Thanks Cumol. Is this an ethnic thing in Russia ThatFanficGuy In Canada it seems people speak out at strangers mostly to be helpful, although it can sound hostile: "WRONG WAY" they might say, if you are driving the wrong way on a one-way street. But if you tell someone not to litter after they throw their bottle or potato chip bag on the street, they are likely to tell you to f off!
I haven't observed much interethnic interactions in my life, let alone speaking up among different ethnic groups. That being said, I would imagine that, had Russia have a more outspoken culture, non-Slavic ethnicities would be either silenced or shunned for them speaking up against immoral or unlawful activities. There are plenty of people from southern countries - Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and so on - coming to Russia to work because of its more prosperous economy, and many of them - those who don't look Slavic, that is - are treated by a shamingly big number of people as inferior. Jews get the same or similar treatment. The racism stems from the way non-Russians were treated back in the USSR: from what I gather, the "union" part wasn't followed up culturally, which entails Russians, being the "main" nation among "equals", seeing themselves as more important, more powerful and so on. It's funny how the nazism the country fought so hard against finds its way inside Russia's veins. (that's another #russiabynatives topic! thanks again!)
and many of them - those who don't look Slavic, that is - are treated by a shamingly big number of people as inferior.
It is a horrible truth of almost every culture: to treat the "other" as inferior or different or dangerous instead of as humans equally deserving of consideration.
You're right, sadly. However, I feel like the Russian culture is under more pressure - or responsibility - to behave otherwise, given its supposed "all cultures united" promise from back in the Soviet Union. In general, every culture to promise tolerance or equality ought to follow on that promise, and not doing so reflects even worse on then than it does on those not promising anything of that nature at all.