busy these past few days and will likely be for the next few days. When I have a little bit more time I will tell some more stories about the Soviet Union.[/quote]
Just like Tiger. Kidding.
What is the SU’s view of China? [/quote]
Glad to see you posting again, BC.
[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]derf wrote:
bump - way to quiet here[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that but I have been very busy these past few days and will likely be for the next few days. When I have a little bit more time I will tell some more stories about the Soviet Union.[/quote]
Just like Tiger. Kidding.
What is the SU’s view of China? [/quote]
LOL, nothing like that but it has been crazy at work this last week. We have had a lot of bomb threats in the past couple months, and this last week it has gotten worse (4 yesterday alone) and people are getting very scared. My fiancee is pretty freaked out so I have been doing my best to keep her mind on other things, which means less time to spend on the internet. Here is a news article about it.
As to your question, there were many ideological differences between Soviet communism and Chinese communism, right down to how they went about their revolution. After Stalin died, Khrushchev did a lot of things to piss off the Chinese and relations got very bad. The major difference was that Khrushchev and other higher ups in the party were trying to promote a “peaceful coexistence” policy towards relations with capitalist countries and the Chinese did not. By the time my generation came about, all Chinese communist teachings and literature were banned in the Soviet Union and the propaganda was very much anti-Chinese, so most of us did not have a very high opinion of the Chinese.
[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]Brother Chris wrote:
[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
[quote]derf wrote:
bump - way to quiet here[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that but I have been very busy these past few days and will likely be for the next few days. When I have a little bit more time I will tell some more stories about the Soviet Union.[/quote]
Just like Tiger. Kidding.
What is the SU’s view of China? [/quote]
LOL, nothing like that but it has been crazy at work this last week. We have had a lot of bomb threats in the past couple months, and this last week it has gotten worse (4 yesterday alone) and people are getting very scared. My fiancee is pretty freaked out so I have been doing my best to keep her mind on other things, which means less time to spend on the internet. Here is a news article about it.
As to your question, there were many ideological differences between Soviet communism and Chinese communism, right down to how they went about their revolution. After Stalin died, Khrushchev did a lot of things to piss off the Chinese and relations got very bad. The major difference was that Khrushchev and other higher ups in the party were trying to promote a “peaceful coexistence” policy towards relations with capitalist countries and the Chinese did not. By the time my generation came about, all Chinese communist teachings and literature were banned in the Soviet Union and the propaganda was very much anti-Chinese, so most of us did not have a very high opinion of the Chinese. [/quote]
That article says some of the threats have been traced to Austria…
Has anyone seen Orion around here lately?
;-)[/quote]
I see this on the news every morning now and can’t help but wonder.
Just an aside from a sometime visitor to modern Russia — one thing that has not changed are the roads.
They still suck.
Like large, car-swallowing, holes on two-lane highways marked with a single orage cone, sucking.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
I see this on the news every morning now and can’t help but wonder.
[/quote]
This is getting really annoying. Bomb threats in colleges do happen. Every once in a while some dumbass realizes that he/she is unprepared for a test or whatever and calls in a bomb threat to get out of it. This is something else entirely. My students are scared and stressed out and distracted, and having me as a professor is stressful and scary enough without this stuff. Even many of the faculty are getting freaked out as well. I have been going to emergency faculty meetings these past couple of days trying to figure out how to make up for lost class time and stuff like that. The rumors about shutting down for the semester are false, however. I can tell you with full confidence that that is not even being considered at this point.
[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
Just an aside from a sometime visitor to modern Russia — one thing that has not changed are the roads.
They still suck.
Like large, car-swallowing, holes on two-lane highways marked with a single orage cone, sucking.[/quote]
Yeah, crappy roads are just a fact of life in Russia. I spoke to my sister a few weeks ago and she said that in Volgograd at least, there are some new projects underway to improve and expand the roadways. As the economy improves, I expect things like the bad roads will be addressed.