If you often travel abroad, then you know that a compatriot on the street can be figured out at a glance. Not by conversation, dress, or skin color. Russians stand out from the diverse crowd with their gloomy, wary expression on their faces. He doesn't even have the semblance of a smile. Yes, Russians don't smile a lot. Have you ever wondered why?
Laughing for no reason is a sign of foolishness
If a person at serious work smiles with all his mouth, it means that he is not working well. Do you disagree? And most Russians think so. A person who is busy with business should have an expression of deep concentration and slight fatigue on his face. Why smile at a customs officer? He already has a lot of things to do and no competition. This is not a store, when you can go to competitors across the street, who smile wider and run faster around you. Whether you like the work of customs or not, you still won't go anywhere. In the same way, a passport officer, a registrar at a clinic or any official in a state institution argues. First, they don't smile in serious work. And secondly, giving smiles to clients simply does not make sense.
A smile will not warm you in a forty-degree frost
Many sociologists note the great influence of climate on the formation of character and habits. In the warm southern latitudes, people tend to be more cheerful, friendly and smiling. You probably yourself have noticed that when the sun shines brightly in the morning, and the greens rustle, and the faint smell of flowers and delicious pastries hovers in the air, a smile itself appears on your face. It's good how! In Russia, warm sunny days can be counted on one hand without exaggeration. And when the incessant slush on the street, the leaden sky, it seems, is about to fall on you, your feet are frozen long ago, and a car passing by has poured a stream of mud on a new coat, you do not feel like smiling at all. And cold, dull, nasty weather in Russia is a common occurrence.
No time for smiles here
In Russia, it is customary to be poor. Talking about your problems or sharing the details of your illness with others is in the order of things. If a European or American always tries to show that everything is wonderful in his life, then a Russian, on the contrary, will come up with a bunch of problems, even where they are not. In order not to be envious. The memory of the Stalinist camps, exiles and dispossession of kulaks is still strong in Russians. You can not show anyone that you live well and easily. Otherwise, there will quickly be envious people who will correct your wonderful situation. So a Russian man walks with an expression of extreme concern and longing on his face. Even if his salary has recently been raised and there is a vacation by the sea ahead.
The unsmilingness of the Russian person can be explained by the customs, way of life and habits that have formed from time immemorial, as well as the climatic features of the country. But still, how nice it is to stumble upon a smile instead of a frown and smile back. Just. Because the sun is shining, the new shoes are so beautiful, the weekend is ahead and spring is coming.
