Thread: Каникулы строгого режима

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

What she had in her hands is "пионерский галстук"

В правой руке у нее точно пилотки, на галстуках не было кисточек. =)

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Фото, сделанное мное в Крыму год назад:

Новодворская увидит - удавится от злобы =)

But what does that have to do with пионерский галстук & Пионерская пилотка that she was showing them?

Wow, thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

This is why the man said "А пионеров-то отменили!".

So, she's holding a пионерский галстук and he says something like "they did away with the pioneers." What пионеры is he talking about?

Originally Posted by sperk

Wow, thanks a lot!

So, she's holding a пионерский галстук and he says something like "they did away with the pioneers." What пионеры is he talking about?

It's a name of communist boy&girlscouts in USSR. All (almost) children at Soviet schools were "пионеры" at some interval of age. They called also "юные ленинцы".

Бескозырка - literally головной убор без козырька (козырёк - a (cap) peak)

This is why the man said "А пионеров-то отменили!".

Странно. Пионеров отменили, а дети в галстуках остались.
Фото, сделанное мное в Крыму год назад:

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Бескозырка - literally головной убор без козырька (козырёк - a (cap) peak)

Странно. Пионеров отменили, а дети в галстуках остались.
Фото, сделанное мное в Крыму год назад:

They can abolish pioneers, commies, whatever... but they can't abolish idiots!

Originally Posted by Eric C.

They can abolish pioneers, commies, whatever... but they can't abolish idiots!

I'm not sure what you meant by this. I personally don't see anything wrong with kids having their own organisation.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

I'm not sure what you meant by this. I personally don't see anything wrong with kids having their own organisation.

As a way to get them into a controlled herd. Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but if my kids in the future were persuaded to join something like that, I would have a very harsh talk with the persuaders.

Originally Posted by Eric C.

As a way to get them into a controlled herd.

Here's the thing, it used to be true long time back, but by the time we were kids, the pioneer organization had no practical militaristic meaning whatsoever. We just used to have fun. And yes there were still some remnants of the original military structure and purpose, but that was just perceived as a kind of fun. Something similar to scouts: go to the forest, camp in the tents under the sky, make an open fire and cook on it. These things peacefully co-existed with a rather popular at the time hobby of hiking. Just a means to get out of the dense cities, get some fresh air and sing simple guitar songs under the open sky. I think that's why there seems to be a gap between your perception of the pioneer organization and ours.

It was a kind of parade uniform of "Пионеры" in addition to school uniform. They We wore such kind of red tie (even at school) and red garrison cap at official ceremonies.

You can see ties at the picture by gRomoZeka.

thanks again!
YouTube - часть 4
at 1:44 can you help me with these:
Да шутняк.
Чего?
Тревожно.
....
Лучше и то, и другое (1:59)

thanks!

"...А я так и знала. В газетах врут всё. Хотите я вам гуляш приготовлю, а? Или курочку?..."

Our society is a controlled herd, even more so in the Western countries where your every step is monitored between banking system and omnipresent cameras. So unless you and your kids are going to live in the woods as hermits you'll be controlled one way or the other.

I agree, though, that it does matter what kind of organisation it is and what values it promotes. I belive that modern analogue of pioneer organisation (I don't know what it's called now) does not have any political agenda, if that was what set you off in the first place. It's just an opportunity for kids to do something together and to engage in some organised activities (summer camps, sports competitions, clubs, etc.) Even in the USSR while pioneers were technically considered "young communists" and there was something about loyalty to Communist party in their vow, in reality no one took the political part too seriously, and 99% of time pioneers were busy with usual children stuff. It was pretty much like boy- and girl-souts, only more boring, I guess - there was more talking (be honest, study well, help yougsters, respect your elders) and less doing.

Well, unless people are made to enroll in such organizations or discriminated due to their non-participation in them, I wouldn't give a damn about existence of the organizations. As far as I know, participation in that pioneer-comsomol stuff was compulsory, and those who were dropped out from those organizations then faced serious problems at school, work, etc. .

...and those who were dropped out from those organizations then faced serious problems at school, work, etc. .

I see what you mean. I just want to point out that even though there was some pressure in certain situations, things were more relaxed in the USSR than many people believe.

My cousin refused to enter Comsomol (I think it was not because of any political reasons, more like he liked to act out at this age). There were no problems whatsoever. Zilch. Of course, his teachers were shocked at first (things like that did not happen often), and he and his mom earned a couple of lectures from them, but that was it. In a week nobody cared.

Moreover, my mom who worked in a high security engineering department refused to enter Communist party (being a Communist was not compulsory, but it could seriously help your career especially if your job was connected to military or high security stuff, and usually an offer to enter was accepted). She said outright to her boss who'd made an offer that she does not want to enter because Party meetings are boring and a waste of time. Again, there were no problems, she even got a promotion shortly afterwards.

I don't know anybody who refused to enter Pioneer organisation, though. Most of the 10-year olds (age of entering) were pretty excited about it, because it made them feel all grown-up.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

I don't know anybody who refused to enter Pioneer organisation, though. Most of the 10-year olds (age of entering) were pretty excited about it, because it made them feel all grown-up.

My classmate girl did not join Pioneers because her parents did not allow her to. They were baptists (Germans from Volga). She was not happy about that.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

My classmate girl did not join Pioneers because her parents did not allow her to. They were baptists (Germans from Volga). She was not happy about that.

I wonder how she was about that when she had grown up. Didn't she change her attitude?

Originally Posted by Eric C.

I wonder how she was about that when she had grown up. Didn't she change her attitude?

No idea. I've changed the city and lost all contacts. I think now she does not care as well as most of us. It was nothing more than a formality.

Originally Posted by it-ogo

My classmate girl did not join Pioneers because her parents did not allow her to. They were baptists (Germans from Volga). She was not happy about that.

That post reminded me of a Baptist girl I knew when I was a kid. She was my senior by three or four years, and I met her in a pioneer camp where I went one summer. She was a group leader (вожатая). I was very surprised to meet someone who was openly a believer (she was quite frank about that) yet was wearing the red scarf at the same time. I guess the generally laid-off, "live and let live" attitude that was predominant in the town rubbed off on her parents and they decided to go easy on her and let her join the pioneer organization. She was a nice person, and she was good with us younger kids, so we (and most of us had been brought up as atheists) didn't give her hard time about her religion. Nor did the camp and school authorities, who knew was religious and, technically, she shouldn't have been allowed to join pioneers, leave alone being a group leader, but... I guess in the place where I used to live, the fact that someone was a good person meant much more than their political or religious beliefs. Everyone knew everyone else, and people were generally nice. (Well, of course, there were some exceptions).

Does anyone happen to know what these 4 lines mean? thanks again!
YouTube - часть 4
at 1:44 can you help me with these:
-Да шутняк.
-Чего?
-Тревожно.
....
-Лучше и то, и другое (1:59)

thanks!