Russia: More like Greece or Britain?

[Dombra]

Is Russia culturally closer to Greece or Britain?

[Dacul]

UK.,as they are now.

[kvarc]

Greece off course

[Kastrioti1443]

Greece

[Anglojew]

In between

[Sikeliot]

Greece. Even though it is not the closest match other than religion and alphabet, there is almost nothing shared with Britain such that the answer automatically must be Greece.

[Musso]

Both Greece and Russia are Eastern Orthodox Christians, so this automatically makes them closer.

[Pontios]

Closer to Greece for sure, but today it is hard to say because even though the Russian culture is closer to Greece because it is highly based on Orthodoxy, at the same time, most people are not Orthodox.

[Leshy]

Equally distanced from both. Far distanced.

[Humanophage]

I wouldn't place much emphasis on Orthodoxy. The religious patterns are a lot more similar to Britain than to Greece.
http://s21.postimg.org/t02e7xzev/God.jpg
(World Values Survey, 1999)

Overall, Russian high culture is a lot more similar to British high culture. The same goes for popular culture, with the Russians being brought up on Sherlock Holmes, Mowgli and Winnie the Pooh, listening to British music, etc. As a Russian, I know very little about Greek culture outside the classical era.

If you look at the British lower classes, they are extremely similar to the Russian lower classes in practically everything. So perhaps at the core the Russians and Brits are quite similar. Then again, I don't know much about the lower class Greeks.

The recent history, however, is more similar between Russia and Greece. The lack of trust in formal procedures, relative conservatism, etc. So many of the practices that can be attributed to economics and politics probably make the Russians more similar to Greeks. But then in this regard Greece itself is more similar to Britain than either are to Russia, since it has been a more or less successul capitalist democracy for a while, unlike Russia.

Russians who have been to Greece are usually quite enthusiastic about the people, but I think everyone appreciates people being friendlier and more open. The Russians feel more relaxed there, and so sometimes say the Greeks are similar to the Russians.

At the same time, the first Google search for "Greeks are similar to" (Греки похожи на) reveals the following suggestions: "Greeks are similar to Armenians", "...to Georgians", "...to native Caucasians". All those groups are severely disliked by Russians and show some of the highest social distances apart from blacks and Gypsies. The contrast between the imagined classical Greeks and the modern Greeks is a big deal for many Russians.

Diplomatically, I'd imagine most Russians would side with Greece. The Greek struggle against the Turks appeals to them, as does religious identity. The Brits, meanwhile, are disliked as a political force, and seen as anti-Russian. The problem, of course, is that diplomatic sympathy doesn't mean actual similarity.

In genetic terms, I think you can guess that the Russians are much more similar to the English.

[Jackson]

Halfway between then, Humanophage's post was very helpful.

[jerney]

Greece. Even though it is not the closest match other than religion and alphabet, there is almost nothing shared with Britain such that the answer automatically must be Greece.

Greeks and Russians don't use the same alphabet.


I wouldn't place much emphasis on Orthodoxy. The religious patterns are a lot more similar to Britain than to Greece.
http://i42.tinypic.com/qyg1ty.jpg

I don't know how accurate that list is (for Greece at least). There's no way 30% of Greeks find religion "very important" in their lives. Maybe there is still a decent amount of older people who are religious, but they're all about to die anyway

[wvwvw]

I agree that a lot of Russians are a lot closer to Northwest Europeans that people believe. Russia and Germany for example have a long tradition of friendship and cultural exchange. Besides Orthodoxity I don't see what else Russians have in common with Greeks.

Personally I feel 0 kinship to countries like Russia, Armenia etc on the basis of Orthodoxity and it is getting annoying that people insist on grouping us on the basis of religion. The list that Humanophage posted is totally inaccurate. Russians are MORE religious than Greeks not less, and no we don't have much in common with Armenians and Georgians either (except Orthodoxity again :rolleyes:)

The only reason that you got those Google suggestions is because of these forums and the endless trolling threads that have been started about Greeks. It was very low of Humanphage to try to group Greeks with Armenians and Georgians and try to suggest that Greeks are irrelevant to Ancient Greeks, how about we group Russians together with despotic and religious fanatic countries instead, because I haven't seen any other European country assasinate its political opponents, nor have I seen so mafia organized crime to the degree it exists in Russia. And I could also argue that a great percentage of Russians are mongoloids so they should not be grouped with other Europeans. So Humangphage should just go and fuck off as well as the starter of this topic.

[gregorius]

I agree that a lot of Russians are a lot closer to Northwest Europeans that people believe. Russia and Germany for example have a long tradition of friendship and cultural exchange. Besides Orthodoxity I don't see what else Russians have in common with Greeks.

Personally I feel 0 kinship to countries like Russia, Armenia etc on the basis of Orthodoxity and it is getting annoying that people insist on grouping us on the basis of religion. The list that Humanophage posted is totally inaccurate. Russians are MORE religious than Greeks not less, and no we don't have much in common with Armenians and Georgians either (except Orthodoxity again :rolleyes:)

The only reason that you got those Google suggestions is because of these forums and the endless trolling threads that have been started about Greeks. It was very low of Humanphage to try to group Greeks with Armenians and Georgians and try to suggest that Greeks are irrelevant to Ancient Greeks, how about we group Russians together with despotic and religious fanatic countries instead, because I haven't seen any other European country assasinate its political opponents, nor have I seen so mafia organized crime to the degree it exists in Russia. And I could also argue that a great percentage of Russians are mongoloids so they should not be grouped with other Europeans. So Humangphage should just go and fuck off as well as the starter of this topic.

And again our religion is not the same, we arent orthodox.

[Humanophage]

I agree that a lot of Russians are a lot closer to Northwest Europeans that people believe. Russia and Germany for example have a long tradition of friendship and cultural exchange. Besides Orthodoxity I don't see what else Russians have in common with Greeks.

Personally I feel 0 kinship to countries like Russia, Armenia etc on the basis of Orthodoxity and it is getting annoying that people insist on grouping us on the basis of religion. The list that Humanophage posted is totally inaccurate. Russians are MORE religious than Greeks not less, and no we don't have much in common with Armenians and Georgians either (except Orthodoxity again :rolleyes:)

The only reason that you got those Google suggestions is because of these forums and the endless trolling threads that have been started about Greeks. It was very low of Humanphage to try to group Greeks with Armenians and Georgians and try to suggest that Greeks are irrelevant to Ancient Greeks, how about we group Russians together with despotic and religious fanatic countries instead, because I haven't seen any other European country assasinate its political opponents, nor have I seen so mafia organized crime to the degree it exists in Russia. And I could also argue that a great percentage of Russians are mongoloids so they should not be grouped with other Europeans. So Humangphage should just go and fuck off as well as the starter of this topic.
I don't think the modern Greeks are irrelevant to classical Greeks. There is ample genetic evidence for continuity between the two. The overwhelming majority of Russians I met do express amazement at this, however.

I'd imagine a lot of Eastern European countries have to deal with mafia and even political assassination. For instance, Ukraine, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and some others. Like I said, I think that in things that have to do with politics and economics, Greeks and Brits are more similar to each other than to Russians.

I should note that I'm talking about ethnic Russians, and not all citizens of Russians. Indeed, Tuvans, Yakuts and other Mongoloid Russians have nothing in common with either Greeks or Brits, and not much in common with Russians either - apart from Soviet history.

I knew someone would get offended at the Georgians and Armenians, but it's mostly a phenotypical, not a political or cultural similarity. Besides, I am merely reporting on Google search. You can go check it yourself by copying the said words and going to Google.ru.

[gregorius]

I don't think the modern Greeks are irrelevant to classical Greeks. There is ample genetic evidence for continuity between the two. The overwhelming majority of Russians I met do express amazement at this, however.

I'd imagine a lot of Eastern European countries have to deal with mafia and even political assassination. For instance, Ukraine, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and some others. Like I said, I think that in things that have to do with politics and economics, Greeks and Brits are more similar to each other than to Russians.

I should note that I'm talking about ethnic Russians, and not all citizens of Russians. Indeed, Tuvans, Yakuts and other Mongoloid Russians have nothing in common with either Greeks or Brits, and not much in common with Russians either.

I knew someone would get offended at the Greeks and Armenians, but it's mostly a phenotypical, not a political or cultural similarity. Besides, I am merely reporting on Google search.

Armenians dont look like Greeks at all :picard1:, Stop this matter.

[Tyfani]

I think religion brings russia closer to greece than to britain

[wvwvw]

I think religion brings russia closer to greece than to britain

No it doesn't :rolleyes: Culture is many things, religion is only a small part of it.

[Tyfani]

No it doesn't :rolleyes: Culture is many things, religion is only a small part of it.

I know russians in greece that feel conected with this country and people due to same religion. even if we do not speak the same language, we feel more connected where going to church and hearing holy speach :)

[poiuytrewq0987]

I would say Russia is closer to Greece in terms of amount of hot chicks both countries have vs Britain where there's plenty of hotties but also lots of overweight chicks.

[jerney]

I know russians in greece that feel conected with this country and people due to same religion. even if we do not speak the same language, we feel more connected where going to church and hearing holy speach :)

How many Greeks under the age of 60 attend church? (Christmas and Easter don't count)

[Tyfani]

How many Greeks under the age of 60 attend church? (Christmas and Easter doesn't count)

church is there everyday all day. We pass it and pray to God by drawing the cross on our chest :) Everybody does that

[Pontios]

Personally I feel 0 kinship to countries like Russia, Armenia etc on the basis of Orthodoxity and it is getting annoying that people insist on grouping us on the basis of religion. The list that Humanophage posted is totally inaccurate. Russians are MORE religious than Greeks not less, and no we don't have much in common with Armenians and Georgians either (except Orthodoxity again :rolleyes:)

Our entire culture, as well as Russian culture and Armenian culture, is all based on our religion... Greeks and Armenians even longer than Greeks, have Orthodoxy as their religion for over 1500 years... Don't you think both our culture for over 1500 years became heavily influenced by Orthodoxy... Come on now... Thinking logically... Byzantine Empire was the center of Orthodoxy and even today there is a Church on every corner in Greece...

Russians being more religious than Greeks is the biggest lie I keep hearing. This is 100% false. Greece has a population of 11 million, Russia has over 141 or so million, if only 10% of those Russians are Orthodox, that already beats all of Greece, that is why all of you think Russia is more Orthodox then Greece because you see so many of them, but compare those very little to the entire Russian population... they are very small. Now compare how many Orthodox people there are in the 11 million Greek population, this is also just in Greece, what about those outside of Greece, even more of them are Orthodox. Also don't you think about 80 years or so of Communism had an effect... Come on now... Think with your brain, do the math, you know, subtract, divided... :lol:


church is there everyday all day. We pass it and pray to God by drawing the cross on our chest :) Everybody does that
Yes, this whole "only old people go to church" thing is a lie. I know many young people still who go to church every Sunday, and know our faith very well, sometimes even better than the old people, but of course there are many young people too who don't know much about our faith, there is no denying that. :(

P.S. I am talking about Russia today, not the real Russia which was before Communism...

[jerney]

church is there everyday all day.

?


We pass it and pray to God by drawing the cross on our chest :) Everybody does that

Not everyone does that (I actually only ever see women 55 and older do it on a regular basis) and even if they did, so what? How does that make someone 'very religious'?

[Tyfani]

?



Not everyone does that (I actually only ever see women 55 and older do it on a regular basis) and even if they did, so what? How does that make someone 'very religious'?


you do not come close to someone by being "very" something. small things bring people together

[ABest]

Greece, of course. Theotokos of Vladimir (Byzantium's gift to the Kievan Rus' in 1131) symbolizes this Orthodox cultural friendship that has been preserved to this day.

http://www.theconnexionchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/theotokosvladimir.jpg

Also, our common cultures, religions, architecture and (to some degree) our common mentality bring Russia closer to Greece than the UK.

Don't forget that Moscow has been regarded as the "Third Rome" ever since Constantinople's fall. Ivan III of Russia did not marry Sophia Palaiologina for no reason.

[jerney]

you do not come close to someone by being "very" something. small things bring people together

What you said makes zero sense, but ok

[jerney]

Yes, this whole "only old people go to church" thing is a lie. I know many young people still who go to church every Sunday, and know our faith very well, sometimes even better than the old people, but of course there are many young people too who don't know much about our faith, there is no denying that. :(


Have you ever even stepped foot inside a Orthodox church in Greece? (rhetorical question here)

[Tyfani]

Have you ever even stepped foot inside a Orthodox church in Greece? (rhetorical question here)

yes multiple times per year. You see, we do not need to attend the speach, but we can enter and pray for our beloved ones and light a candle in the name of our dead people. I do it pretty often actually

[Pontios]

Have you ever even stepped foot inside a Orthodox church in Greece? (rhetorical question here)

Yes...? I have been all over Greece to many not only Churches but Monasteries and I have seen and heard of many miracles that happen in many of those Monasteries and Churches. Have you ever heard of blood coming out of a tree? I haven't only heard of it, I have seen it. What about poisonous snakes coming into a Church themselves on a certain day, and you are able to grab them, and they don't bite you, but the next day if you grab them, you will be in the hospital. What about Fire appearing out of nowhere and racing through a Church, lighting people's candles, and you are able to touch it, and it doesn't burn you? I have seen many of those things and I have been to an Orthodox Church and not only in Greece. Besides that I go to Church every Sunday and any holidays as well.

[Tyfani]

Fire appearing out of nowhere and racing through a Church, lighting people's candles, and you are able to touch it, and it doesn't burn you?.

I plan to travel to the Tomb to get the chance to take the light in those 5 first mins that it doesn't burn and live the miracle myself too...

[Turkophagos]

Greeks may still be quite superstitious but we are not religious at all. Most Greeks know shit about the orthodox dogma.

[Pontios]

I plan to travel to the Tomb to get the chance to take the light in those 5 first mins that it doesn't burn and live the miracle myself too...

You should! Just the feeling you will have of being there is enough. The Holy Fire is just something that you will never see anywhere else in this world. Something I believe every Orthodox person should see at least once in their life.


Greeks may still be quite superstitious but we are not religious at all. Most Greeks know shit about the orthodox dogma.

Very true. Most believe without knowing what they believe. They believe it because it is how they were taught, but they don't know why it is that way. For example simple things like the 'mandili', most women know to wear it in Church, but why they wear it, many usually don't know.

[Turkophagos]

Very true. Most believe without knowing what they believe. They believe it because it is how they were taught, but they don't know why it is that way. For example simple things like the 'mandili', most women know to wear it in Church, but why they wear it, many usually don't know.


Nobody wears that today, or the past 20 years. Are you sure you're Greek?

[Pontios]

Nobody wears that today, or the past 20 years. Are you sure you're Greek?

In America at least they are normal... and in most Churches that I went in Greece, they wore mandili... This wasn't very long ago either...

[Humanophage]

Positivism to the rescue!

European Social Survey, 2010. "Belonging to a particular religion or denomination"
http://s15.postimg.org/i3cxjtcez/Religion_UKGRRU.jpg

Same goes for attendance:
http://s21.postimg.org/a2w8jel5j/Attendance.jpg


I think the World Values Survey query about God is more personal and accounts for religiosity more than "belonging".

Greece in 1999:
http://s8.postimg.org/ovkt2mwxh/GRRel.jpg

Russia in 1999:
http://s8.postimg.org/8ad6mz5th/RURel.jpg

It should be noted that Russia has grown more religious since then, but is still a lot less religious than Greece.

[Burkean]

A very difficult question. Our old orthodox civilization was almost totally derived from the Byzantine world. But there is a question: whether we can compair the byzantine greeks and the modern greeks? I guess these are two different peoples with very different mentality. Also, these times are too far from the modern situation when the influences from the greek culture are rather historical and lie in the deepest corners of the russian soul as something subconscious.
From the other hand, from the middle of the XIX century the influence of the British culture was increased very seriously. The English classical litterature is very popular in Russia and is percepted as something very close and well understandable. The Eniglish history has also some popularity here. Also, there are some little but significant similarities in mentality, for example, the english politeness and the manner of communication is appreciated very high among Russians, especially by russian intellectuals.
So, we have two influences of the different times and conditions and the problem is getting worse with the fact that if to speak accurately, both greek and british cultures are far enough from the russian one. We are three very different 'corners' of Europe.