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  • Essay / A study on the origin of the Gopnik, a stereotypical subculture in Russia

    Russian gang: the “Gopniks” The 90s in Russia were very difficult, both economically and socially. This period was difficult for the nation as the USSR had just collapsed, uncertainty and lack of vision for the future in society coined a new term "Gopnik". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In my research, I will focus on the etymology of the gang's name, specific physical attributes, their distinct lingo as well as their analysis. agenda and social perception of the gang. I'm not going to touch the data of people affected by these gangs as there is no information on this as these type of crimes tend to be classified as street pickpocketing with no mention of involvement Gopniks. Gopniks are considered 90s legacy, they are not officially affiliated with anyone, but they share the same clothing attributes, behavior patterns and preferences. Gopniks are often perceived and described as “Skin-Heads of Russia” (WierdRussia.com). The Gopniks have no specific agenda and target those they choose to attack. (RBTH.com) However, peaceful civilians tend to be the most vulnerable groups and they have the same chance of being attacked day or night by Gopniks. tracksuits (RBTH.com) It is difficult to find enough scientific data on Gopnik, because they value their privacy and are not very keen to communicate with researchers. In my research, I will focus on the etymology of the gang's name, specific physical attributes, their distinct lingo, and their agenda and social perception of the gang. I'm not going to touch the data of people affected by these gangs because there is no information about it, as these type of crimes tend to be classified as street pickpocketing without any mention of involvement Gopniks. Social disorganization theory, tension theory and cultural deviance theory are the most relevant theories regarding the Gopniks (Hesse, M). These theories lead to why people choose to become Gopniks. However, the main circumstances are social stability, economy and education as well as lack of social control. The proof of the presence of Gopniks in society is the people. Poorer neighborhoods, where crime is higher, are usually where Gopniks are found. It is often written on foreign websites that tourists should avoid Gopniks if they accidentally see them. They are portrayed as close to neo-Nazis and even the locals fear them. The police choose not to engage with the Gopniks because they are unable to modify their behavior and deter them from engaging in criminal acts. (RUSSIAN 101 - TALK TO THE GOPNIKS)The word Gopnik derives from the former Soviet republics, denoting a young man or woman often from a low income gap with little or no education. The origins of the word derive from the acronym GOP, or organization Gorodskoe Obshestvo Prizreniye (Russian: "City Public Charity"). (Russiapedia.rt.com). In the pre-revolutionary times of the USSR, these people were responsible for social housing for the lowest income gap in the country (Russipedia.rt.com). This term was later reshaped and became affiliated with those living in assigned public housing, as they were often very poorly maintained, poorly constructed, and located in poor neighborhoods with high crime rates. There is another controversy in linguist circlesaccording to which the term "Gop" originated and evolved from the Russian word "flight" (RussiaPedia.Rt.com). As most street crimes of that era were sudden attacks, the thief had to pounce on the victim in the least expected way. ((RUSSIAN 101 - TALK TO GOPNIKS). This type of sudden attack was known as "Gop-Stop", that is: random attacks of passers-by with the aim of stealing the shaved head, intentionally .harming, antisocial behavior, passion for criminal activities, racism, smoking and drinking are just some of the common attributes of those described as Gopniks. This term is similar to the derogatory term "redneck" used in. America, but those who engage in typical gopnik behavior do not hesitate to use it themselves (Egorov, O). sort of a network system to take care of each other in a time when the government was weak and the country was running away with problems of all kinds. .Gopniks are usually found in rural areas. Gopniks are known for their racist, almost nationalistic and harmful behavior towards the public. The classic appearance of a Gopnik will include Adidas truck suits (mostly counterfeit Chinese tracksuits), a shaved head, a bottle of beer/vodka straight out of the bottle, a pack of cigarettes sitting in a crouching position. (The Gopniks' favorite snack tends to be sunflower seeds which are chewed and spit out wherever they are (TheMoscowTimes.com) The reason why a particular brand like Adidas was chosen to be the attire of the entire nation of Gopniks was due to the fact that at the time foreign brands were not allowed to be imported into the USSR, so they were illegally smuggled in if they were original However, like most Gopniks. did not have access to such expensive clothing, they decided to take a shortcut by purchasing knockoffs (WierdRussia.com) seemed to be a sign of luxury in the sportswear world and the Gopniks chose to do so. wear since then Cheap stores are run away with counterfeit clothing, making it easy to find in every city. Sitting may seem like a random move, but it has its specific purpose. In fact, this particular posture is able to distinguish a real Gopnik from a fake. It is essential to maintain the correct posture while performing the “Gopnik squat” which requires. the real Gopnik of not keeping all feet on the ground but rather remaining on tiptoe. (WierdRussia.com). This position is the most comfortable way to jump up like a spring and attack a passerby or flee from the arrival of the Policiya (police in Russia). Gopniks are known for their specific slang. Their particular crouching posture is known as "in court" (Russian: na kartah) or "crabbing" (Russian: na krabe). Their most famous and perhaps most feared expressions are “do you have a cell phone?” » or “do you have any change?” These two phrases tend to be the only phrases Gopniks say to people before robbing them, which is why Gopniks are known for these phrases. Gopniks are known for their excessive use of vulgar language, derogatory terms and sexist remarks towards both sexes. Gopniks are very negative towards minorities. In today's life, when Gopnik spots someone from the LGBTQ community, that person will be physically and verbally attacked with a 99.9% probability. There really isn't much anyone.