Why are Balts romanticized more than Slavs?

[Grace O'Malley]

Well I'm pretty knowledgeable about history in general (all of Europe and beyond), so I guess it is hard for me to tell what is "very knowledgeable".

Knowing something about Britain's involvement in Ireland and the potato famine is not "very knowledgeable" to me.

Knowing stuff like Niall of the Nine Hostages, that counts as very knowledgeable. I don't think an "average Joe" in the continent heard about him.

Most people wouldn't know about Niall of the Nine Hostages. He would only be generally well known in Ireland or people interested in genetics. The difference about people knowing about the Irish potato famine is that not many people know anything about Latvian, Lithuanian or Estonian history. I don't know anything myself and to be honest most people in Australia haven't even heard of those countries or aren't very familiar with them. Ireland is a bit different and people everywhere know about Ireland. I'm surmising this is because of British involvement in a lot of countries and the influence of the US. I mean they even have a St Patrick's Day parade in Japan.

https://tokyocheapo.com/events/love-...ks-day-parade/

[Peterski]

The difference about people knowing about the Irish potato famine is that not many people know anything about Latvian, Lithuanian or Estonian history. I don't know anything myself and to be honest most people in Australia haven't even heard of those countries or aren't very familiar with them

I can understand Latvia/Estonia, but 'm surprised that they don't know anything at least about Lithuania.

I think that Holodomor is as well-known as the Potato Famine. That's not Baltic history though, of course.

[Peterski]

It is a fairly small area and you never hear much about them.

Ireland island = 84,421 km2
Baltic lands = 190,216 km2

It is twice as big as Ireland.

[Grace O'Malley]

I can understand Latvia/Estonia, but 'm surprised that they don't know anything at least about Lithuania.

I think that Holodomor is as well-known as the Potato Famine. That's not Baltic history though, of course.

No Lithuania isn't a well known country here in Australia. Poland is though. Lithuania, Latvia are better known about in Ireland because of the immigrants there. Not many Latvians, Estonians or Lithuanians have come here for some reason.

[Peterski]

No Lithuania isn't a well known country here in Australia. Poland is though.

I guess they made a mistake not wanting to be united with us anymore.

[Peterski]

They have also a weak participation rate online so there isn't much exposure to them. There isn't a single active Baltic user at the moment for example (though there is a Latvian user that posts every once in a while).

Most of Non-British "European" users on TA don't really live in Europe but usually in some English-speaking country.

For example we have a ton of Albanian users but does even one of them actually live in Albania? I don't think so.

Maybe Baltic Diaspora is not numerous.

The "Squatting Slav" meme is based off gopnik Russians/East Slavs. It's called "Squatting Slavs" instead of "Squatting Russians" cause it rhymes. Also, non-Russian Slavs adopted/promoted it as well for whatever reason I don't know. But either way, memes are obviously gonna be more likely to grow around groups with large populations. How many internet memes exist surrounding Guinea or Tanzania? This should be pretty obvious to you mate.

Most people outside Northeast Europe/Baltic Sea region don't really know the Balts even exist, let alone romanticize them. However, those that do stumble upon them are probably a bit fascinated since they have next to interaction with Balts.

I wasn't necessarily talking about memes like Squatting Slav, but generally about Anti-Russian propaganda in American media.

It is very similar to your Anti-Japanese propaganda during WW2, also directed at an ethnicity/race rather than just the state.

[Ruggery]

Ireland is a familiar country due to all countries in the Anglosphere having significant Irish or Irish-descended populations. It's not even comparable.

Ireland outside the Anglo-sphere is not very famous, for example, within the European Union Ireland has the same importance as Poland and Finland.