Finland vs Russia (safe, black, Chinese, beautiful)
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Well if you are familiar with both countries, you can compare them anyway...people like to compare things, it s a part of human nature.
Finland as a country is more prosperous, and people admire it, but for many people, and not only Russians, Russia is more "to their heart". And it is also normal.
education: where great Finnish writers, famous all over the world? Russian writers, musicians and artists are known throughout the world. Stupid poll. It is foolish to compare a small country and a huge federation, which includes dozens of republics. Especially because most of the voters were not in Russia, and they know little about its culture.
Russian artists,known throughout the world
I know only one dancer...And here in Finland this clip is done from his life and work:
True, literature and music have all been written and can't be taken away from Russia anymore. Also, transportation, infrastructure, healthcare, education, architecture and urban living are huge in sheer size. The thing is, though, all of that is crumbling and lacking in quality.
Russia is NOT a country comfortable to live in from materialistic point of view. Hasn't been, is not and probably never will be. So what's new about that?
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Mostly because these things were developed and built either during the time of the Russian Empire or the Soviet era. Even in terms of literature and music there doesn't seem to be much new stuff going on in Putin's Russia.
Can you point me please where, in what country "a lot of new stuff" is going on on this front?
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So, Finland might not win every single category, obviously losing in the classical arts field. Then again, I couldn't give a shit, whether Tolstoy was Russian or notas long as I can afford buying his books and have high quality book shops around me. Both of the latter to criteria are more likely to be fulfilled in Finland.
That's an interesting spin you've put on it all.
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By the way, really funny that you mentioned the "so called" journalism in Austria given the media landscape in Russia. 148th on the Press Freedom Index. Congrats, yet another evidence for Russia's demise.
You have tendency to interpret my words in the wrongest possible way. Either that, or you have a problem with reading comprehension. I was not talking about "journalism in Austria." I was questioning the background of so-called "Austrian" journalist, who was clearly peddling American agenda.
1. Frendliness - tie, maybe?
2. Safety - Finland 2014, Finland 1814
3. Cultural contribution - Russia 2014, Russia 1814
4. Politics - Finland 2014, Finland 1814
5. Economy - Finland 2014, Finland 1814
6. Women/men - tie, maybe? Or maybe Russia women, Finland men?
7. Environment - tie, maybe?
8. Scenery - Russia 2014, Russia 1814
9. Weather - Russia for more diversity
10. Location - Finland 2014, Finland 1814
11. Sports - Russia 2014, Finland 1814 I think
12. Cuisine - I'm biased. But I say Russia 1814 simply due to logistical reasons and variety. So, smoked salmon, beer and coffee OR blinis, vodka and tea? Finland 2014
13. Transportation - Traveling from Moscow to St. Pete must've been a tedious journey in 1814. From Turku to Viborg it took a couple of days, so Finland 2014, Finland 1814
14. Infrastructure - Finland 2014, Finland 1814, simply because of smaller size
15. Healthcare - Finland 2014, Finland 1814
16. Education - What was the literacy rate in Russia in 1814? 5%? I think we were approaching 80% at that time, so Finland 2014, Finland 1814
17. Affordability - Can't say for 1814, but all things considered Finland 2014
18. Pop culture - I know nothing about pop culture in Russia. Equally bad? There was no pop culture in 1814, so let Russia take this one. Russia 2014
19. History - Russia 2014, Russia 1814
20. Architecture - I'm gonna say Finland 2014, Russia 1814
21. Fun - If you are a serf, there's not many possibilities. At least you could do whatever you could afford here. Now Russia is definitely funnier, as it's the new Wild West. So Russia 2014, Finland 1814
22. Nightlife - Carl Ludwig Engel said the nightlife in Helsinki was poor, and I'm inclined to believe him. Russia 2014, Russia 1814
23. Urban living - Finnish cities had even some sense of sanitation. And firefighters. Finland 2014, Finland 1814
24. Freedom - Finland 2014, Finland 1814, no need to explain this one, is there?
25. Lifestyle - I'm biased, can't say.
FINAL SCORE:
Republic of Finland, Grand Duchy of Finland: 25
Russian Federation, Empire of Russia: 15
The Special Lion wins!
Right, "the Special Lion wins", but you might look at things this way;
Finland is a comfortable for living country; yet another country in the row of other European countries, that profess belief in the eternal power of money, in the political system that keeps them going and the profits that should support the established pyramid. That makes "Special Lion" anything but "special," because - let's face it; if you remove Finland from the face of this Earth tomorrow, nothing will really change; nothing will add, nothing will subtract. It's a different story, however, if you try to remove Russia.
Умом Россию не понять,
Аршином общим не измерить:
У ней особенная стать —
В Россию можно только верить.
(с)Tjutchev, 1866
The first translation:
Russia cannot be understood with the mind alone,
No ordinary yardstick can span her greatness:
She stands alone, unique –
In Russia, one can only believe.(с)
Or translation Anatoly Liberman:
You will not grasp her with your mind
Or cover with a common label,
For Russia is one of a kind –
Believe in her, if you are able...
I remember that we sang this song in the school yard after school with a guitar. But only years later I understood its meaning.
There are a lot of things in Russia that can't be understood right away. It takes time to figure them out - at least partially. I mean even when I was reading Dostoyevsky for example, his thoughts on "Jewish question" ( or certain things mentioned in his thoughts on Balkans,) I couldn't quite get it until later times.
Russia IS "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
Churchill got it right.
There are a lot of things in Russia that can't be understood right away. It takes time to figure them out - at least partially. I mean even when I was reading Dostoyevsky for example, his thoughts on "Jewish question" ( or certain things mentioned in his thoughts on Balkans,) I couldn't quite get it until later times.
Russia IS "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
Churchill got it right.
Maybe it effect communication with Eastern cultures.
Россия - Сфинкс! Ликуя и скорбя, / Russia is a Sphinx. Grieving, jubilant,
И обливаясь черной кровью, / and covering herself with blood
Она глядит, глядит, глядит в тебя / she looks, she looks, she looks at you—her slant
И с ненавистью, и с любовью!.. / eyes lit with hatred and with love.
(с)Alexander Blok, 1918.
One of my favorite poems (translation not mine).
Spoiler
СКИФЫ / The Scythians
Панмонголизм! Хоть имя дико,/ Panmongolism! Uncouth name,
Но мне ласкает слух оно. / but music to my ear.
Владимир Соловьев / Vladimir Solovyov
Мильоны - вас. Нас - тьмы, и тьмы, и тьмы. / You have your millions. We are numberless,
Попробуйте, сразитесь с нами! / numberless, numberless. Try doing
Да, скифы - мы! Да, азиаты - мы, / battle with us! Yes, we are Scythians! Yes,
С раскосыми и жадными очами! / Asiatics, with greedy eyes slanting!
Для вас - века, для нас - единый час. / For you, the centuries; for us, one hour.
Мы, как послушные холопы, / We, like obedient lackeys, have held up
Держали щит меж двух враждебных рас / a shield dividing two embattled powers—
Монголов и Европы! / the Mongol hordes and Europe!
Века, века ваш старый горн ковал / For centuries your furnaces have bellowed
И заглушал грома' лавины, / and drowned the avalanche’s thunder.
И дикой сказкой был для вас провал / And a strange tale it seemed to you, the loud
И Лиссабона, и Мессины! / collapse of Lisbon and Messina!
Вы сотни лет глядели на Восток, / The West for centuries has looked our way,
Копя и плавя наши перлы, / absorbed our pearls into its profits.
И вы, глумясь, считали только срок, / Derisively you waited for the day
Когда наставить пушек жерла! / when you could hold us in your cannon sights.
Вот - срок настал. Крылами бьет беда, / Now the day dawns. Disaster spreads its wings,
И каждый день обиды множит, / and insults gather to a head.
И день придет - не будет и следа / The day may follow whose sun rising brings
От ваших Пестумов, быть может! / no shadow where your Paestums stood.
О старый мир! Пока ты не погиб, / Old world, before your ancient splendour sinks
Пока томишься мукой сладкой,/ all-wise one, suffering sweet torment—
Остановись, премудрый, как Эдип, / like Oedipus before the riddling Sphinx
Пред Сфинксом с древнею загадкой! / pause and consider for a moment.
Россия - Сфинкс! Ликуя и скорбя, / Russia is a Sphinx. Grieving, jubilant,
И обливаясь черной кровью, / and covering herself with blood
Она глядит, глядит, глядит в тебя / she looks, she looks, she looks at you—her slant
И с ненавистью, и с любовью!.. / eyes lit with hatred and with love.
Да, так любить, как любит наша кровь, / Yes—love. For centuries you have not known
Никто из вас давно не любит! / such love as sets our hot blood churning.
Забыли вы, что в мире есть любовь, / You have forgotten that the world has shown
Которая и жжет, и губит! / love can devastate with its burning!
Мы любим всё - и жар холодных числ,/ All things we love—the mystic’s divine gift,
И дар божественных видений, / the fever of cold calculus;
Нам внятно всё - и острый галльский смысл, / all we appreciate—the Frenchman’s shaft
И сумрачный германский гений... / of wit, the German’s genius .
Мы помним всё - парижских улиц ад, / and we remember all things—hellhole streets
И венецьянские прохлады, / of Paris, cool Venetian stone,
Лимонных рощ далекий аромат, / lemon groves far off, fragrant in the heat,
И Кельна дымные громады... / and smoky pinnacles of Cologne...
Мы любим плоть - и вкус ее, и цвет, / We love the flesh, its colour and its taste,
И душный, смертный плоти запах... / its suffocating mortal odour.
Виновны ль мы, коль хрустнет ваш скелет / Are we to blame if your rib-cages burst
В тяжелых, нежных наших лапах? / beneath our paws’ impulsive ardour?
Привыкли мы, хватая под уздцы / We have grown accustomed—seizing mane
Играющих коней ретивых, / And halter, wrestling with a rope—
Ломать коням тяжелые крестцы / to breaking in wild horses to the rein,
И усмирять рабынь строптивых... / and taming slave-girls to our grip.
Придите к нам! От ужасов войны / Come to us—from your battlefield nightmares
Придите в мирные объятья! / our peaceful arms I While there’s
Пока не поздно - старый меч в ножны, / still time, hammer your swords into ploughshares,
Товарищи! Мы станем - братья! / friends comrades! We shall be brothers!
А если нет - нам нечего терять, / If you do not, we have nothing to lose.
И нам доступно вероломство! / Our faith, too, can be broken.
Века, века - вас будет проклинать / You will be cursed for centuries, centuries,
Больное позднее потомство! / by your descendants’ sickly children!
Мы широко по дебрям и лесам / We shall take to the wilds and the mountain
Перед Европою пригожей / woods, letting beautiful Europe through,
Расступимся! Мы обернемся к вам / and as we move into the wings shall turn
Своею азиатской рожей! / an asiatic mask to you.
Идите все, идите на Урал! / March all together, march to the Urals!
Мы очищаем место бою / We clear the ground for when the armoured
Стальных машин, где дышит интеграл, / juggernauts with murder in their sights
С монгольской дикою ордою! / meet the charge of the mongol horde.
Но сами мы - отныне вам не щит, / We shall ourselves no longer be your shield,
Отныне в бой не вступим сами, / no longer launch our battlecries;
Мы поглядим, как смертный бой кипит, / but study the convulsive battlefield
Своими узкими глазами. / from far off through our narrow eyes!
Не сдвинемся, когда свирепый гунн / We shall not stir when the murderous Huns
В карманах трупов будет шарить, / pillage the dead, turn towns to ash,
Жечь города, и в церковь гнать табун, / in country churches stable their squadrons,
И мясо белых братьев жарить!.. / and foul the air with roasting flesh.
В последний раз - опомнись, старый мир! / Now, for the last time, see the light, old world!
На братский пир труда и мира, / To peace and brotherhood and labour—
В последний раз на светлый братский пир / our bright feast—for the last time you are called
Сзывает варварская лира! / by the strings of a Scythian lyre!
30 января 1918 / Alexander Blok, 30 January 1918
Although I am more agree with Posner that Russian culture - is European culture and flirting with China - a temporary phenomenon.
What?
You russians think that Putin is superhero (according your media) and now it seems that you are not happy with that video, showing Putin as an great dancer?
Lets try some russian art then: http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...art-exhibition
I may be 12 years old or not but differnce between me and you is: I know that in real wold there is not superheros but you dont.
Maybe in future you russians can find great friend from North-Korea, they believe to the superhero too.
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