Originally Posted by Vbar
“Russian culture has a long history and tradition and Russians are very proud of it. Russians consider themselves as a well educated nation. They read a lot, books are cheap, and one can afford to buy 5-10 books a month without serious damage to a family budget.
At the same time the majority of Russians don't have what we call in the west "good manners". Their manners are not bad, they are just Russian. Russia is quite a rough country, and Russians usually do not hesitate to say what they think in a way that doesn't leave room for any misunderstandings. During the Soviet period having "good manners" was considered as a bourgeois survival. Russians are very straightforward. When they meet or phone each other, they do not spend time on questions like "How are you?" and go straight to the point. They are not rude, it's just a way of doing things.”