tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post8818947484935518470..comments2024-03-29T13:08:53.495+01:00Comments on W-wa Jeziorki: Slavic yearningsMichael Dembinskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05657728002439035765noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-77361221932646153312010-12-17T08:55:41.688+01:002010-12-17T08:55:41.688+01:00Oh dear. I didn't mean to post three times, bu...Oh dear. I didn't mean to post three times, but I had some technical problems. Please delete the other posts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-2126233578284096842010-12-16T06:25:40.826+01:002010-12-16T06:25:40.826+01:00"I'm prompted to write about pan-Slavism,..."I'm prompted to write about pan-Slavism, a significant undercurrent in Polish society and politics."<br /><br />I'm not sure you understand the idea of pan-Slavism. It was, from start, a military and political movement, rather than a cultural one. The idea was that, on the basis of some alleged common heritage, all Slavic peoples should submit themselves under the leadership of Moscow. Not surprisingly, Poles opposed it from the very beginning, for which they were called the bastards of the Slavic family. Moreover, in their attempt to distance themselves from Moscow, they created an opposite theory claiming that the Russians are really Slavicized Mongols rather than our brothers.<br /><br />In effect, Poles don’t really claim any similarities to Russians, on the contrary, they look down on them -- a nation lacking any culture at all. They were never seen as our cultural brothers, only as barbaric occupants. I’m not trying to make any actual remarks upon the values of Russian culture, only to summarise typical Polish attitudes.<br /><br />Also, Poles see themselves as very different from both Russians and Germans, exactly because both Russians and Germans are viewed by Poles as prone to servitude. That’s how we explain both the tsarist and Prussian absolutism, and Bolshevism and Nazism. So I’m afraid your argument about civilization and oriental despotism doesn’t stand. It wasn’t difficult to transform Eastern Germany into a neat communist state, was it?<br /><br />"Politics aside, Poles need to draw a distinction between the Russian state and the Russian people."<br /><br />Poles do draw the distinction, but not because they feel somehow close to the Russian people, only because the Russian people cannot be held responsible for the deeds of their leaders. But that doesn’t prove any kindred spirit between us and them. On the contrary, it’s at least in part a patronizing attitude. We think they’re not mature enough to take care of themselves.<br /><br />Pan-Slavism was widely promoted during the Communist era, so no doubt some people, your friend included, believed in its myths. But I wouldn’t say that it’s an undercurrent in Polish society and politics. At least in politics it’s quite clear it’s not. The only times the PO, PiS and even SLD leadership could agree on anything was when there was a need to oppose pan-Slavism, and I’m sure Kaczyński understands it as well as Tusk and Sikorski do. The entire plan of Poland’s foreign politics is designed against pan-Slavism. It’s been like that since the times of Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (ca 1830).Sylwiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18421574536682022492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-65839965286237675482010-05-18T10:47:52.782+02:002010-05-18T10:47:52.782+02:00I agree with Michael. Poles still have some way to...I agree with Michael. Poles still have some way to go (I'm a Pole myself) in a way they approach everyday life. Sense of humor, small talk and auto criticism are main areas of improvement.oppollohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06715419166538393095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-45318388890982804372010-05-18T07:24:56.755+02:002010-05-18T07:24:56.755+02:00I'm making a generalisation of course. But I a...I'm making a generalisation of course. But I absolutely <i>insist</i> that both shoppers and shop assistants are <i>in general</i> more polite in the UK than they are in Poland.<br /><br />Also - read <a href="http://jeziorki.blogspot.com/2008/05/where-i-feel-uncomfortable-in-poland.html" rel="nofollow">this post</a> for more detail.<br /><br />If there's another cultural difference between Poles and Brits in in the formers' inability to identify the latters' humour!Michael Dembinskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05657728002439035765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-65349504610527521422010-05-17T21:41:41.750+02:002010-05-17T21:41:41.750+02:00"Hello Mr Jones, how are you, half a pound of..."Hello Mr Jones, how are you, half a pound of lamb chops please, nice day isn't it?" as opposed to "Dawjcie mi pół kilo karkówki, dobra? " (There's less hypocrisy, though).<br /><br />Do you actually think Polish people are so rude? Are you truly convinced that "dawajcie pół kilo schabu, dobra" is the correct and polite way to make a purchase in Polish? If so, your Polish skills (both in language and culture) are sadly lacking, I am afraid.<br />How about :"Poproszę pół kilo schabu. Dziękuję ślicznie! Do widzenia!" Who knows, your local shop assistant might start liking you after all ;-p<br />I am making this observation because you seem to be trying to prove something about national character based on an obvious error.magdalenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09637886497625514554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650609952674727820.post-46570303384518670132010-05-12T01:36:45.427+02:002010-05-12T01:36:45.427+02:00Your haplotypes analysis is an oversimplification....Your haplotypes analysis is an oversimplification. There's no European nation that can be described in terms of majority of a given Y chromosome haplotype. Only the small, separated Scandinavian nations can be described in this way. Any other nation has much more complicated, multi-level "genetic history". For that reason relations - you are looking for - between genetic and society traits can be early falsified. <br /><br />Having said that I find your post quite interesting ;-) You should look in that subject much more carefully.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489614284973970576noreply@blogger.com