SOVOK – who is it?
“Sovok”, relatively new and very popular word in post-soviet Russia, used by Russian people to describe a person, born and grown up in the Soviet Union, who is completely saturated by old soviet socialist/communist propaganda and whose psychology and opinions did not change at all from the time of the Soviet Union; it is used as kind of a disdainful word. For more than 70 years communist propaganda in the USSR screamed about creating a “real soviet person” – I think “sovok” is the “real soviet person”.
Sometime ago I have come across with great paper in which a Russian author gives very good description of the word. I cannot find this paper in my files but in earlier times I have taken notes of the basic thoughts of the paper and, below, I tried to translate those thoughts to English. If the reader does not like or does not understand the thoughts below it is not the reader’s fault and it is not the Russian author’s fault, it is entirely my fault as a translator. Following are those thoughts in English.
“I have written this article after long meditation. I do not lay claim to comprehensive analysis, I only share some conclusions, gathered from everyday life, with you….
Soviet experiment has changed European code of Russian nation. The nation, which was an integral part of Europe, has become … the “sovok” nation.
“Sovok” is not an European. It is a human being with inferiority complex, who is a lackey to any authorities and maliciously envious other human beings.
“Sovok” is a cowardly creature, which is afraid of its own shadow and its own words, its own thoughts and actions.
“Sovok” stands up straight at attention, looks and behaves as a slave, when he hears Stalin’s name. He believes that Stalin is “the sun of the world” and that dissidents and other people, who does not think as he, have sold their souls to pindos* for a cookie.
“Sovok” always behaves as a paternalist, but since he does not know meaning of the word, prefers to call himself erroneously a pofigist.
“Sovok” likes celebrations, symbols, imported equipment, šhmótki (clothes, threads, belongings), cars. He likes to talk about problems in Honduras, but may hardly find Yakutia on his country map.
“Sovok” dreams becoming a boss, who, in his opinion, is doing nothing all the time, but has a private office, a company car, a secretary…
“Sovok” is afraid of Government, but… But when an opportunity presents itself he will rob it without fail. By word of mouth he loudly criticizes corruption, but if he started stealing himself, then to tear him off “trough” is possible only by tearing his skin.
“Sovok” says that he is a Christian, but 90% of them have never read the Bible; and they go a church not more often than they go to an Opera.
“Sovok” likes to read, but he does not read serious books, he likes reading cheap yellow newspapers.
“Sovok” likes TV. Sitting on a coach, he is fighting with entire world, “shows rotting Western countries what’s what” (it is not very good translation of infamous Khrushchev expression used by Nikita Khrushchev in his speeches - показывать "кузькину мать").
“Sovok” is greedy, he is raised in a socialist system of so-called “blat”**, where is no culture but is deficit - a lack or shortage of everything (food, cloth, books, living space, etc).
“Sovok” is, by word of mouth, for piece in whole world, by he is dying to trample down “flower beds of his neighbor” by his boot.
This epic tale about “sovok” maybe continued endlessly, but what for? “Sovok” defeated Russian character! He has overcome nation with thousand-year history, which now more often calls itself “Soviet People” than Russian Nation.
The experiment was a wonderful success. Bolsheviks have completed breeding and have created new anthropomorphous creature, which on the surface looks as its former brothers (European), but in essence, judging by thoughts, attitude – it is entirely different creature…
------------
*) Yank, American, citizen of the USA. The word derives from Greek Πόντος (Pontus) and was a derogative nickname for the Black Sea Greeks…
**) Russian: “блат” is the system of informal agreements, exchanges of services, connections, Party contacts, or black market deals to achieve results or get ahead
Original Russian text
Эту статью я написал после долгих размышлений. Не претендуя на всеобъемлющий анализ, поделюсь с вами некоторыми выводами подчеркнутыми из повседневности...
Советский эксперимент изменил европейский код русской нации. Нации, которая была неотъемлемой частью Европы, стала...совковой.
Совок - не европеец. Это закомплексованное человеческое существо с холуйской позицией по отношению к начальству и злобно-завистливой в отношениях к себе подобным.
Совок - трусливое существо, которое боится своей тени и речи, своих мыслей и поступков.
Совок вытягивается в струнку, истекая слюной раболепия, когда слышит имя - Сталин. Он считает его "светилом мира", а диссидентов и иных несогласных - продавшимися за печеньем пиндосам.
Совок - всегда патерналист, правда, не зная значения этого слова, предпочитает называть себя пофигистом.
Совок любит праздники, символы, импортную технику, шмотки, авто. Любит порассуждать про проблемы Гондураса, но с трудом находит Якутию на карте своей страны.
Совок очень хочет быть начальником, который, по его мнению, ничего не делает, но имеет кабинет, служебную машину, секретаршу...
Совок боится государства, но… При появляющиеся возможности обязательно обворует его. На словах громко критикует коррупцию, но уж если сам сел "на кормление", то отодрать его от "корыта" можно только с кожей.
Совок называет себя христианином, но 90% из них никогда не читали Библию, а церковь они ходят не чаще, чем в оперный театр.
Совок любит читать, но не серьезные книги, а дешевые желтые газетёнки.
Совок любит "ящик". Сидя на диване, он воюет со всем миром, показывает "кузькину мать" странам "загнивающего" Запада.
Совок жаден, он воспитан в системе т.н. блата, где нет культуры, но имеется дефицит.
Совок на словах за мир во всем мире, но жаждет своим сапогом потоптать "грядки соседа".
Этот сказ про совка можно продолжать бесконечно, но к чему? Совок победил русскость! Он одолел нацию с тысячелетней историей, которая сейчас чаще себя называет "советским народом", чем российской нацией.
Эксперимент удался на славу. Большевики провели селекцию и получили новое человекообразное существо, которое похоже внешне на своих бывших братьев (европейцев), но по сути, мыслям, мироощущению - это совершенно иное создание...
Russian text author is unknown.
Translation by B.V. January 2016
“Sovok”, relatively new and very popular word in post-soviet Russia, used by Russian people to describe a person, born and grown up in the Soviet Union, who is completely saturated by old soviet socialist/communist propaganda and whose psychology and opinions did not change at all from the time of the Soviet Union; it is used as kind of a disdainful word. For more than 70 years communist propaganda in the USSR screamed about creating a “real soviet person” – I think “sovok” is the “real soviet person”.
Sometime ago I have come across with great paper in which a Russian author gives very good description of the word. I cannot find this paper in my files but in earlier times I have taken notes of the basic thoughts of the paper and, below, I tried to translate those thoughts to English. If the reader does not like or does not understand the thoughts below it is not the reader’s fault and it is not the Russian author’s fault, it is entirely my fault as a translator. Following are those thoughts in English.
“I have written this article after long meditation. I do not lay claim to comprehensive analysis, I only share some conclusions, gathered from everyday life, with you….
Soviet experiment has changed European code of Russian nation. The nation, which was an integral part of Europe, has become … the “sovok” nation.
“Sovok” is not an European. It is a human being with inferiority complex, who is a lackey to any authorities and maliciously envious other human beings.
“Sovok” is a cowardly creature, which is afraid of its own shadow and its own words, its own thoughts and actions.
“Sovok” stands up straight at attention, looks and behaves as a slave, when he hears Stalin’s name. He believes that Stalin is “the sun of the world” and that dissidents and other people, who does not think as he, have sold their souls to pindos* for a cookie.
“Sovok” always behaves as a paternalist, but since he does not know meaning of the word, prefers to call himself erroneously a pofigist.
“Sovok” likes celebrations, symbols, imported equipment, šhmótki (clothes, threads, belongings), cars. He likes to talk about problems in Honduras, but may hardly find Yakutia on his country map.
“Sovok” dreams becoming a boss, who, in his opinion, is doing nothing all the time, but has a private office, a company car, a secretary…
“Sovok” is afraid of Government, but… But when an opportunity presents itself he will rob it without fail. By word of mouth he loudly criticizes corruption, but if he started stealing himself, then to tear him off “trough” is possible only by tearing his skin.
“Sovok” says that he is a Christian, but 90% of them have never read the Bible; and they go a church not more often than they go to an Opera.
“Sovok” likes to read, but he does not read serious books, he likes reading cheap yellow newspapers.
“Sovok” likes TV. Sitting on a coach, he is fighting with entire world, “shows rotting Western countries what’s what” (it is not very good translation of infamous Khrushchev expression used by Nikita Khrushchev in his speeches - показывать "кузькину мать").
“Sovok” is greedy, he is raised in a socialist system of so-called “blat”**, where is no culture but is deficit - a lack or shortage of everything (food, cloth, books, living space, etc).
“Sovok” is, by word of mouth, for piece in whole world, by he is dying to trample down “flower beds of his neighbor” by his boot.
This epic tale about “sovok” maybe continued endlessly, but what for? “Sovok” defeated Russian character! He has overcome nation with thousand-year history, which now more often calls itself “Soviet People” than Russian Nation.
The experiment was a wonderful success. Bolsheviks have completed breeding and have created new anthropomorphous creature, which on the surface looks as its former brothers (European), but in essence, judging by thoughts, attitude – it is entirely different creature…
------------
*) Yank, American, citizen of the USA. The word derives from Greek Πόντος (Pontus) and was a derogative nickname for the Black Sea Greeks…
**) Russian: “блат” is the system of informal agreements, exchanges of services, connections, Party contacts, or black market deals to achieve results or get ahead
Original Russian text
Эту статью я написал после долгих размышлений. Не претендуя на всеобъемлющий анализ, поделюсь с вами некоторыми выводами подчеркнутыми из повседневности...
Советский эксперимент изменил европейский код русской нации. Нации, которая была неотъемлемой частью Европы, стала...совковой.
Совок - не европеец. Это закомплексованное человеческое существо с холуйской позицией по отношению к начальству и злобно-завистливой в отношениях к себе подобным.
Совок - трусливое существо, которое боится своей тени и речи, своих мыслей и поступков.
Совок вытягивается в струнку, истекая слюной раболепия, когда слышит имя - Сталин. Он считает его "светилом мира", а диссидентов и иных несогласных - продавшимися за печеньем пиндосам.
Совок - всегда патерналист, правда, не зная значения этого слова, предпочитает называть себя пофигистом.
Совок любит праздники, символы, импортную технику, шмотки, авто. Любит порассуждать про проблемы Гондураса, но с трудом находит Якутию на карте своей страны.
Совок очень хочет быть начальником, который, по его мнению, ничего не делает, но имеет кабинет, служебную машину, секретаршу...
Совок боится государства, но… При появляющиеся возможности обязательно обворует его. На словах громко критикует коррупцию, но уж если сам сел "на кормление", то отодрать его от "корыта" можно только с кожей.
Совок называет себя христианином, но 90% из них никогда не читали Библию, а церковь они ходят не чаще, чем в оперный театр.
Совок любит читать, но не серьезные книги, а дешевые желтые газетёнки.
Совок любит "ящик". Сидя на диване, он воюет со всем миром, показывает "кузькину мать" странам "загнивающего" Запада.
Совок жаден, он воспитан в системе т.н. блата, где нет культуры, но имеется дефицит.
Совок на словах за мир во всем мире, но жаждет своим сапогом потоптать "грядки соседа".
Этот сказ про совка можно продолжать бесконечно, но к чему? Совок победил русскость! Он одолел нацию с тысячелетней историей, которая сейчас чаще себя называет "советским народом", чем российской нацией.
Эксперимент удался на славу. Большевики провели селекцию и получили новое человекообразное существо, которое похоже внешне на своих бывших братьев (европейцев), но по сути, мыслям, мироощущению - это совершенно иное создание...
Russian text author is unknown.
Translation by B.V. January 2016
