And now for something completely different
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Loading ...This is a major departure from my usual posting, but I love Soviet-era culture. It’s not a “Oh, what a wonderful time it must have been during Stalin,” way but rather a never-ending fascination. I also love anything dealing with the CIA, KGB or espionage in general; I’m a total sucker for a good spy movie/story. Did you know that in Russian culture a wide-mouthed smile is perceived as someone laughing, so that Westerners traveling there would often get odd looks like “What are you laughing at?” when trying to be friendly? It’s like the norm is flat affect, and what we’d consider a chuckle is downright hilarity. Or at least used to be that way–perhaps things have warmed after 15-some-odd years of glasnost. A quick perusal of my music library also shows huge leanings towards 19th and 20th century Russian composers, by far. I even joked about subjecting my future child to Shostakovich as early as possible (before I even knew she was already conceived!)
Imagine my delight when I discovered a site full of authentic Soviet-era propaganda posters! (The linked poster’s caption reads, “Chatterbox–a gift to the enemy!”) I love the sneering, “I’m turning you in” look of the guy in the background–priceless. Through a small attempt at learning Russian about 5 years ago, I can read a little bit of simple words, but to enjoy the site you’ll need to make heavy use of Babelfish.
I know this is probably not for everyone (probably only me), but I thought I’d post something interesting and different.
Pop Culture | enrico | 
August 2, 2006 7:07 pm
By Borneo Breezes, August 2, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
Wonderful images. I was in a couple of developing countries under Soviet domination and found it so oppressive I could not laugh at it at the time so I enjoyed seeing it as art.
By Sid Schwab, August 7, 2006 @ 5:28 pm
I studied Russian for six years, culminating in a study-tour while in college: we pledged to speak only Russian. Travelled to Moskva, Rotov-na-Donu, Volgograd, Pyatigorsk, Petrograd. Fabulous, fascinating. It was at the height of the Cold War, Kruschev was Premier, times were tense. The race riots were ongoing in the southern US, and I got lots of questions about it. I brought home some great posters: “forward to the victory of Communism,” etc. Had them on the wall of my dorm room the day JFK came to campus to dedicate the Robert Frost Library (one of his last public appearances before Dallas.) My room had a good view of the podium, and the Secret Service checked it out in advance. I had to vacate.