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Russia: from smoking and drinking to Peace and Harmony.
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Before I start my research, let me ask you, reader, what do you think of Russia and Russians today? Have you got the experience of communicating with Russians? What stereotypes do exist concerning this country and its people? Please, leave your comment below. Feel free to say what you really think. Your voice is very important.
So, first of all let me say I’m Russian; I was born here and know the way of life and problems of the society from the inside.
Today I want to make an accent on the problem of smoking and drinking alcohol in Russia. In spite of the set of laws, which our Government approved against these social phenomena, Russians go on doing it. WHY? The statistics say that about 60% of males and 30% of females smoke and don’t want to give up. WHY? Women, even pregnant or too young drink and smoke not less than men. WHY? Parents allow their children to drink alcohol together with them. WHY?
To find out the answer on all these WHY-s I decided to make a research and asked all my friends and friends of my friends, and my students, and just passersby to answer my simple question “Do you smoke and drink? And why?” I have collected all the answers and counted out the percentage. Here are my results:
- The majority of adults drink and smoke because of three factors: 1) they want to relax after working day, 2) they want to calm down, to get rid of the daily stress, 3) they want to forget the real life around and to sink into the euphoria.
I will try to explain. Mass media makes flashy that our economy is rising and our social life becomes better day after day… In real life day after day the rich become richer and the poor – poorer. And everyone does what he considers hard and uninteresting just to 1) get more and more money, 2) to earn some money for living (surviving). The major part of average Russians (I do not take into consideration our capitals – Moscow and St. Petersburg) can’t afford buying a car or a flat (I do not mention a house, it’s absolutely impossible), can’t even dream of travelling and visiting expensive sport clubs and cultural events. These all are for the rich only. But it is not the topic of my research now. I just want to say, people are doing things which bring money, not pleasure. So they have depressions, fears, frustrations. So to avoid such conditions they choose the most cheap and plain way out – alcohol and cigarettes.
And the Government (G.) is sitting, making the window-dressing laws and thinking only of those things which are profitable for them only.
- The next set of reasons is popular among the youth (12-17 y.o.): 1) “It’s cool to drink beer as they do it in Europe and America!”, 2) It’s glamorous to smoke! Modern cigarettes are so well designed!”
The most awful thing is that they REALLY think so. They are looking through the colorful magazines (3-5 pages in each are devoted to the ads of vodka, beer, cigarettes), they are watching youth TV programs and sport competitions which are shown after 9 p.m. (the fact is we have a law of our beloved G. according to which it is prohibited to advertise alcohol till 10p.m., after this time everything is allowed!! And they made all the popular programs after this time as well!!! Every 10 minutes after 10p.m. we are to see happy cool faces of beer and vodka drinkers!!! ) Every main street in our country is full of banners. Guess what is advertised!!
- And the last number of reasons I’ve found out is the following: 1) “Everyone smokes/drinks, why should I be different?”, 2) “My parents are modern and they don’t prohibit anything. I’m free to live my own life”, 3) “When I’m drunken I feel self-confident and can do whatever I want”, 4) “ 1 or 2 cigarettes (1-2 bottles of beer) during a week is nothing! I’m a non-smoker/non-drinker!”, 5) “It is so romantic – sitting on the window, smoking, drinking wine…”
You have already understood what combines these all. Lack of culture, lack of self-responsibility, self-control, self-respect. People are lost, they don’t know their aims, and they are indifferent to themselves and everyone around. They are zombies of the System, robots whose programs are broken, the majority of people of this group are rude (even brutal), pessimistic, their minds are locked and they do not see other joy, but drinking and smoking. They have forgotten their past, their present is grey and foggy and they have no future. NO FUTURE. Awful and scared thing, but true.
BUT!!! Everything in our world has two sides. When darkness is getting worse the light becomes more visible.
Not all the Russians are the same! Nowadays there’s a great number of people here who realized – they and no one else take personal control of themselves, they and no one else are responsible for their future. They want to live, not survive.
They are:
- Slavonic scholars,
- Believers (true believers of any religion),
- Sportsmen,
- Ordinary people who are strong and confident.
Personally I belong to them, and I can say for sure we don’t drink, don’t smoke, go in for sports, respect and safe our Nature and animals, we are loyal to every nation and every religion. We know the aim – we are here for Peace and Harmony. We remember and respect our roots, our Culture and History. We try to up bring a nation of strong, honest, hardworking and loving people. And we are not strange, but right.
Sooner or later we’ll cope with the lack of culture… Sooner or later… I don’t know when… But let me hope… You know, hope is a great thing when everything around is wrong.
The sky from my window
What I love most of all when staying home alone – is observing the sky. It’s never the same – bizarre combination of water drops above our heads, constantly changing matter, and at last the main decoration of our planet – the sky.
We pray to the skies, we admire the sky, we dream of flying like birds in the sky, we trust it our dreams… There are no indifferent people. Those who think they are indifferent to the sky – they just do not know themselves well.
The sky is a real miracle given to everyone. Let’s be grateful for this gift of Nature.
Miss you
This boy lives far from me now) I wonder if he remembers his mommy (me, who created him).. ah!
My portrait
The picture was made by my 4 year old niece. I guess she is on her way to the professional photography. Anyway, I love this photo of me.
Aoi Teshima
(“Summer of Goodbye”, theme song of From Up on Poppy Hill)
1.
光る海に かすむ船は
Hikaru umi ni kasumu fune wa
さよならの汽笛 のこします
Sayonara no kiteki nokoshimasu
The ship veiled in the shining sea leaves a whistle of the good-bye.
ゆるい坂を おりてゆけば
Yurui saka wo orite yukeba
夏色の風に あえるかしら
Natsu iro no kaze ni aeru kashira
Will I meet the wind of summer color if I go down the gentle slope?
わたしの愛 それはメロディー
Watashi no ai sore wa melody
たかく ひくく 歌うの
Takaku hikuku utau no
My love, it’s a melody. I sing highly and low.
わたしの愛 それはカモメ
Watashi no ai sore wa kamome
たかく ひくく 飛ぶの
Takaku hikuku tobu no
My love, it’s a gull. I fly highly and low.
夕陽のなか 呼んでみたら
Yuuhi no naka yonde mitara
やさしいあなたに 逢えるかしら
Yasashii anata ni aeru kashira
Will I meet tender you if I call for you in the setting sun?
2.
だれかが弾く ピアノの音
Dareka ga hiku piano no oto
海鳴りみたいに きこえます
Uminari mitaini kikoemasu
The sound of the piano somebody plays sounds like sea rumble.
おそい午後を 往き交うひと
Osoi gogo wo yukikau hito
夏色の夢を はこぶかしら
Natsu iro no yume wo hakobu kashira
Do people coming and going in the late afternoon carry the dream of summer color?
わたしの愛 それはダイアリー
Watashi no ai sore wa diary
日々のページ つづるの
Hibi no peeji tsuzuru no
My love, it’s a diary. I spell a daily page.
わたしの愛 それは小船
Watashi no ai sore wa kobune
空の海をゆくの
Sora no umi wo yuku no
My love, it’s a boat. I go the sea of sky.
夕陽のなか 振り帰れば
Yuuhi no naka furikaereba
あなたはわたしを 探すかしら
Anata wa watashi wo sagasu kashira
Will you look for me if I look back in the setting sun?
3.
散歩道に ゆれる木々は
Sanpo michi ni yureru kigi wa
さよならの影を おとします
Sayonara no kage wo otoshimasu
Trees shaking in a promenade cast a good-bye shadow.
古いチャペル 風見の鶏
Furui chapel kazami no tori
夏色の街は みえるかしら
Natsu iro no machi wa mieru kashira
Can the weathercock of an old chapel see the town of summer color?
きのうの愛 それは涙
Kinou no ai sore wa namida
やがて かわき 消えるの
Yagate kawaki kieru no
The yesterday love, it’s tears. It dries before long and disappears.
あしたの愛 それはルフラン
Ashita no ai sore wa refrain
おわりのない言葉
Owari no nai kotoba
The tomorrow love, it’s a refrain. Words without the end.
夕陽のなか めぐり逢えば
Yuuhi no naka meguri aeba
あなたはわたしを 抱くかしら
Anata wa watashi wo daku kashira
Will you hug me if I meet you in the setting sun?
Anna Karenina
Can’t wait! Sure it’ll be a new vision of the novel by Leo Tolstoy! and I wonder if they are able to show this Russian passionate soul. Hope they are!
