what i’m saying likeeee. it all boils down to the global espousal of capitalism tbh. people are only interested in slavic people and the culture from a capitalist lens.
Yes—people rave and trivialize Eastern Europe as this single monolith of “Slavic boys” and “slavic girls”. It’s weird kind of like how some people in America look at new things, ideas or subjects with curiosity, but not empathy. People lack the awareness—thesepeople/kids treating struggle as a style of monetary value.
ppl in western countries raving about the "eastern european aesthetic" and again, it's just the post communist cement blocks we grew up in with the dingy neighbourhoods and concerning amount of 13 year olds who smoke and drink, LIKE HELLO ... yall don't want this i promise.
yup. and the recent exaltation of slavic men on tik tok too. that american men vs russian men interview had all the western women saying they wanted a russian man. despite the fact that domestic violence is literally decriminalised in russia. my family and i specifically moved away to the UK to escape this kind of oppression and people online are wistfully yearning for it.
BLEHHH i gagged. and the only reason they're salivating after russian men is because they said they don't do 50/50, and want to be the sole provider. like, okay, he makes money. we do too. nothing special there. what you're getting is not a knight in shining armour that wants to treat you like a queen, but financial abuse lol.
my (ethnically russian) family are from kazakhstan and it is interesting how the diet is so universal in all parts of the former soviet union. our diet was identical to this, maybe with some more central asian additions like korean carrot salad, manti, lagman, etc. my dad said his favourite treat growing up as a child was the leftover water that potatoes had been boiled in. probably worth noting that his side of the family are from the volga region and were witness and victims to the famines. both sides of the family witnessed cannibalism as result of those famines.
i also loved pate growing up, as well as pickled herring. my tastes have changed growing up in the west, too, but i still love a mayonnaise-based salad in a way that western diet culture could never fathom, lol. it's interesting how "slavic women" are held up as pinnacles of beauty standards and it's such a strange and new stereotype – my mum said she didn't even realise women are "supposed" to shave their armpits until she was in her 30s, it was the 90s and the ussr fell and suddenly she was exposed to capitalist advertising as opposed to communist propaganda showing just strong, sturdy socialist women. it all just feels like a legacy of the sex trafficking that followed the collapse of the soviet union, really, but slightly repackaged to sell diets to women.
Didn’t know about this trend but yeah that’s so weird and fetishising. My grandmother still sucks the eyes out of fish to her every last scrap of meat out of it. Slavic culture is not precisely chic and pre-packaged.
most writing on substack and in general is an idea about something. but this is not an idea about something but the actual living thing itself. and it's swings! Fuck yeah. That's the shit.
This is the realest thing I read all day! As a Croatian, I was regularly present during the pig slaughter, and making of all of the fatty foods that are a staple in our diet. This was my introduction to you, and you've gained another subscriber. And looking back, even though the texture of it irks me now, I really fucking enjoyed liver pâté 💌
This is so beautifully written. It reads like a lit fic book I’d pick up at the book store. I’d open up the first few pages and immediately bring it to the counter to purchase it. You’re amazing, I can’t wait to read more of your stuff <3
This trend must bother you. Thank you for sharing a snippet of the true Slavic traditions of your food and the ghosts that you ate beside growing up. 🖤
I didn't know until I read the comments that this was in response to something trending. Whatever it is, you brought the roughness of real life into it. Needless to say, I enjoyed your story telling very much. I could smell and feel everything you described, down to the crumbs on the table cloth.
"slavic doll diet" and it's cigarettes and avocados, two of the most expensive things in the supermarket in eastern europe
what i’m saying likeeee. it all boils down to the global espousal of capitalism tbh. people are only interested in slavic people and the culture from a capitalist lens.
Yes—people rave and trivialize Eastern Europe as this single monolith of “Slavic boys” and “slavic girls”. It’s weird kind of like how some people in America look at new things, ideas or subjects with curiosity, but not empathy. People lack the awareness—thesepeople/kids treating struggle as a style of monetary value.
ppl in western countries raving about the "eastern european aesthetic" and again, it's just the post communist cement blocks we grew up in with the dingy neighbourhoods and concerning amount of 13 year olds who smoke and drink, LIKE HELLO ... yall don't want this i promise.
yup. and the recent exaltation of slavic men on tik tok too. that american men vs russian men interview had all the western women saying they wanted a russian man. despite the fact that domestic violence is literally decriminalised in russia. my family and i specifically moved away to the UK to escape this kind of oppression and people online are wistfully yearning for it.
BLEHHH i gagged. and the only reason they're salivating after russian men is because they said they don't do 50/50, and want to be the sole provider. like, okay, he makes money. we do too. nothing special there. what you're getting is not a knight in shining armour that wants to treat you like a queen, but financial abuse lol.
I love hearing about people's upbringings. It's so personal and beautiful in its simplicity. Thanks for sharing an actual Slavic experience with us.
thank you so much for reading🥹🩷
my (ethnically russian) family are from kazakhstan and it is interesting how the diet is so universal in all parts of the former soviet union. our diet was identical to this, maybe with some more central asian additions like korean carrot salad, manti, lagman, etc. my dad said his favourite treat growing up as a child was the leftover water that potatoes had been boiled in. probably worth noting that his side of the family are from the volga region and were witness and victims to the famines. both sides of the family witnessed cannibalism as result of those famines.
i also loved pate growing up, as well as pickled herring. my tastes have changed growing up in the west, too, but i still love a mayonnaise-based salad in a way that western diet culture could never fathom, lol. it's interesting how "slavic women" are held up as pinnacles of beauty standards and it's such a strange and new stereotype – my mum said she didn't even realise women are "supposed" to shave their armpits until she was in her 30s, it was the 90s and the ussr fell and suddenly she was exposed to capitalist advertising as opposed to communist propaganda showing just strong, sturdy socialist women. it all just feels like a legacy of the sex trafficking that followed the collapse of the soviet union, really, but slightly repackaged to sell diets to women.
Didn’t know about this trend but yeah that’s so weird and fetishising. My grandmother still sucks the eyes out of fish to her every last scrap of meat out of it. Slavic culture is not precisely chic and pre-packaged.
yes absolutely!!!
Writing a long-form essay on Slavic dolls/the sexualisation of Slavic women online + the glamourised Ed culture - hope you don’t mind if I quote you!
i’d be so honoured and grateful!!🩷 i’ve been waiting for someone to do this kind of essay.
Tysm! I have a vid on my old TikTok page (the now the gorgeous) where I discuss some aspects of it but hoping to combine them on here x
I’d love to read it!
Gosh, this made me so hungry. (Slavic from Kazakhstan here)
most writing on substack and in general is an idea about something. but this is not an idea about something but the actual living thing itself. and it's swings! Fuck yeah. That's the shit.
wow what a compliment! thank you so much🙏
This is the realest thing I read all day! As a Croatian, I was regularly present during the pig slaughter, and making of all of the fatty foods that are a staple in our diet. This was my introduction to you, and you've gained another subscriber. And looking back, even though the texture of it irks me now, I really fucking enjoyed liver pâté 💌
united by the slaughter of farm animals! why were they letting kids watch this stuff😭 thank you for reading and for your kind words💌
modern media will turn anything and everything into an aesthetic, regardless of how authentic the information actually is.
This is so beautifully written. It reads like a lit fic book I’d pick up at the book store. I’d open up the first few pages and immediately bring it to the counter to purchase it. You’re amazing, I can’t wait to read more of your stuff <3
wow thank you so much for this comment😭 genuinely means the world🩷💌
I loved this. It transported me to the countryside of romania and my grandparents traditions. Thank you.
thank you so much, bella!🥰🩷
This trend must bother you. Thank you for sharing a snippet of the true Slavic traditions of your food and the ghosts that you ate beside growing up. 🖤
oh yes indeed😅 thank you so much for the love madison🥰🩷
The first thing I thought of was bread lol
glamourisation to the point its a lie, amiright
absolutely genius. liking and commenting because I need more slavic substack in my feed, please + thank you
ah how kind, thank you endlessly🩷💐
I didn't know until I read the comments that this was in response to something trending. Whatever it is, you brought the roughness of real life into it. Needless to say, I enjoyed your story telling very much. I could smell and feel everything you described, down to the crumbs on the table cloth.
thank you so much🥹🩵