The very word “scoop “came from the word” Soviet”, and they represent the most negative manifestations of lifestyle and thinking inherent in the citizens of the former Soviet Union.
Here, in my opinion, the main features of “scoop” and my explanation of their origin.
Class aversion.
Class hostility, of course, originates in the “Soviet socialist” past. We lived in the country for 70 years, the state policy of which was based on the moral superiority of “people of labor” –workers and peasants, and private owners (capitalists) were physically and psychologically destroyed at the very beginning. For 70 years, we’ve been told that rich people are bloodsuckers and parasites who exploit workers. Hence the image of a thick boorish arrogant fabricator, merchant, fist, Bai. And in contrast to him-the image of a poor honest worker or peasant who all his life are hunched down on the owner, create wealth for him, and they live in poverty. The entire huge state propaganda machine worked on the creation of these images.
Post-Soviet perestroika time did not add to the charm of the image of a rich man. As in all transition countries, the first rich in the Union republics were corrupt officials, shady businessmen or ex-gangsters. Differently in dashing times of change of legal and moral norms, probably, was and it is impossible. But the average person does not forgive the rich is what they turned out to be smarter, resourceful, courageous, avanturine, but somewhere and unscrupulous of all the others.
That’s where the current dislike of “scoops” to the millionaires, oligarchs, landowners and other “bourgeois”. The stigma of “grabber” and “corrupt” continues to appear on the forehead of all wealthy people in the eyes of the “scoop”. Nothing pleases him as debunking glory and condemnation of the next oligarch. The Governor, who was able to prove the guilt of the rich man and put him in prison, immediately becomes a national hero. So it is easiest to earn popularity among the masses.
Paternalistic attitude to the state (the system of relations based on patronage, guardianship and control of the state over people is similar to the father’s control over children in a Patriarchal family).
Paternalistic instincts instilled “scoop” long. Not counting the first revolutionary years, the rest of the history of the Soviet Union in power rotated by a narrow circle of party officials. It was a chosen people. Not in the sense, that elected people, and in the sense, that special. Ordinary people were not allowed to rule the state either directly or through elections. Elections of people’s deputies with a General vote were fiction. The candidates were determined in advance by the party leadership. The distance between the rulers and the people was great. Around the top leaders created the aura of a wise and caring leaders. Love, moreover, to Lenin were brought to a frenzy and abandon. This led to the emergence of the cult of Stalin’s personality, and later-to the domination and cult of the Communist party.
Here and now “scoop” on the nature of the dependent person. He used to be in the team, “the herd”. He is so much easier, calmer, more stable life. He wants to be run, he wants to be ruled. Therefore, the “scoop” is so strong paternalistic mood. “Scoop” sacred honors ” king-father.” He sincerely believes in the election of the ruler. In his special inhuman abilities, almost divine. Therefore, to “scoop” the President is not one of the people hired by the society to perform work for the government, and God.
“Scoop” always believes in “good king”and” evil boyars.” He thinks all the troubles in the country are from the bad middle managers who ruined everything, and the first leader is Holy and infallible. He’s wise, he’s a seer. Any rotation in the history of the country he had foreseen in advance and prepared for it. If there are good events, then the leader of their planned and carried out. If bad things happen, it’s just a test that Moses will take his people out of. Almost religious belief in God the ruler.
Paternalistic feelings towards the state” scoop ” moved and the economy. “Scoop” trusts only the entire state. Public schools, public hospitals, state factories, state trains and planes. Only in them “scoop” feels quietly. Let them be dirty, crowded, corrupt, but it is a state, its total. In understanding the “scoop” is still better than a private institution, where the owner of the private owner, who can’t complain that you can’t “nail”, to dismiss. “Scoop” is always happy to take away from the private trader’s business and give it to the state, because the state – is the father of his native. He won’t let you starve to death. He’ll hold out a piece of bread, even if you don’t make it. At least as a fatherly concern.
Xenophobia (fear or hatred of all things alien, unfamiliar, unusual).
Xenophobia also stems from our Soviet past barracks. Soviet ideology proclaimed the supremacy of society over the individual. The interests of the team have always been higher than those of any of its members. “One-nonsense, one-zero” read the Communist slogan. Any protrusion from the team, the difference of the total mass was considered an attack on the principle of the rule of society. If everyone’s going straight, you should go straight. If everyone is dressed in gray, and you have to go to gray. You don’t have to stand out. I remember, in schools the most effective argument in dispute was phrase: “You that, the emphasis?”. After that, the dispute is usually stopped and poslushnik humbly went into operation, so as to separate from the collective was a terrible sentence.
This ideology of submission to society and the system has spread to all spheres of human life: philosophical views, science, art, appearance. It would seem that the bad thing is to wear bright shoes, or a colored shirt? But no. This was seen as a challenge to social foundations. “Wearing jeans today, and tomorrow will sell the Motherland!”- teachers in schools spoke (the atmosphere of intolerance to dissent reigned in the Soviet Union very well transfers Todorovsky’s film “dudes”).
How does “Soviet” xenophobia today? Yes, colored shirts and short skirts have already defended their right to life. The boundaries of the permitted expanded. But “Soviet” xenophobia were simply shifted to new objects. Now the subject of “righteous” anger are homosexuals, hare Krishna, punk, “emo”, etc., in General, all who stands out from the mainstream. “Scoop” condemns them to disgrace, makes rogue. Especially aggressive ” scoops “are ready to beat on the street”unclear”. This is xenophobia.
Legal nihilism.
“Scoop” does not honor the laws. He believes that the law is one thing, and real life is another. This divergence of concepts emerged during the Soviet years, when television and newspaper propaganda is so different from reality that began to live a parallel life. On TV say that it is impossible to steal, and in life – steal everything, from the janitor to the Chairman of collective farm and above. The papers said that before the law all are equal, but in real life the party leaders are above the law. In such situation and the criminal (thief) subculture with the values was born. In many questions this subculture was more than fair. No wonder there was a famous phrase that was popular not only among the underworld, but in almost all segments of society: “How will we decide: by law or by concept?”. The law is one thing, and concepts, that is, real justice is another.
That’s why until now, “scoop” doesn’t like to go to the police. Said the case is shameful. Prefer to deal in a humane way. Therefore, the ” scoop “does not like those who turn to the authorities for justice, considers them”snitches”. Opposition of the lawful power is shown in everything, even in solidarity of drivers habitual to all of us. Only in the former “Soviet” republics, the driver warns the counter about lurking in front of the police. In Europe, on the contrary, citizens consider the state to be their fair defender and assistant. They therefore reciprocate and help to identify or apprehend violators.
Theft.
“Scoop” characterized by theft. This trait has its roots in the Soviet past. In those years, there was no private property, everything belonged to the state, that is, to all, and therefore – to anyone. The state is a mythical amorphous substance in matters of property. When someone steals hay from the state farm stack, the owner is not nearby, the neighbor will not protect state property, because the state is far away, and the hay here is it, nearby, and around all their own, the same “stolen”. When someone siphons gas out of cars, no one will stop and not shame, because the state is, and merges his comrade, the same driver. And so on, and in all.
Today, in capitalist time, private traders, as can, are struggling with the manifestation of theft in workers and consumers – “scoops” by nature. This line is hard to uproot. It is ingrained in the pores. Even today, some proudly tell how they fooled the “owner” or client: the waiters are substitute goods, sellers cheated buyers, drivers poured gasoline managers take kickbacks, consumers reset counters, etc. Among the “scoops” it is considered valor. They are proud of their” achievements ” in theft and share their experience and advice with others.
Disregard for human life.
“Scoop” has no regard for human life. This attitude to the life of an individual originates in the “Soviet” past, where society was placed above the individual, public interests prevailed over private interests. A single person next to the whole society was considered a negligible subject. They could be neglected and even sacrificed. All for the sake of a common goal. Therefore, Soviet propaganda cultivated sacrificial units for the sake of the masses. And a few have died for the sake of the masses.
Authoritarian rule in the Soviet Union was also an important factor that influenced the formation of such psychology. In this country, the citizens were working and fighting power of the ruling elite. While, for example, in the US citizens are voters, that is, the source of power. Here rulers depend on their citizens and are afraid to disappoint them. Therefore, anti-war marches and demonstrations are possible in the United States, for example, during the Vietnam war, and in the Soviet Union protests against the death of soldiers in Afghanistan were simply impossible.
The hatred of the West.
The scoop hates the West. This hatred he instilled in 70 years. Every day he was on TV or in the Newspapers, as vicious and ruthless capitalist world. As beggars get out on the streets, swarming in landfills, while in the Soviet Union such a phenomenon was not. The Soviet people 70 years to believe that “damned capitalists” jealous of the happiness of the Soviet people and want to destroy that happiness by instigation within the Union or even direct external aggression. People were inspired that everything the West does is aimed at destroying the Soviet Union. The Soviet citizens never had any doubt who is their sworn “enemy.” This is America, and Europe.
What now? The Soviet Union collapsed (in the opinion of the “scoop” only thanks to the machinations of the West). What is the attitude of citizens of the former Soviet Union to the West? Many “scoops” it has not changed. They still hate him. For what? For the collapse of the Soviet Union. For the fact that you are bothering to recover it. For what want debating between themselves republics. For the fact that they want to plunder the wealth of the former Soviet republics. These installations are so firmly hammered into the heads of “scoops” that, it seems, nothing can be knocked out. Of course, the fact that at certain points the leadership of the former Union republics has these attitudes on hand plays a role, and then the anti-Western hysteria is gaining new momentum.
In recent years, “sovkovye” ideologists, no longer knowing how to inculcate hostility to the Western way of life (the West actually lives better), finally found a win-win sting – unconventional sexual orientation. Here is, for that can and should to hate and despise the entire the free world! They have homosexuals openly walking the streets and kissing! Homophobia was inflicted on the flag “sovkov” and serves as a wonderful Scarecrow for all former citizens of the once closed Soviet Union. Most of them did not and does not have the ability to go abroad, in the same Europe, and discover what’s really gay no one is oppressed, in the streets of Brussels and Amsterdam for people not chasing, not kiss in public, ordinary people generally do not bother. Yet in all this the majority of people can’t see in person, the slogans “do Not want to Garou!”, “Down with the shits!”among them work quite successfully.
Anger, arrogance, aggressiveness.
In contrast to the civilized world “scoop” vicious and aggressive. The reason is very simple. The whole world was developing according to market laws, where competition is at the forefront. In order to sell something, the seller must a good try. You need to like the buyer, to climb into his soul. Here, after all, no one is forced to take the goods on the order. Therefore, in market countries, the consumer (buyer) is God. They pray to him, cherish. If he does not buy a product or service, the seller will ruin. This attitude towards consumers has spread to the whole society. After all, almost every person, even if sometimes becomes a buyer at work turns into a seller of their goods or services. There he learned to be helpful, and this habit does not leave him all the time. This psychology of service, indulgence to consumers, and hence to all others (because any passer – by is your potential client), gradually over the centuries has generated some of the basic qualities of the civilized world – courtesy, tact, kindness.
In the Soviet Union, relations between people have evolved on a completely different logic. In the administrative-command system was decided not by the buyer and the seller, which is better described as not even the seller, and distributor. The one who distributed the scarce goods. Sellers did not need to like buyers, because with a huge deficit and long queues it was not necessary. On the contrary, before the seller or distributor all trembled and were ready to grovel. Just to get the coveted sausage or branded shoes. In such an atmosphere, people do not develop goodwill and courtesy to others, but aggression, because the majority of others are potential competitors in the queue, in a stampede for the deficit. When you’re used to work elbows, sorry, not to be nice. Here in honor of other qualities: resourcefulness, sagacity, arrogance, pressure.
And that’s what it led to today. Soviet countries are the most inhospitable and gloomy. People here do not smile, look at each other at best indifferent, at worst viciously. Narrow spaces (lines, elevators, stairs, passages) “scoops” are not inferior to anyone place, pushing and shoving forward. They rejoice like children, if not skip ahead woman or will not give her the place and take it. “Scoops” among the people in a constant state of combat readiness. They are ready to immediately enter into a skirmish because of the slightest conflict, and men are ready and to fight. Therefore, Soviet cities are dangerous to life. Especially for unusual guests from developed countries, who immediately stand out for their defenselessness.
Similarly, the “scoops” are on the streets of Europe. Having brought up in itself fighting qualities in fight for good of life at home, here they suddenly don’t meet aggression from people around or even active repulse. “Scoops” take it for weakness of others and begin to unravel. They are talking and laughing loudly, scaring the others. They have the whole airport to shout: “Honey, come here, I found pantyhose in duty free!”. They can arrange a drunken brawl with a pogrom of furniture and utensils in a quiet, family-run Turkish hotel. They can get through the queue in a taxi, causing surprise and then disgust from others. They’re the ones who can disdainfully talk to waiters and salesmen about “you.” They don’t say Hello and smile. They are easy to find everywhere in these manners. Therefore, they are not loved in civilized countries.
Tasteless appearance.
“Scoop” in Europe can be easily recognized even before he began to swear and to drink vodka. In appearance. As the Chinese are easy to learn by the same ” uniform “(suits, almost military cloisters) or Japanese by fantastic unearthly pretensions, so” scoop ” can be found by the tasteless outfits. In contrast to the Chinese “scoop” has escaped from the green jacket, but the joy dressed in something out of the blue. If you see in a foreign shopping center a man in white socks and sandals, on top of which are long beach shorts, do not doubt, before you “scoop”. If negotiations came to the head of the delegation in wide dark trousers from a suit and a gray fitted blazer on top, it’s probably one of our, of “Soviet”. If you see me on the streets of Europe man, eagerly wearing the most expensive clothes Haute couture, which are incompatible in one man, neither in style nor in purpose, nor the price, it is certainly “new Kazakh”, “new Russian”, etc.
The source of this bad taste again in the Soviet past. What taste can a huge gray mass, dressed in one uniform have? In school uniform, work uniform. It’s not even about the same costumes, but about the same taste of the crowd, the main principle of which is “not stand out”. In the Soviet Union so the state sewing factory and sewed on the state order uniform gray, faded clothes. For each creation of Soviet designers could safely write the motto :” do not stand out!”. Clothing is a reflection of the inner world of man. A typical Soviet man is simple, straightforward and monotonous, like his clothes in Soviet times. Now, after perestroika, “fetters” are discarded, but the taste remained the same or, conversely, from the intoxication of freedom became defiantly bright, catchy and vulgar.
Anger in a family relationship.
In the “Soviet” families disgusting relationship in the family. There’s an awful attitude to children. Mothers beat their children at home and in public. Thus surrounding “scoops” consider it norm. The difference with the” imperfect ” world is especially striking in Singapore or South Korea, where in a crowded place almost no one will pass by your child, so as not to Pat him on the cheek or Pat him on the head. In Soviet society, others consider it their duty to support the “scoop” for parents and threaten to finger a crying baby instead of him. Being abroad, if you hear loud crying and threatening shouts of the parents and even spanking and slapping, you can be sure it’s not the Europeans, not Singaporeans and not the Americans, Soviet family.
These unfriendly relations in family continue and then. Parents fighting among themselves, the children cursing their parents. Swearing in dialogue in the “Soviet” family is the norm. So and on the street “scoops” language; already not are fighting, they on it are talking.
P. S. I Must admit that along with the above negative features of the Soviet way of life, paradoxically, was typical of such opposite qualities as solidarity, mutual assistance, dedication, respect for elders, patriotism, etc. it’s Probably natural. Any society, as well as any person, has positive and negative qualities (though even this division into positive and negative – a relative thing).
P. P. S. the above-Described qualities were not peculiar to all citizens of the Soviet Union. And today, not every person over forty years – “scoop”.
COMMENTS