Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Russians do not smile (2002)

chicagomaroon.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 502 posts

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#71

Post by firebaze »

rafaelero wrote: post #54

I had the same impression traveling to Bolivia. I am Brazilian and we generally smile when speaking with someone. But in La Paz people usually had this serious look on their faces and a kind of difficult to approach semblance. I imagined poverty could explain that, but Brazil is a bit poorer than Russia. Maybe instead of poverty, we could think about hardship in a more general sense? I find very hard to believe that…

Russians can be the sincerest friends you know, smiling to you. They also can be your fiercest enemies, still smiling to you. Sometimes I think this is the source of the hollywood/McCarthy myth of bad russians. TL;DR: If all russians would play poker, the world would be broke.

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#73

Post by resoluteteeth »

Clubber wrote: post #38

In the US smiling wasn't as prevalent, at least in photographs. Look at any Civil War era picture and nobody is smiling in their portraits. I'm not sure when that started. I read somewhere that back then people thought people who smiled all the time were "simple minded." Now I can't help thinking that every time I see some marketing copy with some model smiling while playing with soap or something.

Do you also think the world was black and white back then?

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#74

Post by firebaze »

zeroc8 wrote: post #60

Austrian here, we are somewhat in between Russians and Americans, when it comes to smiling. But what I can tell you is that life is just so much better when people smile at you, even if it might not be a hundred percent genuine. My comparison stems from having worked with both Russians and Americans. Being around grumpy Russians all day long makes live really miserable.

I can't second this. Everytime I'm in the US I'm scared of all the friendly, smiling people, asking "How are you?" in such a friendly tone, it's delightful. Of course it's faked, anyone knows, and dare if you'd reply with "not good, my aunt just died". Awkward situation ensues, everybody tries to get out of the situation ("and what would you like to have for breakfast tomorrow?").

Now replay the same situation in another ("non-friendly") culture. Most of the "not-friendly" cultures would invite you to a free beer, asking what happened etc.

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#75

Post by mLuby »

dosman33 wrote: post #10
zero_deg_kevin wrote: post #4

The thing that struck me most about this article was the frequent east/west framing. Is that common outside of the US?

Yes. Once while touring a space museum in Switzerland I was reading the placards about the Russian and US space programs. Yuri Gagarin was consistently referred to as "the communist" which seemed perfectly normal to me as an American. Then I saw one that referred to John Glenn as "the capitalist" which was a novel concept to my brain. It wasn't until that moment that I realized just how ridiculous it was for us to re…

Relatedly, Garagin might've been picked to be the first human in space due to his winning smile.

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#76

Post by [deleted] »

dougmwne wrote: post #17
thatfrenchguy wrote: post #12

But really, why do Americans smile?

Basically the article still applies. People who always have a smile on their face are praised as having reached a level of contentment and joy that the rest of us aspire to. That and you'll eventually get fired from your job if you never smile.

[deleted]

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#77

Post by randcraw »

This the perfect opportunity to suggest a relevant book: "The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia" by Michael Booth. He's a Brit who married a Dane, relocated to Denmark, and was struck by the cultural differences between Scandinavian cultures and his own. So he wrote a book.

In it, he observes that smiles and jokes and easy conversation are more common among Brits and Americans than many Europeans, and suggests that, as you proceed northward and eastward through the continent, facial expressions tend to grow more sober and the tendency toward small talk fades. Not that these peoples are more unhappy, but there is generally less inclination to idly chat or joke around.

The author offers numerous observations, interpretations, and interviews regarding local perspectives on 'happiness' during his travels. An insightful read that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#78

Post by swensel »

dougmwne wrote: post #17
thatfrenchguy wrote: post #12

But really, why do Americans smile?

Basically the article still applies. People who always have a smile on their face are praised as having reached a level of contentment and joy that the rest of us aspire to. That and you'll eventually get fired from your job if you never smile.

Speaking of jobs, at least in America, smiling is helpful even getting the job in the first place.

Re: Why Russians do not smile (2002)

#80

Post by drran »

dougmwne wrote: post #13

I wonder if any Russians can weigh in if this still feels accurate. I'm familiar with Polish Culture, which is less fun, frivolous, and happy than American culture, but a smile is certainly not an attack, just reserved for genuine occasions. Service people are in no way expected to smile unless there is some honest reason to.

The situation is pretty serious, guys. Enemies are at the West. Enemies are at the East. Enemies are at the South. Enemies are at the North. Enemies are INSIDE our grandiose Russian civilization! Why are you smiling? Are you stupid? Maybe you dislike our grandiose Russian civilization, with grandiose Russian writers, like Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Hohol? Maybe you dislike our grandiose and mighty Russian language? Why are you talking in your stupid English language? Are you liking rotting West culture, which pushes their rotten songs in unprotected ears of our youth? ...

And so on 24x7 at Russian TV.

Post reply on HN