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Do Russians see themselves as European people or different from Europeans?
Russians love to claim from time to time that they are *special,* that they are the "descendants of Scythians" quoting this particular poem of Alexander Block.
On better days they look at all the portraits of their learned men hanging on the walls and quietly accepting that they are nothing but Europeans))))
What are the restrictions for Russians owning firearms, can Russians own military surplus weapons like the Mosin Nagant 91/30 rifle that are so available and cheap here in the U.S.?
Go through the hoops and you can own just about any weapon out there as long as its a personal type small arm. My brother in law had a Saiga 12 ga pump shot gun a semi auto AK -47 and a 4 cm (on the haft) 3 m lance. He hunted wild pigs on foot with a partner and 2 dogs.
This might be a weird question but why are many russians and this goes for many people of the east in general, really fascinated with luxury? Luxury items. They just love it and revel in it. Is it a mark of high class in Russian society? Here in the states a billionaire dresses like Mark Cuban or Mark Zuckerberg, but even middle class Russians I've seen here in LA have to have Mercedes, Gucci shoes and other luxury items. This isn't something I've only noticed about Russians but Ive also seen among middle easterners, Armenians and the newly rich Chinese. They wear the polo shirts with the big horse on them, Gucci loafers, etc.
Is it because these are new items to Russian society?
They tend to live for the moment. Glory in it ans squeeze all they can from life everyday. Completely different from me and my like. I and many others live for the future and are only concerned with what I need to meet my future goals. I want to go back to Russia next summer and barring death I will. I want to see the Kursk battlefield in July and wander the banks of the Don again. I also want to party with them again.
Go through the hoops and you can own just about any weapon out there as long as its a personal type small arm. My brother in law had a Saiga 12 ga pump shot gun a semi auto AK -47 and a 4 cm (on the haft) 3 m lance. He hunted wild pigs on foot with a partner and 2 dogs.
I'm looking at the pictures of what's legal there, what's not.
(Because I don't understand much in names)))
P.S. But Nagant - doesn't it sound so....so 20ies-30ies, no?
Whenever I hear the word "Nagant" I think of the times of *Great October Socialist Revolution))))* or Civil war)))))
This might be a weird question but why are many russians and this goes for many people of the east in general, really fascinated with luxury? Luxury items. They just love it and revel in it. Is it a mark of high class in Russian society? Here in the states a billionaire dresses like Mark Cuban or Mark Zuckerberg, but even middle class Russians I've seen here in LA have to have Mercedes, Gucci shoes and other luxury items. This isn't something I've only noticed about Russians but Ive also seen among middle easterners, Armenians and the newly rich Chinese. They wear the polo shirts with the big horse on them, Gucci loafers, etc.
Is it because these are new items to Russian society?
There is a name for it you know -
nou·veau riche
ˌno͞oˌvō ˈrēSH/ noun
noun: nouveau riche 1.
people who have recently acquired wealth, typically those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in good taste.
synonyms:new rich, parvenus, arrivistes, upstarts, social climbers, vulgarians "we appeal to the nouveau riche for much of our funding"
nou·veau riche
ˌno͞oˌvō ˈrēSH/ noun
noun: nouveau riche 1.
people who have recently acquired wealth, typically those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in good taste.
synonyms:new rich, parvenus, arrivistes, upstarts, social climbers, vulgarians "we appeal to the nouveau riche for much of our funding"
There is that, but I'm amazed at how common it is in Russia for people to buy Italian fashion. As if this were a perfectly normal expectation and preference for average people. Granted, they have much fewer clothes than Americans and Westerners in general, so their work wardrobe may consist of a total of 3 or 4 outfits (not uncommon in Western Europe, either--to have few but high quality items), but many buy the latest Italian fashion when they can get it (in the public markets). When they immigrate to the US, they can be seen in the outlet mall discount stores of European designers, or the highest-end department stores.
So it's not just about people who have recently acquired wealth. It's about fairly ordinary workers, too.
On the other hand, some of what appears to be a taste for luxury is due to the idiocyncracies of Russian life and culture: caviar is ordinary and cheap. Fur coats and hats) are ordinary because they're necessary for survival. Though puzzlingly, wool clothing is rare and very expensive, compared to the West, and cashmere is unheard of, in spite of one of the largest producers, Mongolia, having been a "brother nation" and right next door. Hydrofoil travel is the basic form of public transport in riverine environments, while it's unaffordable in the West, except in rare cases as a luxury at premium prices. But this turns out to be because it's cheaper for the regime to subsidize hydrofoils than to build and maintain roads in harsh environments. The czar's perfume was made available to Everyman and Everywoman very cheaply. (Power to the people!)
There is that, but I'm amazed at how common it is in Russia for people to buy Italian fashion. As if this were a perfectly normal expectation and preference for average people. Granted, they have much fewer clothes than Americans and Westerners in general, so their work wardrobe may consist of a total of 3 or 4 outfits (not uncommon in Western Europe, either--to have few but high quality items), but many buy the latest Italian fashion when they can get it (in the public markets). When they immigrate to the US, they can be seen in the outlet mall discount stores of European designers, or the highest-end department stores.
Well then you can include me in this group too))))
Except for I don't care for "brand names" and in my case I am not hooked on Italian clothing but on French)))
I am not sure why are you amazed, because clearly - Russians LOVE European-made goods, and that includes fashion. Russian women ( and particularly good-looking ones) have their own ideas of what being "well-dressed" means and for the most part it DOES NOT include an idea of American-style clothing ( when they are in the US.) Same goes to Russian-made clothing, ( if such thing even still exists.) From the day of dawn the fashionable items and items of luxury were coming to Russia from EUROPE and Russians always appreciated it. See, Russian men ( historically speaking) have a very *peculiar* mindset, ( to say the least) that they are interested in producing things that they deem worthy of their attention, apparently. They can figure out how to build an advanced tank, or a decent gun, or any versatile construction that they find necessary for their own purposes, and they'll be thrilled sitting for hours in the lab working on a spaceship or intercontinental ballistic whatever. What they clearly don't have time for, is such boring stuff as washing machines, vacuum-cleaners, and least of all - luxury items, clothing including. In their minds - that's what Europeans are for; the French, the Italians, the Germans - you name it. So when they need to please their women - that's where they are going to get all these items from. I think that's the kind of arrangement in their heads - the plan "B," and it usually works, not to mention that when Russian men themselves want to indulge in luxury - guess what cars they all ultimately want? And that how it works over there, with only one small additional note that it's not like Russians are unfamiliar with "finer things" in life. Here is yet again - they can create a masterpiece of painting or some handcrafted works of art, yet they clearly differentiate between what is going to be *admired by the generations to come* and what's going to be disposed of tomorrow. And they subconsciously ( or heck - may be even conscientiously) act upon their preferences as far as I can tell.
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So it's not just about people who have recently acquired wealth. It's about fairly ordinary workers, too.
Yes-yes, me including))))
You know, sometimes when I chatted with DJ on-line, ( she is French) I asked her to show me the fashions SHE liked, and I admired them all the same too)))
(Same goes to French-made perfumes, cosmetics - you name it; they are very popular among Russian women overall.)
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Some of this may be a reaction to the regimentation and relative deprivation of Soviet times; people imagined that everyone in the West wore high fashion and designer clothing all the time and ate
gourmet food.
Yes and no, because - as I've said, it goes deeper than that.
Have no idea, sorry. I rarely eat Russian food - it's a bit too heavy and bland for my taste and Russians ( your regular ethnic Russians) usually do not like spicy food for the most part too. ( I know when mine were cooking - it was exceptionally good, but still - not much spice at all.) I guess spicy food doesn't go well with vodka - only with wines))))
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On the other hand, some of what appears to be a taste for luxury is due to the idiocyncracies of Russian life and culture: caviar is ordinary and cheap.
USED to be. Not any longer. (At least black caviar. The red one - yes, that's still fairly cheap.)
Quote:
Fur coats and hats) are ordinary because they're necessary for survival. Though puzzlingly, wool clothing is rare and very expensive, compared to the West, and cashmere is unheard of, in spite of one of the largest producers, Mongolia, having been a "brother nation" and right next door.
I would find it unsuitable for Russian climate - too thin, too capricious, and can be easily worn out, and wool was not all that popular, because ( from what I remember) the wool sweaters were always too bulky to put under the winter coats.
And I DO NOT LIKE FUR for obvious reasons; I am very "westernized" in this respect - you can call it that I suppose.
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Hydrofoil travel is the basic form of public transport in riverine environments, while it's unaffordable in the West, except in rare cases as a luxury at premium prices. But this turns out to be because it's cheaper for the regime to subsidize hydrofoils than to build and maintain roads in harsh environments. The czar's perfume was made available to Everyman and Everywoman very cheaply. (Power to the people!)
You seem to be really fascinated by those hydrofoils Ruth, and I vaguely remember what was so special about it))))
P.S. What "Tzar's perfume" - you mean the famous remake of it - the "Red Moscow?"
Meh, reminds me of American perfumes, if anything.
Well this is explaining it more I guess. I mean it was so puzzling to me that the Russians I've met in LA (and Persians, Armenians, Arabs) everything has to be luxury, from the car, the shoes, the hats, the shirts, etc. And these people are NOT rich either, they're middle class workers who spend their last dollar on a leased out BMW or Mercedes.
My theory was always that they were deprived of the luxury goods and also that it's a status symbol that you are doing well for yourself among your peers. That is the only way I can explain wearing Gucci head to toe, especially the women. Western Europeans and Americans like luxury too but in small quantities and for Americans even less. If anything I've heard American brands like Abercrombie are supposed to be luxury for Western Europeans so I imagine it's not the case in Russia.
What I am wondering is if they themselves cannot see, especially living in America, how silly it is to define yourself by luxury items? How tacky it looks and how it makes some of them look materialistic? Supposedly, it should already be known that covering yourself in all luxury is a sign of insecurity. Dressing nice is always a plus. I wear my Lacoste shirts, nice jeans, nice brand name shoes but I don't want the biggest Polo horse on my shirt.
This isn't just Russians but I've noticed it mostly with people from the East.
Well, I think you've got a good handle on it. Some of it has to do with being deprived in the earlier era. Russians who didn't go through the Soviet period, but lived on the fringes of it, had no need for luxuries. Even if they had lived luxuriously in Russia or China, they were happy to be settled in a country where they didn't have to worry about another war or a revolution, and to have jobs in their new country whose language they didn't speak well.
Also, apparently luxury was a part of Jewish culture before the war. So some of the people your seeing are likely not ethnic Russians, even though they speak Russian.
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They can figure out how to build an advanced tank, or a decent gun, or any versatile construction that they find necessary for their own purposes, and they'll be thrilled sitting for hours in the lab working on a spaceship or intercontinental ballistic whatever. What they clearly don't have time for, is such boring stuff as washing machines, vacuum-cleaners, and least of all - luxury items, clothing including. In their minds - that's what Europeans are for; the French, the Italians, the Germans - you name it. So when they need to please their women - that's where they are going to get all these items from. I think that's the kind of arrangement in their heads - the plan "B," and it usually works, not to mention that when Russian men themselves want to indulge in luxury - guess what cars they all ultimately want? 