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Will Russians and Americans, in general, ever become drinking buddies.


Hi folks.

In the last few years in between my misguided and conflicting moments on the internet (for which I have apologized and hope people hold no grudge), me enjoying and appreciating various films and movies and film themes and tropes in them of various adult nature WITH adults, me at times questioning but nonetheless accepting our differences between us and parents and whatnot (yeah I know, it is about myself but still) and many others, including laughing in my mind how back in 2011 someone called someone on the internet "intellectual PYGMY" (HAHAHA, NOT myself this time, but lol that was so funny it made me laugh out loud) and me being around different internet communities here and there...

I can't help but wonder. Will Russians and Americans ever become drinking buddies? I mean, I know that ever since the Cold War back in the late 40s after World War 2, there have been many tensions between Russians and Americans. Also, despite the fact that Americans often criticize their OWN governments and often for right reasons, and Russians criticize their own also at least sometimes, same Americans often have the tendency to either STILL criticize Russians or Russia or criticize Russia MORE. And there is no doubt a tendency for information war even very much in today's age, and many even debate such stuff as to whether or not President Putin was behind a conspiracy that helped Donald Trump win elections and become US President in 2016.

But anyways, talk talk talk talk talk aside, Russians and Americans as drinking buddies, possibility at all? Thanks.

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I don't see why not. Back in the old days it simply wasn't practical. Even a phone call between the US and USSR would have been prohibitively expensive. But with modern technology there's no reason a New Yorker and a Muscovite couldn't hang out together via FaceTime while simultaneously getting smashed. The time zone difference would make it a little awkward. Right now it's 11:30 AM here in the eastern US and 6:30 PM in Moscow. But hey, I'd suffer the inconvenience of drinking at the "wrong" time of the day.

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its possible to envison some sort of rapproachment in the post-putin era, if not too much bad blood is sewn during his reign.

the real question is, taking away putin's own personal anti-western animus out of the picture, if russia's national interest is inimical to that of the west. i dont see why it is, or should be.

the rise of china might be a tidal force that pulls russia itself closer to the western orbit.

bottom line : things change

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[deleted]

We were for a good chunk of time. Then politics made them the boogy man again.

Your first paragraph.

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No not a chance! There's only so much Smirnoff to go around.

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Not within our lifetimes

I don't know a single American that regards the Russian government with anything but mistrust

The bad history has been too long and difficult for both sides

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2 Shogun - you're welcome of course as is your opinion, but God, hehe, its a little depressive if true. Then again...

... as a Russian in UK I've had mine less than welcoming moments, but mostly got OK and even got into some drinking with some of my English school buddies.

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And OK, Americans disagree with Russian government. But then - they often, and in many cases very publicly, disregard their own one as well. But does it have to affect ordinary Russian citizens, at all?

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I don't know any Russian citizens as I've never traveled there and have no plans to in this life or the next

The Russian immigrants here in New York are bunched up together in communities in the North Bronx and Brooklyn and tend to be exceedingly clannish and unfriendly so I have no dealings with them

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I was speaking about the Russian gov't itself, not individual Russians

We were raised to fear and hate the Soviet system for decades here, that isn't easy to just forget about

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True. But then again, I had to wonder...

Because Americans themselves often distrust and hate their own government (hello George W Bush), can they not perhaps divide Russian citizens and Russian government and still have a drink with Russian buddies at the local pub or something?

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Paradoxically, despite major grievances from the Cold War times between Russians and Americans, many Russian often dreamt of moving to and living in America and Russians idolized many American vehicles, products and especially celebrities like from Hollywood action movies and such.

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Many Americans love Putin too. And considering how advanced America was in the entire 1900s to 1990s compared to the rest of the world, it's impossible to have a country that doesn't idolize some of the American products and pop cultures.

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I have to declare, especially in the 90s or so, we Russians and Soviets sure DID suffer from quite a bit of modern poverty. And back in the USSR, very few ordinary people even HAD a car let alone could be able to afford and BUY one, and even rich and famous people almost only lived in flats, not detached houses like in the USA etc.

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As Americans it seems like our civic duty to distrust and question our own government

Questioning and lashing out at authority is how we came to be

As for Russian immigrants in New York they really just keep to themselves and are not at all welcoming or friendly

Some cultures are just like that, no hard feelings

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Among the civilians they already are. I've heard many great stories about Americans traveling to Russia and meeting the regular people, or Russians visiting America and hanging out with us. Both learn a lot about the other culture, and even exchange laughs. Many have made good friends, and some even found love and got married! I don't know why, but some Americans find Russians very alluring, and vice versa.

My mom has said that it's the cold climates that produce the best story-tellers, the best drinkers, and the best lovers, hehe.

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Russia's neighbor, the Ukraine, has some real hotties too.

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