Russian Men, also Israeli Men and Women

OK, we've all heard the stereotypes about Russian men - you know, they drink too much vodka, beat their wives, have too much body hair. I know that isn't true, since I am honored to have the friendship of several Russian men and none of them fit any of the stereotypes - in fact one of them is gay, although he won't admit it to anyone (and given current attitudes about gays in Russia I don't blame him).

But just for amusement, here are some "new and improved" stereotypes, updated for the modern age. What do you think about them? How are they accurate, and how are they not?

A Funny Overview of Russian Men | English Russia

I think I know this one:

Attachment 371

Wow. What a Great taxonomy. Exceeds all that Myers-Briggs crap in leaps and bounds.
There is nothing left to add except a "typical archetype" of connubial bliss.:yahoo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM3GRxqT7w0

I like Russian men, and in that I include Ukrainians and Belarussians.
Apart from drinking (and Russia is not the only country where some people drink too much..!) I think Russian men are great.

I like how gentlemanly they are, how they try to act so tough but inside most of them have very sentimental, romantic hearts.

I think this picture doesn't correspond to who Russian men are. It's just a sum of many facts about them (us).

Seems that most Russians marry quite young then!

Really cool article. Very funny.. A lot of these things are just human stereotypes in general, but still hilarious. I think I used to produce music with a few of these types. And I often say "this country." hahaha. Busted. ))

Well, I think I don't match any of these types even closely (except maybe a tourist a bit when on vacation lol), neither do most Russian men that I know. So maybe these portraits are funny, but people who match them are not too common in Russia.

Well if you were to go purely by looks and dress, then it would probably have to be French, Italians or Americans for me. Or why not Scandinavian like myself.

However, Russian men have some other qualities that I think are cool and attractive. Some French, Germans and Americans have the same qualities, but I think they are more common in Russians. Je ne sais quoi....

Comparing different Europeans of the opposite sex compare to each other in an extremely stereotypical and un-PC way, is a very common past time....

Of course, in reality this is all ridiculous, since every individual is unique. But it makes for interesting small talk among women... :)

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Originally Posted by Deborski

OK, we've all heard the stereotypes about Russian men - you know, they drink too much vodka, beat their wives, have too much body hair.

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Really? Not too many "bears" in Russia, from what I recall!

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one of them is gay, although he won't admit it to anyone (and given current attitudes about gays in Russia I don't blame him).

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Speaking of stereotypes, here's a "golden oldie" from the Web:

Gay, Or Eurotrash?

(Photos of 9 men spotted on the streets of NYC -- turn on your Gaydar/Eurodar, and guess by their clothing which ones are American Homosexuals, and which are European Heterosexuals!)

:-D

P.S. Note that the "gay or euro" quiz is from the 1990s, so it reflects '90s fashion.

Again, the post was not meant to offend. Stereotypes exist in every country :pardon:

I think these pictures were translated from another language version.

Just remembered, lol ! I revise my list to add Israelis to the list of countries with very good looking men.
I don't know too much of what they are generally like as people though..

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Originally Posted by Deborski

Again, the post was not meant to offend. Stereotypes exist in every country :pardon:

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see how the antagonism between USSR (yes USSR) and the USA manifests in this thread? embarrassing

almost every critique or tongue-in-cheekness is taken as an insult

i think i can identify this type of males, they usually reside in capital cities or move to capital cities to realize their potential as this type, i'd call it a bohemian type
it's more pertinent to the civilized countries though and have infiltrated from there

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Originally Posted by Hanna

Just remembered, lol ! I revise my list to add Israelis to the list of countries with very good looking men.

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but the women... not on par :D

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Originally Posted by LXNDR

but the women... not on par :D

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Israel's women soldiers - YouTube

Girls Of The Israeli Military - YouTube

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Originally Posted by LXNDR

but the women... not on par :D

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I've read that Natalie Portman is something like half Israeli, and many people in my country consider her to be a looker. .. Bar Refaeli is quite beautiful, in my humble opinion, and she is full-blooded Israeli, if I'm correctly informed. Of course, I suspect she's only 50%, because her mother's maiden name is "Levine."

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Originally Posted by LXNDR

i think i can identify this type of males, they usually reside in capital cities or move to capital cities to realize their potential as this type, i'd call it a bohemian type
it's more pertinent to the civilized countries though and have infiltrated from there

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Yes, in fact I was thinking "all this sounds like Germans, I did not realise Russians too were like this".

On Israelis: They are often tall, they live by the Mediterannean which seems to make people a bit romantic... ! Jewish people tend to have beautiful eyes, I think. Many people there are quite intellectual. The men are quite macho and tough.
All stereotypical of course, but if you are a woman and go there you will see for yourself.

For example, I have a French friend (female) who fell for an Israeli and moved there.

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Originally Posted by kidkboom

I've read that Natalie Portman is something like half Israeli, and many people in my country consider her to be a looker. .. Bar Refaeli is quite beautiful, in my humble opinion, and she is full-blooded Israeli, if I'm correctly informed. Of course, I suspect she's only 50%, because her mother's maiden name is "Levine."

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they make a big deal of their beauties because there're not too many of them

(sorry got sidetracked, this is a thread about men :) )

http://trinixy.ru/43875-devushki-izr...i-72-foto.html


Девушки армии Израиля (65 фото) - Fishki.Net | Фишкина картинка


http://nakaryak.livejournal.com/111562.html

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Originally Posted by Lampada

Девушки израильской армии (72 фото)


Девушки армии Израиля (65 фото) - Fishki.Net | Фишкина картинка


nakaryak: Девушки в Армии Обороны Израиля

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♥♥♥
http://www.fools-gold.org/aaron/Stop%20swooning.gif

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Originally Posted by Lampada

Девушки израильской армии (72 фото)


Девушки армии Израиля (65 фото) - Fishki.Net | Фишкина картинка


nakaryak: Девушки в Армии Обороны Израиля

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I have heard that all girls in Israel do military service for 2 years (1 year less than men). Can't even imagine what that is like, for girls! I honestly can't see myself at 18 managing 2 years of military service, but these ladies seem to take it in their stride! Some people claim that it's America that props up Israel's army, but that doesn't seem true to me - there are no American bases there, and it's the Israelis themselves that spend years of their life in the army and fight for their country, and pay taxes to support their defense.
I can't help but to admire the IDF even if I perhaps don't approve of everything that I read about them.

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Originally Posted by Hanna

I have heard that all girls in Israel do military service for 2 years (1 year less than men). Can't even imagine what that is like, for girls! I honestly can't see myself at 18 managing 2 years of military service, but these ladies seem to take it in their stride! Some people claim that it's America that props up Israel's army, but that doesn't seem true to me - there are no American bases there, and it's the Israelis themselves that spend years of their life in the army and fight for their country, and pay taxes to support their defense.
I can't help but to admire the IDF even if I perhaps don't approve of everything that I read about them.

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Global Firepower - 2012 World Military Strength Ranking

These guys (who caveat that the rankings are subjective as there is no authority who can objectify the statements) rank US and Russian militaries as #1 and #2, and Israel as #10, right behind Japan, but ahead of the majority. As for support - I was always told that US and Israel support each other militarily, but I've also been told that Israel's army is N2FW, if you'll excuse my politically incorrect term)

EDIT:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...iran-us-israel
Here's one I found from January, talking about US and Israel working together.. also talks about US/Israel/Iran war games, which if there was more info on them would be a better answer about militaries and their comparative prowess - as it is, they had to write the article on anonymous source info, so I guess there's no hope of finding more on it

Interesting - well I might be a bit biased, I have some relatives who live there, and I had some good times there.

I don't doubt that the USA is number 1 simply by numbers, but is Russia really number 2? Maybe by firepower but if you count the ability to take on an enemy and defeat them fast and efficiently, or defense in the case of Israel. My impression is that Russia has let its army slip for the last 30 years, that the equipment is outdated and the morale is not great among conscripts or professional officers. Israel seems slicker. I mean it's a tiny country with a small population and they have an incredibly slick and efficient army.

Military expenditures by country in 2010:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...290055617d.png

I wonder does the US Department of Defense deserve "defense" in name. Do they really expect invasion?
Do they consider renaming it to somewhat like "Military Department" or "War department"? Or maybe, "defense" has different meaning in modern English?

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Originally Posted by Anixx

Military expenditures by country in 2010:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...290055617d.png

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i believe the figures would me more accurate and illustrative being presented in relation to a country's entire budget for that year and to other spendings

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Originally Posted by Anixx

Military expenditures by country in 2010:

I wonder does the US Department of Defense deserve "defense" in name. Do they really expect invasion?
Do they consider renaming it to somewhat like "Military Department" or "War department"? Or maybe, "defense" has different meaning in modern English?

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Touché... lol.
China is bigger population wise and Russia is bigger geographically. The USA has perfectly peaceful neighbours both sides of their borders - this is different for Russia and China. I think there is only one conclusion to be drawn from this.

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Originally Posted by LXNDR

i believe the figures would me more accurate and illustrative being presented in relation to a country's entire budget for that year and to other spendings

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Does it mean that a more rich country has to conduct more wars? Or that it is more likely to be invaded?

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Originally Posted by Anixx

Does it mean that a more rich country has to conduct more wars? Or that it is more likely to be invaded?

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that could mean that, depending on the means the country draws its wealth by

in any event the graph figures by themselves don't show that the US conduct more wars, a fact which i however don't deny cause it's evident

i think theoretically a more rich country IS more likely to be invaded, especially if its defense system is inadequate, simply because there's so much more to be gained from the invasion

also providing a link to the information source is a good practice

We should add Chinese stereotypes to the list... since we all really should become acquainted with them. A friend of mine who lives in Saipan (US territory in the Pacific) says that the Chinese tourists are starting to act the way American tourists do - they are loud, obnoxious and get annoyed if you do not speak Chinese. Has anyone else encountered that?

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Originally Posted by Hanna

Touché... lol.
China is bigger population wise and Russia is bigger geographically. The USA has perfectly peaceful neighbours both sides of their borders - this is different for Russia and China. I think there is only one conclusion to be drawn from this.

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Canada? We've never gone to war with Canada. Doesn't that make us peaceful, as it makes them?

Mexico, we have been attacked by before. And we've attacked as well. Does that make Mexico a war-mongering state, as your comment seems to insinuate that US is?

How many countries, cultures, villages, bloodlines did Russia annex into its mass in its history? Was that done peacefully? Was it "forced" on them, as the comment seems to communicate? Or is it possible that the un-peaceful neighbors of Russia have simply been around long enough to see what occasionally happens to "neighbors" for their too-close proximity? (Hey, where did that little country go? I could have sworn there was something to the left of Russia, just right here... nope? Oh well, my imagination):unknown: What happened to Voltaire's beloved "Sparta in the morning, Athens in the evening?"

And if you look into China's history, you'll find that they were not averse to War-mongering. In fact, Sun Tsu made some clear comments toward that end in his opus. Once again the question comes to mind.. what happened to all those little individual, fierce, proud states that used to dot the land of what has now become one massive country, called China?

What is the meaning behind the words "Free Tibet"?

I'm not going to disagree, that America has a tendency not to back down from a fight. But we're certainly not the only world power with that tendency. Though, it looks like we're going to wear that mantle if people want us to, and not much can be done to change it.