Rainbows Are Not Welcome

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It is a common knowledge, that Russian society is less than tolerant when it comes to homosexuals. Homosexual tourists in Russia have to be vigilant about not showing their affection in public, otherwise, they will be most likely attacked, physically threatened or even killed.This is when the rest of the world celebrates the equal rights movement or gay marriage laws.

How many years will it take before Russian society develops any kind of tolerance towards LGBT community? We do not know. Nobody knows. But the question that we want to address in this post is: why are Russians so homophobic? 

More after the jump.

The Real Reason Why Russians Don't Smile

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You might hear all kinds of explanations why Russians don't smile. Some of them point out that Russians need a sufficient reason to smile, like a joke. Or that a smile should be a sincere indication of someone's good mood.

These explanations would be fine and dandy if they addressed the root of the problem, however, they do not. They only label the behavior or right it off as a "custom". The real reason why Russians do not smile is much more disturbing.

More after the jump.

Is Russophobia Real?

What is Russophobia?

The most obvious answer is: Russophobia is the fear of Russia and Russians.

Unfortunately, in reality, the answer is way more complicated than that.

In this post we will examine whether Russophobia is real and, if it is, should people be afraid of Russia and Russians. 

More after the jump. 

Why Russians Love Stalin but Hate Yeltsin and Gorbachev

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Do you know that many Russians still love and long for Stalin? 

Do you know that most Russians still hate Yeltsin and Gorbachev?

Do you know the reason why?

The answer is quite simple. It relates to our previous posts and can be summed up in two words: slave mentality. 

So what is it about Stalin, Yeltsin, and Gorbachev that evoke strong emotions in Russians?

Read more to find out.

More after the jump.

When Did It All Go Wrong? (Part 2)

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In Part 1 we learned that Russia is lagging behind other civilized nations when it comes to economic, social, and political development. 

The stagnation was apparent during the Soviet times, and even way before that, during the rule of Nicolas I. 

So, when did Russia start falling behind?

In this post, we will take a look at some historical and geographical aspects that kept Russia behind while other Western nations were making progress.

More after the jump....

When Did It All Go Wrong? (Part 1)

Barge Haulers on the Volga by Ilya Repin (Source)

In our last post, we explained the features that define slave mentality. Among them are Stockholm syndrome, learned helplessness, and low productivity / efficiency. 

In this post, we will try to look at Russian history and the specific conditions that made Russian character somewhat unique.

Russia is mostly a European nation. Even though geographically it is stretched across both Europe and Asia and the significant portion of its landmass is in Asia, the majority of the population resides in Europe. The capital and the cultural centers can be found in European part as well. Basically, Russia as a nation evolved in Europe and then spread to the neighboring territories. So, how does Russia measure up to other European countries? 

Unfortunately, all the data clearly indicates that Russia as a nation is behind other developed European countries when it comes to the economy, political situation and social progress. At some point of its development, Russia started falling behind. 

Basically, we will try to figure out when and how the development of Russia as a country started to lag behind from its European rivals. When and how did it all go so wrong?