Russian friendships

[Katya Hirvasaho]

>A student in my Russian culture course has gotten annoyed about all this
>talk about Russian friendships and how warm, close and wonderful they are.
>He says he has lots of warm, close and wonderful friendships and can't
>see what all the fuss is about (yes, we've read G. Gerhart). (and yes,
>he is of northern European ancestry). Would anyone like to contribute
>some concrete examples? The ones I've provided don't seem to have
>gotten through. I should think sociologists have studied the question.
>Thanks! Emily Tall

I once saw an article by Margaret Mead on the concept of friendship among
the French, Germans, English, and Americans.  It was quite obvious that the
Russian (and my own Finnish) concept of friendship has come from German
romanticism. Yes, there is a huge difference.

Katya Hirvasaho
Carleton College