Quote Originally Posted by Johanna
It's interesting to see how harshly many of you judge your own country/people.
Johanna, I think it would be an important and interesting point for you if I say that we, or at least one of us who speak so "harshly" about our country - I mean myself - don't actually find that view a harsh one, and don't see anything that terrible in all I've described. To me, personally, an undisciplined person are nicer than a disciplined one. I can't explain it. Probably because I myself can't be disciplined by anybody else; although it can be and is unreasonable, sometimes. Probably because my own idea about freedom is turbulent. Also, I prefer someone not to smile to me just because it's supposed to smile. I don't need exorbitant courtesy from a clerk or a salesperson; just a neutral tone and minimal politeness (like "hello", "thank you" and "good bye") is quite enough for me. I wouldn't like everyone around me to smile and to be extra-nice; it looks like idiocy. I prefer to think that a rude shop assistant has a kind heart somewhere deeply inside, and I believe in many cases that's how it really is. I could say more, but it would sound very stilted and stupid.

Am I right to think that most people in Russia aren't terribly interested in a Western style democracy...?
I'd say definitely yes.
In fact, democracy is a slogan. Like "Да здравствует Ленин" or "Слава КПСС". Been there, done that. It's no longer interesting. For western people, slogan games are something of a novelty. Let them play with slogans and democracy then. But we have something more serious to do.
To me, personally, a true valuable slogan could be love, kindness, friendship, fidelity, and so on, and so on. What is called "вечные ценности". And I am really amazed how western people can change these valuables (which are not invented and discovered just yesterday) for that stupid word, "democracy".