From: didinsky@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (didinsky garry)
Subject: Re: Soc.Culture.Soviet (was Re: some Soviet emigre restaurant jokes)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 19:47:06 GMT

<BAV2@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:

>First I would like to thank all my opponents. Their comments are very
>interesting and fruitful. This discussion is close to MINE understanding
>of this newsgroup charter.

>A couple of comments. A lot of people think (maybe due to my bad
>English) that I consider Russian culture as a superior one. It is not
>so. A culture cannot be superior or inferior - just as one cannot
>compare Pete and Bob: who is better. People are very complex phenomena,
>so are cultures. But a culture may have dangerous trends which must be
>rooted out if we want to have a (reasonably) happy society. My point
>(and I do not see any arguments against it so far) is that Russian
>culture has such trends. The proof is purely phenomenological: just look
>on the Russian life - or Russian history. My personal opinion is that
>among these  trends is the neglect of personal dignity and freedom.

..............

>Now a couple of words about education & literature. They can be better
>or worse in different cultures (the same thing: I can say that Physics
>in USA is better than in Kuwait, cannot I? I cannot compare Arab and USA
>cultures however). I know the theory that our 19 century literature is
>the ultimate cause of our problems (see Alex's paper), but I personally
>don't like it. In any case our literature is an unique phenomenon, and it's
>part of a cultural background of any educated man/woman. To speak about
>an education. There IS an American system - not formal, but a bunch of
>traditions what should be taught and what not. I still consider ours
>superior. An average American high-school student has no idea about
 ^^^^^^^^

 In light of what you wrote above, I hope you mean that you prefer that your
 (russian?) system.  Otherwise, we might get right back to the discussion 
 of what is good/bad about russian/american education systems.

>physics - an average Soviet understands a bit. Elitary schools? I worked
>in such a school part-time. Cannot say anything about English/French
>special classes (we have had no such), but our classes -
>Phys/Math/Chem/Comp - were open for everybody passed the exams. Some
>people were really poor - I remember their clothes. I remember we even
>found some money for one of our best children to pay for his English
>private lessons - his English was very poor, as his parents were, and we
>(school teachers) understood that such a bright child must have a good
>English. Can you find a high school here where University professor
>would teach regularly? And I don't like a University education here.
>It's too specialized and lacks the general background.

>To prove my point. A majority of scientists here are emigrees ar their
>children. Winners of the national spelling contests are Chinese or
>Vietnamese (I have no racial prejudices, but is not it funny that
>AngloSaxs fail in these contests?).

 Have you also noticed that these kids study in American schools, and hence
 it is not altogether american education, but maybe more likely "bad trends"
 in american culture?

 A lot of these oriental kids were born in this country, or at least came
 very young. A reason why they stand out might be alternative value system of
 they parents. As a chinese lady whose both children do well in school and 
 also play violin and piano said: "a child who plays music cannot be a bad 
 child". 

>And the last point. I read an article where the author said that we are
>going OUT the national catastrophe. I would be happy to share his optimism.
>But cannot do it honestly.

>Once more thanks for a nice talk. Just like kitchen discussions back
>home.

>-Boris

---Garik 
ps. I like lemon and two spoons of sugar in my tea. 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.soviet,soc.culture.europe,talk.politics.soviet