Nonsense. Why are Germans and the French considered so vastly different, then? They're both white people, but their culture is obviously and vastly different to anyone, even the most uneducated. People of France have baguette, people of German have Pretzeln; France has wine, Germany (and the mostly-German, culturally, countries) has beer; France has relaxed attitude towards work while Germans are workaholics. I mean, even if we go by solely stereotypes, it doesn't make any sense, - so maybe it's Russia, after all, that is to blame.He says foreign relations and expectations of Russia would be better if only Russians looked more different than Europeans (like asian or black or something)
Are they? I think you'd be hard-pressed to get someone from Malaysia to think of big differences. Go back a few hundred years (about 1200), and they're the same people! Those things you listed, I could list them for every Bundesland, there's always a difference, but those differences are minuscule in comparison to Russia, a country that has a very different history and origins. While France and Germany have always been in close contact with each other, it wasn't until maybe the 17th century that western europe really became aware of Russia as something to deal with. Then there's the fact that the early conflicts were mainly against the khanates of the steppe, culminating in the Golden Horde's rule, which lasted about 300 years. At that time, Germany and France were mainly occupied with infighting (in the case of proto-Germany) or the fight against muslims. The two countries are inextricably linked in their history. Just look at how the frech and german kings circled each other in the matter of the Italian city states. And that thread winds through, Russia just dealt with very different things historically (up until the Napoleonic wars). And history forms culture. And common history fosters an understanding you don't have with completely new aquaintances.Why are Germans and the French considered so vastly different, then?
Wouldn't it be reasonable to assume every culture to be different, therefore? If the "white West" sees within themselves the difference (do dare call a US person not so different from a German), why stop there for Russia specifically? I'd argue that it's Russia's appearance that makes other countries turn away and not investigate further. Like that kid in your class whom no one talks to because he's "weird". And wouldn't it be even more reasonable to assume such a vast difference for a country with such a different history? No, I'm not buying the physical appearance argument.Those things you listed, I could list them for every Bundesland, there's always a difference, but those differences are minuscule in comparison to Russia, a country that has a very different history and origins.