Slavic vs Germanic thinking

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,895 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jun 9, 10, 07:36 #1
What are the main characteristics of Slavic philosophy and spirituality?

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,160 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Jun 9, 10, 08:29 #2
Your question doesn't directly correspond with the thread title, southern. Maybe you should provide us with an insight of what you had in mind. Slavic philosophy?? How can you bracket such a thing? Many Poles find Mickiewicz boring but spirituality is encompassed therein.

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Edited by: Torq Jun 9, 10, 09:04 #3

southern:

Slavic philosophy and spirituality

No such thing. The Slavic civilization divides itself, more or less among linguisitic lines.
We have Eastern Slavic languages and civilization (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), Southern
Slavic (the former Yugoslavia countries and Bulgaria) and Western Slavic (Poland, Czech
Republic, Slovakia).

I said more or less, beacuse Croatia and Slovenia have more Western Slavic characteristics
than Serbia, for example, and Bulgaria is somewhere between Eastern and Southern
civilization.

You could also try to divide Slavic countries along religious lines, Eastern - Orthodox
and Western - Catholic, but where should we put Czech Republic that is practically
atheist?

All in all, there are too many and too significant differences between Slavic countries
to put them all in one bag, just like you can't put all Germanic countries in one bag
(Germany, UK, Netherlands, Scandinavia - all have their distinct and unique features).

So it's OK to talk about Russian philosophy, mentality, culture; or Polish, Czech or Serbian,
but there's no point in talking about "Slavic" philosophy and spirituality - no such thing.

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08 ♂	Edited by: SeanBM Jun 9, 10, 11:22 #4
Slavic vs Germanic thinking. . . . . . . . . . . . The Slavs think with their hearts while the Germans think with their heads. Very cheesy :)

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,410 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 02:13 #5
poles think about vodka.. germans about beer.

AllisonThreads: 21 Posts: 439 Joined: May 29, 10 ♀	Jun 10, 10, 02:24 #6
plk123: poles think about vodka.. germans about beer. lol! How about blonde verses Brunette thinking? That would be a more interesting question than this one lol. We all know that Germans like to think they take care of business and that Slavs don't keep order.

MediaWatchThreads: 29 Posts: 1,264 Joined: Aug 30, 08 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 02:47 #7
Maybe Slavic and Germanic nations will think about increasing their populations and keeping them younger? They're both getting older and slowly dying out. The average age in Germany is 45. The average age in Poland is 37. In Muslim countries like Iran and Afghansitan the average age is like 24 or something like that. Sheesh.

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Jun 10, 10, 03:09 #8

MediaWatch:

Maybe Slavic and Germanic nations will think about increasing their populations and keeping them younger?

They're both getting older and slowly dying out.

The average age in Germany is 45.

The average age in Poland is 37.

In Muslim countries like Iran and Afghansitan the average age is like 24 or something like that.

Sheesh.

That's sad, people in Europe need to have more kids. Why can't people just get some guts and make babies, I just don't understand lol.

BabinichThreads: 1 Posts: 1,049 Joined: May 26, 08 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 03:32 #9
Allison: Why can't people just get some guts and make babies, I just don't understand lol. Babies, and the nurturing of children all the way to adulthood, requires parents to exhibit: loving care, discipline, understanding, responsibility & selflessness. Unfortunately narcissism rules the day.

AllisonThreads: 21 Posts: 439 Joined: May 29, 10 ♀	Jun 10, 10, 03:33 #10
Babinich: Unfortunately narcissism rules the day. I think most of the time people are afraid of having kids. But yes narcissism does play a role in that.

BabinichThreads: 1 Posts: 1,049 Joined: May 26, 08 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 03:35 #11
Allison: I think most of the time people are afraid of having kids. Afraid of what?

ZIMMYThreads: 10 Posts: 2,243 Joined: Feb 21, 09 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 03:39 #12
Allison: Why can't people just get some guts and make babies, I just don't understand lol. Because western women initiate 70 percent of all divorces and the anti-male court systems give women the kids whether they deserve them or not.

AllisonThreads: 21 Posts: 439 Joined: May 29, 10 ♀	Jun 10, 10, 03:42 #13
Babinich: Afraid of what? Afraid they don't have enough money or that its going to ruin their life. People are just really hesitant to go off their birth control because they want everything to be perfect and before they know it, they are like 35 and still haven't had kids.

BabinichThreads: 1 Posts: 1,049 Joined: May 26, 08 ♂	Jun 10, 10, 03:45 #14
Allison: People are just really hesitant to go off their birth control because they want everything They want everything but responsibility.

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Edited by: Wulkan Jun 10, 10, 03:56 #15

Torq:

No such thing. The Slavic civilization divides itself, more or less among linguisitic lines.
We have Eastern Slavic languages and civilization (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), Southern
Slavic (the former Yugoslavia countries and Bulgaria) and Western Slavic (Poland, Czech
Republic, Slovakia).

I said more or less, beacuse Croatia and Slovenia have more Western Slavic characteristics
than Serbia, for example, and Bulgaria is somewhere between Eastern and Southern
civilization.

You could also try to divide Slavic countries along religious lines, Eastern - Orthodox
and Western - Catholic, but where should we put Czech Republic that is practically
atheist?

All in all, there are too many and too significant differences between Slavic countries
to put them all in one bag, just like you can't put all Germanic countries in one bag
(Germany, UK, Netherlands, Scandinavia - all have their distinct and unique features).

So it's OK to talk about Russian philosophy, mentality, culture; or Polish, Czech or Serbian,
but there's no point in talking about "Slavic" philosophy and spirituality - no such thing.

man, this is one of the best answers I have ever seen on this forum. I agree in 100%

Polonius3Threads: 963 Posts: 4,547 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jun 11, 10, 12:42 #16
Ordnung muß sein v Gość w dom, Bóg w dom... sums up one major difference between the Polish and most other Slavic mentality (with the possible exception of the cultrually Germanised Czechs). Order v hospitality: Order must prevail v When a guest enters the home, God enters the home!

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,895 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jun 11, 10, 12:46 #17
But when the guest happens to be germanic?

Bratwurst BoyThreads: 11 Posts: 14,563 Joined: Apr 2, 07 ♂	Jun 11, 10, 12:51 #18
Polonius3: When a guest enters the home, God enters the home! southern: But when the guest happens to be germanic? Heh:)

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Jun 11, 10, 22:07 #19

Of course, I am an American, but I kind of have an idea about Polish and German thinking. Like everyone else, I have two grandmothers. But, one was Polish and the other one was German.

Of course anything I could say would be based on just those two instances. I will say that my Polish babcia was the most generous woman I've ever met. She did go by guest in house, God in house. Anyone who came around got fed whether there was much food or not. Everyone was welcome.

My German Nana was thrifty, and orderly. She loved her family of course, but was less demonstrative. From what I've read of Prussian virtues, she was a good example.

Miguel ColombiaThreads: 3 Posts: 711 Joined: Apr 20, 10 ♂	Jun 11, 10, 23:24 #20
Germans: Cold, analytic, pessimistic, proffesional, harsh, boring. Slavs: warm, sensitive, pessimistic, more or less proffesional, welcoming, cool.

Polonius3Threads: 963 Posts: 4,547 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 12:03 #21
Dunno about Germanic guests, but if a Germanic suitor comes to ask for the hand of a pure-blooded Polish lass, she may follow the example of the legendary Polish Princess Wanda who preferred to jump into the Vistula ratherr than marry a Teuton.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,895 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 14:07 #22
Polonius3: Dunno about Germanic guests, but if a Germanic suitor comes to ask for the hand of a pure-blooded Polish lass, she may follow the example of the legendary Polish Princess Wanda who preferred to jump into the Vistula ratherr than marry a Teuton. And she married an Arab?

Polonius3Threads: 963 Posts: 4,547 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 14:09 #23
Naaah, nice Polish Catholic girls don't believe in harems!

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,895 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 14:24 #24
Polonius3: nice Polish Catholic girls don't believe in harems! I hope so.At that time in Europe there were very few Blacks and they were busy with english and french women.I guess balkan power had not reached Poland except in the form of winged warriors.

♂

Edited by: Bratwurst Boy Jun 13, 10, 14:32 #25

Jews are:

lying, manipulating, beak-nosed, greedy, nit-picky, misers who always get kicked out in the end

Polonius3:

Dunno about Germanic guests, but if a Germanic suitor comes to ask for the hand of a pure-blooded Polish lass, she may follow the example of the legendary Polish Princess Wanda who preferred to jump into the Vistula ratherr than marry a Teuton.

She probably feared a life of hearing polish jokes by her new family.... hehe

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,895 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Jun 13, 10, 14:34 #26
You can imagine the Teuton who lost the chance to become slavicised.

♂

Edited by: Bratwurst Boy Jun 13, 10, 16:18 #27

Apropos this Wanda legend (because it is only a legend it seems):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Wanda

...
The story of princess Wanda was first described by medieval (12th and 13th centuries) Polish bishop and historian, Wincenty Kadłubek, and it is assumed by most historians that it was invented by him, possibly based on Slavic myths and legends[2][3]

These Poles, living in a world of fantasies and fairytales...tsk....as every polish princess would be grateful to be chosen by a real Teuton!

...
In Polish literature, the story of Wanda has served as inspiration of several works, often stressing the motives of Polish independence and victorious conflict with Germany.

Sure...why not invent something if one doesn't have the real thing! ;)

♂ [Suspended]

Jun 13, 10, 16:27 #28

Bratwurst Boy:

These Poles, living in a world of fantasies and fairytales...tsk....as every polish princess would be grateful to be chosen by a real Teuton!

You just sounded like Souther and his "Balkan bananas" :D

This said the myth is based on something, there's been examples where Saxons tried to encroach on local Slavic princes by marriage, it often got rebuked and a war would start over it, something like that might've happened in 8th or 9th century with enough drama to it that it got its own myth.

Bratwurst Boy:

Sure...why not invent something if one doesn't have the real thing! ;)

See up, there's enough real things but Poles love the drama, if its not a Holywood style thing its not worthy of citing.

Bratwurst BoyThreads: 11 Posts: 14,563 Joined: Apr 2, 07 ♂	Edited by: Bratwurst Boy Jun 13, 10, 16:31 #29
Sokrates: See up, there's enough real things but Poles love the drama, if its not a Holywood style thing its not worthy of citing. True too! :) In german myths we have our share of princesses in distress too...and then there comes the shining knight to her rescue (mostly that is).

shushThreads: 5 Posts: 552 Joined: Dec 20, 09 ♀	Jun 13, 10, 16:31 #30
Bratwurst Boy: Sure...why not invent something if one doesn't have the real thing! ;) You are saying that as if Germans didnt have any myths or legends. We Polish girls say NO to mixing our pure slavic rase :P giggles

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