The Russian Soul

What is the Russian soul and how to know it better?

The term of "Russian soul" comes up almost inevitably in attempts to understand Russian people better. What is a Russian soul? Russian soul is a cumulative term, identifying a blend of deepest mindsets, programs, values and beliefs, common in people of Russian culture.

In this sense Russian soul as a term is not unique, each culture has its own "soul". There is an American soul, Japanese soul, Spanish soul and so on.

People of other cultures, especially so called "western" cultures seek understanding of that fleeting Russian soul because the differences between Russian and their own cultures can be radical and deep. Not being able to explain behaviour of Russians logically, often leaves those who deal with people of Russian culture puzzled.

"Understand the Russian soul" in most scenarios means finding a rational answer to a question of "Why Russians the way they are and how to deal with them?" What is that mysterious Russian soul, classics talk about and ordinary people present as an excuse for not being able to explain reasons behind what and how they do in various life situations?

Authors of Russian literature in their books utilise empirical and philosophical approach to identifying the Russian soul. Modern studies take a more scientific, analytical approach explaining the core of the national psychology that unifies Russian people. I went through various sources and performed my research on the subject. I came up with the list of character traits, from which most, if not all, manifestations of Russian character stem.

Russian soul is: compassion, hospitality, emotional openness and directness, curiosity, "fairness", righteousness, belief in higher power, fatalism, avos', relationships, togetherness and belonging, hierarchy, resilience, patience, idealism and absolutism, depth, breadth and abundance, criticism, hard-working, spontaneity, non-linearity, selflessness, generosity, maximalism, suffering, freedom, pride, prevalence of feelings over rationality.

Although above list of Russian character traits is long, I don't believe it's explicit as other research may add or exclude some characteristics from the list. Most items in the list are not self-explanatory either. To explain each one can write a book. I will post articles on some of them, but if something interests you specifically, please comment.

Did values and beliefs of Russians changed because of history? Some [minor] elements of Russian mentality may have changed because of historical events, especially during the soviet and early post-soviet periods of history. However, I firmly believe, at its core, Russian mentality is still the same as it was centuries ago and it makes Russian people Russians. Manifestations of this mentality are changing, because Russian soul responds to the environment, which is different now from what it used to be decades or centuries ago.

Do characteristics of the Russian soul apply universally to all people who live in Russia? Absolutely not because the label "Russian" nowadays represents people with a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, education and other factors, responsible for building the personal culture of an individual. There are many exceptions induced by western influences and changes in the environment and generational specifics. Statistics data say around 80% of Russian citizens consider themselves Russians. Looking at some other indirect studies and statistical data, this percentage appears to be correct. This means about 80% of people you meet in Russia share, to a certain extent, important portions of that mentality called the Russian soul.

In my training work I attempt to uncover some Russian soul mindsets and link them to the specific behaviour of an average Russian, seen in everyday life and business. If you are looking to understand the Russian soul better and how to deal with it, have a session with me.

Alternatively, to find out how all these traits of a Russian character work in unison, you have the option of moving to Russia and spending few years here. However, most, nine out of ten foreigners living in Russia long-term, have no clue about why Russians are the way they are. Typical explanations you get from expatriates and immigrants of all calibers merely scratch the surface of the Russian soul. Same applies to most books written in English about Russian mentality. Some books have superb ideas and profound explanations on what Russian mindset is and how it functions, but again, the depth of understanding is lacking.

One more option to understand the Russian soul is to read classical Russian authors: Dostoevsky, Gogol, Tolstoy and many others. My favourite is Gogol, especially his epic novel "Dead Souls". Gogol meticulously depicts a Russian character in details, showing at the same time how it works in life. Another distinctive feature of Gogol's writing is his style and use of the language. It is direct and simple to understand, yet fancy and poetic. Gogol originally labelled "Dead Souls" "a poem". I agree, it reads like a poem, although it's not poetry, but a piece of literary fiction. Highly recommended read for those interested in understanding the Russian soul, character and mindset. The book is available in English as a free download (do the search) or you can buy it from bookstores: traditional or electronic.