Russia Stereotype

The lack of smile and eye contact greatly contributes to the image of an unfriendly Russian. This particular feature of the country’s culture seems to carry the wrong meaning to people of a different culture and, thus, turn them away. The reason is that the foreigners visiting Russia might not be used to such treatment at home. In the US, for instance, there is nothing wrong with making eye contact or smiling at strangers. This simple social act is a way to show one’s good intentions, as a smile symbolizes friendliness throughout most of the world.

In Russia, however, making eye contact or smiling at a stranger in public is not only a sign of bad taste but is also often considered a sign of mental instability. In Russia, there is even a saying that illustrates this feature: “Laughter without a reason is a sign of a fool” (Smith 16). This saying demonstrates that Russians do not view their lack of smiling as a negative characteristic.

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On the contrary, they perceive such behavior as normal and expected, since it is a part of their culture.

Another reason why Russians are seen as a rather unfriendly nation is their portrayal in the media and pop culture. The citizens of the Russian Federation are quite often depicted in the media and cinematography as enemies, spies, or even terrorists. The reasons behind this issue are mostly political. Such a stereotype originated during the first years of the Cold War. It was developed as the Russian culture was judged against the values and qualities of the American culture (Smith 12).

Moreover, the USSR seemed to outperform the US in certain areas, and this was seen as a threat to American superiority. The tension gained its peak during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which seriously undermined the American-Soviet and Cuban-Soviet relations for years to come. This and many more events that took place during the Cold War prompted American filmmakers and writers to use Russians as villains in their works. This issue was the most notable in the series of novels by Tom Clancy. Thus, due to the popularity of American culture, the image of “evil Russians” was deeply enrooted in the minds of many people.

In reality, the Russians are quite friendly and always ready to help. This was demonstrated during the FIFA 2018 World Cup, which was held in Russia. Many tourists and fans who visited that event saw a better side of Russia – kind and curious (Jennings n.p.). For instance, many residents offered apartments to the visiting fans, who were unlucky to find one. Besides, Russians themselves managed to debunk many misconceptions about their culture. For example, Andrei, a security officer from Samara, during his interview with the BBC told that it is true that Russians do not smile too often, but every smile they give is sincere (Jennings n.p.).

In conclusion, Russians are not rude or inhospitable. Even though some of the aspects of the stereotype in question appear to be true, on a closer look, Russians generally appear to be much nicer than this mistaken belief suggests.