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markhagelin · Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 7:38 am Post subject: Why Russians Aren’t Greedy

http://www.mosnews.com/feature/2004/10/15/greedy.shtml

Why Russians Aren’t Greedy

Created: 15.10.2004 16:42 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 17:38 MSK

Anna Arutunyan

MosNews

One of our American readers recently asked us for help. While a lot of foreigners visiting Russia often rave about how hospitable, fascinating, exciting, exotic they found their stay to be, Winston wrote a desperate email begging us to explain why Russians were so “greedy,” as he put it.

We don’t usually do this, but we decided to help out, because the questions raise a few interesting cultural issues that impact everything from Winston’s enjoyable visit to a Moscow cafe, to investment policies by Winston’s more affluent compatriots. They are Eternal Questions, as we call them here.

“Why is a taker not considered greedy, but one who does not give what belongs to him/her is considered greedy for withholding?” asks Winston.

Well, Winston, Russians aren’t exactly greedy. They just have a different value system. In order to understand, you’re going to have to temporarily suspend your Protestant Work Ethic. Money, you see, is evil. Take this instance, for example.

Our Russian writer acquaintance — and I mean your typical, Dostoyevsky-quoting, long-haired, chain-smoking intellectual, albeit a published one — made himself welcome in our apartment one weekday night at about 11 p.m. He apologized for being drunk, and asked to borrow 500 rubles (about $17).

His reasoning was impeccable. “My pregnant wife, you see, left me some money, but I spent it all on drink and still have to sustain myself on something for a week until she gets back,” he announced proudly.

This being not the first time he pulled the starving writer on us, we sat him down in the kitchen, poured him a hot cup of tea, and politely refused.

Apparently, though, he needed the 500 rubles badly enough to insist on his moral superiority. He was careless and irresponsible, but that was okay, he said, because he was a writer serving the Eternal. We, on the other hand, were stingy, slaves to the Ephemeral.

“What’s going to be left of you in a hundred years besides a couple of grandkids?” he asked my husband.

He has a point, when you come to think of it.

Winston, meanwhile, brings up another good question. “Why is someone who feels resentful about spending too much money considered bad and greedy?”

Russian literature is rife with examples illustrating this. A telling mythical story by folk writer Pavel Bazhov — often called Russia’s J. R. R. Tolkien for popularizing myths from the Ural Mountains — has the hero stand out from the rest by the way he treats the gold that he mines. Other gold miners in the tale hoard their findings, but not good old Zhabrei, the village weirdo.

Because he isn’t greedy, the Mistress of the Mountain has rewarded him by revealing a secret cave where he gets his gold. But Zhabrei isn’t corrupted by his wealth: every time he finds a lot of gold, all the drinks are on him at the local tavern. The next day, the entire village is hung-over, but Zhabrei’s pockets are empty once again.

Or, take the Iron Will, a novel by the nineteenth-century writer Nikolai Leskov. A German immigrant named Pectoralis is continually humiliated and ridiculed by his new friends and neighbors for trying to create a lasting business in Russia. Pectoralis’ only sin was being too disciplined — or at least trying to be — to act on impulse.

He died after eating too many pancakes on a bet to win back property he was defrauded of.

Winston asks another question: “Are there no property rights in Russian mentality? Does one not have the right to keep what belongs to them without being greedy?”

No, Winston, there are not.

And there is a good reason for this. Money is a sin not just because some monk wandered up from Byzantium and said so. Possessions are cumbersome — and useless — because if it isn’t the raiding Tartar-Mongols that take them away, it will be the Czar, or the landlord that owns you, or the collectivizing Bolsheviks, or the NKVD, or the Oligarchs, or Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

And if all that fails, Old Man Vasya downstairs will fall asleep drunk without putting out his cigarette and all that money you hoarded under the mattress will go up in smoke.

So Russians, Winston, are not greedy. If they look at you funny for not wanting to splurge, it’s because they know something that you don’t: that money is filth. It only causes stress and distracts you from the Eternal.

And if I ask you to hand your filth over to me, I’m the one that’s doing you a favor.

France may make good wine, the United States is a whiz at economic policy, but Russians definitely kick butt at producing Eternal Questions.

AliceFromMoscow · WayToRussified Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Posts: 411

This article already was posted in another topic...

DennisF · Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 7:20 pm Post subject: Greedy?

I read this same article when it was in MOSNEWS md found it interesting. The point of view is so shifted from mine that I had to reread it to be sure I had read it correctly. The old fable about the grasshopper and the ant come to mind. I was raised in a somewhat poor family and instilled with a sense of fiscal responsiblility and budget. I have friends who just float along with the whims of the moment, though, and even though sometimes I envy their freedoms, they do seem to want to borrow money quite often (Sometimes I think my son may be one of them). As a Christian, I should aid those in need around me, but I should also try to be a good steward of the resources I have been blessed with. It's sometimes a delicate balance. I do appreciate this article, though, as I try to understand people around me. DennisF

Dan23 · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:54 am Post subject: Re: Why Russians Aren’t Greedy

bryanboy · Lounge Lizard Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 90

All I can say about the Russians I met and made friends with are:

1) They are extremely hospitable. They REALLY took care of me literally and tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible. Some even went out of mile by "protecting" me from what they feel is negative etc.

2) They are very generous. Before I left, my Russian friends made sure that they have to see me for one last time so they can give me presents -- and yes -- unexpectedly -- I got a huge box with all sorts of Russian souveniers --- something I literally forgot to buy even after 3 weeks of staying in Russua. Also, nobody asked me for anything, material-wise.. Nobody also have expected anything... or something from me. I really DO feel guilty about not bringing anything for me to give them... but what they did say is me hanging out with them was enough and they had a blast knowing me blah blah blah. thank god i asked for their addresses -- i sent them some presents already. Smile

3) Yes, they do ask deep questions. They have asked me questions NO ONE I met in my previous travels everywhere had asked me before. Questions such as "So you like to travel alone. How do you feel when you arrive to a city you've never been before and without knowing anyone? Where do you get the confidence to interact with strangers? How do you adapt to local conditions and culture? " questions such as that... I mean, it may not be deep for you but to me, I thought that was deep. LOL