Comparative characteristics of men in the USSR and now

The Soviet Union collapsed 27 years ago, but nostalgic sighs about Soviet times continue. Like, then the state took care of us, and the air was cleaner and people were kinder. Especially people.

You often hear from a woman something like, “Oh, what men were!” Today, some slobbers who live with their parents up to 40 years old and consult their mother in everything. Men used to be flint! You must have heard it or read it.

And today's edition. "Site"Based on the facts, try to understand How men have changed Since Soviet times and whether the current generation is not matched by the past. What were these Soviet heroes, the favorites of women? Let's figure it out.





DepositPhotos Man in the USSR

1. Hard work.
   Today, work in many industries is fully automated, which the Soviet Union could only dream of. The men had to breathe chemicals year after year, stand at blast furnaces and risk their lives in unsuitable mines. It was all undermining health when you were young.
   
   
   
   
2. Drinking
   No matter what you say, the Soviet Union drank more than it does now. And if you refused to drink a “couple of drinks” at a party, then you were recorded as crazy and in every possible way avoided. If you don't drink today, tomorrow you won't be invited to go fishing, you won't be told the news, you won't say hello. Moreover, the “normal men” of that time were contemptuous of table wine, preferring various fortified crap. And ordinary workers for the lack of something decent and at all drank everything that burns – denaturate, bragu, cologne. These drinks are often blinded or killed.
   
   Today, society is intolerant of alcoholics, and domestic alcoholism has ceased to be something familiar. And if you don't drink today, you'd rather be respected than ridiculed.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Cigarette smoking
   During the Soviet Union, 4 out of 5 men smoked. Non-smokers were only athletes or those who realized the harm of addiction. Children and adolescents inherited their elders and from an early age also reached for a cigarette. Smoking was a sign of "coolness." Often smoked during lunch breaks or when there was no opportunity to eat normally, because if you smoke, you do not want to eat so much. In addition, all the leaders of the country regularly appeared in public with a cigarette. How can you resist?
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Stupid hobby
   In Soviet times, men had nothing to do with their free time. Politics, business, trade, travel and other interesting activities were not available. There were only two or three TV channels. It remained to read books (which quickly bored) or go fishing or hunting with friends (where you had to warm up with alcohol). So I had to collect calendars, postage stamps, newspaper clippings and other nonsense. Such activities did not bring money, were useless for health, but killed time well.
   
   Today, the range of interests is much wider: you can engage in self-development, learn foreign languages, travel, start your own business or get carried away with something else.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Obsession with the army
   "If you didn't, you weren't a man." This expression in Soviet times was heard. And if in the army of developed countries there were people with the desire and necessary skills, receiving money for this, then in the USSR all the youth were raked for 2 years (and until the end of the 60s and 3). We have a people’s army, and the damned capitalists have a mercenary army. Today, young people do not want to spend even a year of their lives on military service, which gives almost nothing good in terms of development, so the number of “deviators” is growing.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Poverty
   The income of most Soviet men was a salary of about 150 rubles. Most of that money went to food and other small expenses. Buying a car stretched for 15 years (if you add years of standing in line for purchase to the accumulation of money). Buying new clothes and shoes is rare. The situation could not be influenced in any way. How could a factory worker earn extra money? To take sloppiness and earn an additional 30-40 rubles, which did not radically change the situation? Today you can start your own business and earn as much as your mind, time, desire and conscience allow.
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Ignorance
   If in school and student years, people were forced to sports in physical education classes, then, after getting a job, few people cared about maintaining physical fitness. As a result, by the age of 40, a typical Soviet man acquired either an overall figure with an impressive beer tummy, or had a flabby physique with pasta hands. The culture of gyms was absent, engaged only a small number of enthusiasts. Today, the importance of sports is realized by everyone and watch a good figure young. By the way, out of every 5 people I know, four are definitely doing something for health.
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Despair
   What could you dream of? Soviet women and men (Apart from the construction of communism) The vector of development of the country was set by the Communist Party, who disagreed was declared an enemy. The opportunity to go abroad, earn more, radically change your life was not. Today, almost everyone has such opportunities.

So were men in the USSR really more purposeful, wiser and better than they are today? What do you think these nostalgic breaths are about?