The American humiliated the Russians with one statement: “You are no better than us.” Here’s what she didn’t understand about Russia

According to her, Russians in general are not more friendly to each other than Americans, and are not particularly inclined to help strangers, writes Zen channel “Glass Tale”. At first glance, such an opinion contradicts the usual idea of Russians as a people for whom mutual assistance and hospitality are of special importance.

It is enough to drive during rush hour in the Moscow subway or go to a crowded store to notice one feature: strangers rarely smile at each other and do not tend to start conversations without reason.

In Russian culture, a smile is usually perceived as an expression of sincere affection, rather than an obligatory part of politeness. Therefore, restraint on the street does not always mean dislike or unwillingness to help.

However, Audrey Lord could judge Soviet society primarily by appearance. Observing the behavior of people in public places, it is easy to conclude that they are alienated without knowing how they behave in difficult life situations.

Imagine a familiar situation: a person is stuck in winter on a country highway. Passes by a driver who himself looks sullen and not inclined to talk. But, noticing someone else's trouble, he stops, pulls out the cable and helps pull the car out of the snow.

After that, he can refuse money, say a short goodbye and leave without expecting gratitude. For him, help doesn't necessarily require long conversations or a show of friendliness.

Russian hospitality is similarly shown. Even with modest incomes, the owners often try to put on the table all the best that is in the house, feed the guest and give him time.

Of course, not everyone behaves this way, and the willingness to help depends on the person and circumstances. But it is stories like this that form the idea of mutual assistance as an important part of Russian culture.

It would be wrong to compare two countries on one observation. The United States also has a tradition of volunteering, philanthropy, and supporting neighbors. In Russia, in turn, not every stranger is ready to intervene in someone else’s problem.

The differences are more related to the usual ways of communication. In American culture, friendlyness and easy conversation are common even with unfamiliar people. In Russia, communication with strangers is often more restrained, but close relationships can imply a high level of trust and a willingness to help.

Therefore, external inhospitableness does not indicate a lack of sympathy. Conversely, a smile alone does not guarantee that a person will be there in a difficult moment.

Audrey Lord's observation reminds us of an important thing: national character cannot be determined by facial expressions on the subway or at a stop. To understand people, you need to see how they behave not only in everyday life, but also when someone really needs help.