Thread: Article: The Russian Mindset

Russians had an almost neurotic horror of the street-dirt on the bottom of people's shoes, but didn't worry much about the smell of their armpits.

Americans had an almost neurotic horror of armpit-odors, but didn't worry much about the street-dirt on the bottom of their shoes.

(Objectively speaking, neither dirt on the shoes nor stinky armpit sweat is likely to spread any kind of disease -- so in both cases, the "horror" is a culturally-learned aesthetic reaction and has nothing whatsoever to do with logic or medical science.)

Americans are a little over-obsessed with hygiene, I think. We cover up every little odor with endless assortments of sprays and perfumes and candles and unguents and so on... I actually found it a little refreshing in Russia and Europe, not to worry so much about bodily smells.

Originally Posted by Deborski

Americans are a little over-obsessed with hygiene, I think. We cover up every little odor with endless assortments of sprays and perfumes and candles and unguents and so on... I actually found it a little refreshing in Russia and Europe, not to worry so much about bodily smells.

Про гигиену в историческом разрезе.
Письмо Анны Ярославны из Парижа 11-го века:

Батюшка, да за что ты меня ненавидишь? И отправил в эту грязную деревню, где умыться-то негде