Why do so many Westerners have such vast misconceptions about what Russians look like?

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Someone said that asker is attempting to "demean Americans" and that this only shows their own inferiority complex. I would tend to disagree with this. The question seems genuine and I have noticed similar gross misconceptions upheld by Americans regarding not only Russians but nearly every ethnic/national group on Earth. The idea put forth in the question that Americans are unworldly and culturally deficient is much more than assumption or generalization. If there is to be a single widely upheld stereotype regarding the mediocre average US populace that is actually based in truth, from my knowledge and experience, I would be inclined to list it as horrendous cultural deficiency.

As someone else mentioned and I must agree with; the fundamentral root of these misconceptions most likely stems from lack of knowledge and interaction with the world outside of the American sphere... Combine this with their only source of knowledge of the outside world being derived from US made/Hollywood films and popular television sitcoms... Combined with "that one Russian kid at school/man at work/woman at the store" who by chance happened to have certain physical features and there you have it. The end result becomes, whatever or whoever they were exposed to in real life that was Russian or just an actor on TV who was presented to them as Russian, this will become their idea of a Russian person.

Someone mentioned that most Americans are not exposed to people from around the world but this concept strikes me as strange. When we view statistical demographic information by national census, it becomes blatantly clear that United States is the most ethnically diverse nation on planet Earth. One might assume that Americans are VERY experienced in world peoples and cultures but this doesn't seem to be the case for the bulk populace. I may be wrong but I can only conclude that they encounter multiple people daily from all parts of the world and never consciously acknowledge them as such. Well, in my case for instance, Russian and currently living in U.S., I can guarantee you that excluding a tiny portion of people personally interacting with me; no one here sees me and consciously identifies me as Russian or anything else specific. Average population here only see PEOPLE, nothing more or less.

Doctrine Man

Well I am the East-South way from Russia and people in the land of Oz think about average Russian only the nice things.
For example - the Russian male is 6'6" tall, muscular, blond, blue eyed superhuman.
Isn't that a nice reputation.
I am doing my best to support it.

HanZ

not sure about the average Americans, but i have come to comprehension of Russian cultures through numerous TV programs, mainly Tennis, which we all know how gorgeous and dominating Maria Sharapova is. Plus Russia being the biggest world in the world, you're bound to find diverse population.

Well, I'll say i'm little more worldly than the general American population.

Dmitry

I think there are two reasons.
1. In Comics & in the movie "bad guy" is often portrayed as a dark-haired man. A bad guys were often Russian (Soviet).
2. From the USSR to the U.S. first leave the Jews. Although the Soviet Union they were Jews, but in the U.S. called "Russians".

Yeah, there are a lot of Americans who are not worldly or cultured. But there are others who are.

wutupw/that

I don't believe "most Americans" put out those misconceptions. As a matter of fact, I have seen and known many Russians with blonde hair and blue eyes, but honestly, they come in the same shades of colors as any human being. That person doesn't get out much, perhaps.
It's funny that you are drawing similar generalizations as the American did. What can I say? We all do.

guitar girl

I've always thought most Russians looked like Europeans. I know a Russian guy who looks similar to me and I'm western European (blond hair, blue eyes).

btw i'm English if you wanted to know.

Old Pablo

Because most Americans, like most Russians, don't ever see real people from other places, so they rely on movies or the TV, etc. for their sources of information about other people. As to intelligence, did you proof read your question?

Why so cynical?

Right , I know why. I every single American thriller movie , there has got a Russian bad guy. Have you watched the movie 'Be Cool' with Christina Millian? There is this mafia gang of 'Russians' who look like gypsies , with blach hair and dark skin and spoke Russian with such a thick accent that I could barely make out any of the words.

American movies just keep spreading stereotypes about Russians.

Yes, there are many different-looking people in Russia , but ethnic Russians are Slavs. I wonder how many Americans know that.

T J

Join the club! As an American, I'm always amazed at the stringent generalizations the world has of the United States, the most diverse nation on earth. Talk about crazy!

Squeaky P

you are generalizing a whole country for generalizing another country. It seems you are the pot calling the kettle black. Think about why some Americans think of Russians as dark haired? Answer: because the Russians they knew were. This has nothing to do with anybody's nation but an attempt by you to demean Americans, which shows your inferiority complex.

Cossak

Hmmm...south russians as ukrainians or cossacks have black hair,north russians are blonde.

Michael l

Talk about a misonception.
All people who generalize are idiots!

You get? Hehehehe!
All people who generalize are idiots! Hehehe
I just generalized about people who generalize.

Hehehehehehehehehehehehe!!!!!

PS, are you sure your Russian friends are in college and not rehab?

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