What should a real Russian man be like?
In Russian society there is an image of a person who has developed and evolved over the centuries. He is strong, proud, cold, wise and unshakable. A real man who can do both rough work and poetry. He is strong, wise and intelligent. Boys instill this stereotype in themselves from childhood and throughout their lives they remember what a real Russian should be like, and they try to live up to expectations so that the child does not see any other way. But the whole problem is that the world around them is constantly evolving, and the image of a “real man” is still a thing of the past. These are the traditions, customs and opinions of our ancestors.
Contents of the article:
An objective look at stereotypes
Models of behavior and the very image of the “Russian man” are morally and physically outdated. This type of person cannot exist in a modern and developed society. Values and character traits that were respected in the past today appear wild, irresponsible, and sometimes even spiritually abnormal. Many psychologists have analyzed this model of human behavior and come to the conclusion that it is not only unsuitable for modern society, but is even dangerous for people. Why is this so?
A real Russian tradition that men have been obliged to maintain for hundreds of years is fist fighting. Yes, violence against others. The targets of the attacks were those who did not agree with the views of the adoptees and were not like them. Nationalism and xenophobia flourished in old Russia. And they have their origins observed in the modern world in the form of hate attacks against various minorities, people or entire countries. Everyone has faced this — non-traditional sexual orientation, threats, violence against residents of other countries, laughter and shouting from citizens of “Europe”, shame of people.
All the traditional, national and permanent ideas of superiority are very deeply seated in the minds of those who have even become part of the national ideology. Despite all attempts to somehow introduce European standards into various management devices, there is massive propaganda of patriotism, and at the social or, rather, “popular” level.
In addition, it often takes on an unhealthy form of nationalism, expressed in the elevation of Russians over other countries and the incessant desire to conquer someone. This is most clearly manifested in the fact that Russia, at the political level, constantly opposes itself to other states. Many men at a young age are very susceptible to this influence and therefore become people who humiliate, insult and use violence against “strangers”. And they do not understand that such behavior is not connected with love for their homeland.
Equality is an empty phrase for most men raised according to traditional Russian norms. After all, historically, the man was the head of the family and its protector. And each family member or parental relative is his subordinate, and not someone close. To disobey an older person means to punish yourself. And they have nothing to say about their attitude towards women.
In Russia, they always played the role of only servants and workers, did not have the right to vote and lived only to take care of the household and children. If she argued with her husband or did not obey him, the use of violence was permitted. Today, Russia is recognized as one of the most unfavorable countries for the life of representatives of national, religious or sexual minorities.
Historically, a real Russian man had to be strong, first of all. Conflicts were resolved not through peaceful negotiations, but through the use of force. And now, in everyday life, we can notice echoes of this past — whoever is stronger is right. On the streets, older teenagers are cruel to the young, the strong are cruel to the weak, men are cruel to women. Thus, only proving that you are right. But for modern man, physical violence and aggression are only signs of barbarity and danger, but not signs of rightness.
A typical Russian man is also characterized by an irresponsible attitude towards himself and his health. Thus, among obese people there are a lot of sick, addicted people who use alcohol and tobacco products. Why? Psychologists have a fairly simple answer to this question. Today”s generation grew up in a society very similar to a militarized one.
The ancestors of modern men survived at least one or two wars, so they were subconsciously prepared for some kind of armed conflict. And there was no point in them paying special attention to their health if in the future they would most likely go to war and die there.
Even today this soldier culture continues. This is why many men continue to be dependent on alcohol and tobacco, avoid sports and harm their health in every possible way.
Many women say that modern men are completely unsuited to life from the very beginning. This is due to the fact that many boys grow up in single-parent families or their fathers do not take part in their upbringing. The stereotype that women should do the parenting is at work again. But in the end it turns out that the young man is constantly being looked after, does not know how to take care of himself, is accustomed to the fact that he has everything for a comfortable life, and is not ready to work to provide it for himself.
Read also: How should a wise man behave in a relationship?
Regardless of age and worldview, what should a “real man” tell a woman about what a “real man” is like? But the question is about wise people.
The frightening fact is that among the group of men aged 23-30 years old there is a group of workers who do not want to work at all, “sitting on their mother’s neck”, have no purpose in life and waste all kinds of fleeting time, pleasures and desires.
Men in the traditional Russian sense are expected to demonstrate mental and physical strength, so any sign of weakness is considered shameful and offensive. Those who seek spiritual help are ridiculed by their peers. In their opinion, a real man should be able to overcome stress and problems. Otherwise, he is simply weak and not worthy of being considered a man.
In this appearance, in all its glory, one can notice the shortcomings of the behavioral model that was imposed on many boys from childhood. They are forced to endure, fight, or wait until a particular illness “goes away on its own.” This leads to high mortality among the male population from diseases that have been successfully treated for years.
The right way
Real Russians in the modern sense of the word should not rely on the harmful and dangerous remnants of the past that everyone around them is trying to impose on them. There are many opinions about how things should really be, but, unfortunately, they were all expressed by representatives of this archaic culture. However, in recent years the situation has changed for the better.
Gradually, Western mentality and views penetrated Russian society, and particularly successful ideas even took root in this country. Many who held outdated views on the upbringing and behavior of Russian men have passed away, opening the way for young progressive parents whose level of self-awareness and responsibility is much higher than that of their ancestors.
So what do Russians need to do to stop being an international laughingstock and become an example of what we really need to strive for? First of all, it is time for the male population to accept the fact that mental and physical violence is unacceptable in modern society. Proving your rights with your fists is wild. Laughing at the weak and those who are not like you is meanness.
Alexander Karelin about what a real man should be
Russians must respect and value themselves. A person who respects and values himself never destroys his own health and does not put the opinions of others above his own. If such a person needs medical help, he will not stand it and will not wait until the illness passes. He takes responsibility for his life and relies on qualified specialists. Such a person is not entertained by the state of unconsciousness with alcohol. This happens because he simply does not need to look for ways to get rid of the inner emptiness. He leads a full and multifaceted life. He has a hobby, a family and, most importantly, a life goal.
A person with self-esteem will understand that it is important to develop not only physically, but also spiritually. Thus, he is healthy and at the same time comprehensively educated. At the same time, he won”t do it to show off his core or muscles to his friends or girls.
He realizes that he really needs it and that it can improve his life in the future. After all, good health ensures a long life and a minimum of illness. Having received a good education, you can achieve a great position and not know poverty. An ignorant person does not want to do this. If he hangs out among the horizontal workers and goes to the “hut”, it is because he told him to do so.
A real man will not allow himself to disrespect representatives of other cultures. But he will not forget his own. Such a person loves his country and respects its traditions, but he does not admire it more than others. There is something really good in Russia, many people know about it. But not everyone remembers at the time of heated debate that the country, like many other states, has its own problems. Russians respect other countries and their customs. And he does not show any aggression towards those who do not hold such views.
A person born in Russia must learn from childhood that he is not superior to other people in his importance. But he is not inferior to them. Thus, he treats people suffering from mental illness with respect and understanding. And those who have unconventional views on sexuality. And, of course, he recognizes women as his equals in all his plans.
It does not restrict her freedom of action, expression or movement. And it doesn”t give her a responsibility that she doesn”t want to fulfill. This is especially true for families. A real man does not consider it acceptable to raise children or participate in household chores. It is usually associated with the fact that he himself becomes the head of the family, and his wife provides for the family.
A real man must be a responsible citizen of the country in which he lives. If he was born in Russia, he should not be denied participation in public and civic life, even if he says that it is useless to change anything. Russians need to understand the course of the state movement, not ignore the elections, but be responsible and realize the importance of their attitude to political events. And yes, he must report violations to the appropriate authorities.
Traditionally, it is unacceptable for Russians to be “informants.” However, this is a gangster concept that does not have a positive impact on social development. Of course, no one becomes a fraud. However, if someone grossly and falsely violates human and civil rights in the presence of a responsible person, he can report it to him and get her permission.
Of course, all of the above is idealistic and is unlikely to be achievable in the current reality. However, it is precisely the image of a responsible, cultured, polite and self-confident person that Russians should strive for. Many of these truths are already known in countries located further than Russia.
However, the truth is the same for everyone. Therefore, there is no shame in adopting these correct views on life. After all, such an attitude will allow not only Russians, but also all of humanity to move forward and build a safe, honest and comfortable society for their descendants.
