Though it has been written about before, I am going to address a few common Russian stereotypes that I’ve personally dealt with living in America. I am sure that some of my friends in other parts of America would have some experience with this as well. In no way is this meant to be anything other than fun and hopefully, interesting. Hope you enjoy! 

1. All Russians drink vodka

I can say that I don’t personally know any Russian adults that haven’t at least tasted vodka, however, this doesn’t mean that all Russians drink it. According to a recent Oxford University study, the average adult Russian drinks about 20 liters of vodka per year. Compare that with the average citizen in England drinking about 3 liters of spirits per year. In other countries, beer is more acceptable, tequila, whiskey, and so on; in Russia, many do prefer vodka. Some reasons why people drink vodka would include that it is often made locally and it is inexpensive. There is no doubt that many in Russia have been know to have a shot or two, or three, or the entire bottle, but it does not mean we all drink it. Personally, I don’t like it at all. Many of my male friends prefer beer and may occasionally have some vodka. It is interesting that tequila is also becoming more popular in Russia. Cognac is also quite popular with some. To say that all Russians drink vodka, even though many do, is similar to saying that all Americans eat McDonald’s. It is likely that almost all Americans have tried their hamburgers, but they don’t all eat them regularly.

2. All Russians smoke

It has been said that smoking is the unofficial Russian national sport, also that in restaurants, there are two sections you can sit in: smoking and chain smoking. A 2012 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that nearly 39 out of 143 million Russians smoked; about 28 million of those were male. Russians ranked fourth in the world when it came to the amount of smokers behind China, India, and Indonesia according to an article published in Ria Novosti. I remember going out to clubs and cafes in Russia and it really did seem as though everybody was smoking, even myself. Measures have been taken in recent years to help people cut down or even eliminate the habit.

3. All Russians play chess.

This one is interesting to me. I admire those that play chess, especially those that play it well. According to FIDE – World Chess Federation, Russia has  produced the most Grandmasters – 227. In comparison, the next closest countries are in the 80-90 range. Certainly this does not prove or disprove the stereotype, it just means that some Russians take chess very seriously. As to why Russia has produced the most Grandmasters, it may have to do with a variety of reasons – pride, long and cold winters, intense love of the game, and so on. Personally, I don’t play chess, though I know how to. Most of my friends don’t play it either – at least no more often than an American might play Monopoly. 

Some people would really ask me something like, “Don’t all Russians drink vodka?” Really? All Russians? I try not to judge those that have put such questions to me, as it is often done with good intentions. It can make for interesting conversations, especially while we are all smoking, drinking vodka, and playing chess 🙂 .

What other Russian stereotypes have you heard of and what are your thoughts on the subject?