Ukrainians are naturally lazy?

Yesterday I skipped a class. Intentionally. What a bad student I am! (I also stayed home today, but this time it's because I'm sneezing my brains out)

On my way home I came up with one of possible explanations of why Ukraine sucks even though we have all opportunities to be a successful country. Well, except the political issues, but I hope they will change. The only questions are when and how, but this can be a topic of a separate post.

The problem is that Ukrainians don't value time. I'm not talking about time management even though it's also injured here. People don't respect time of others. Here's where this statement emerged from.

The class I skipped is in the same subject we had on our 1st year as far as I remember. A part of year 1 and the 1st half of the 2nd one. Now I'm on the 3rd year of suffering studying and we're going through THE SAME subject with THE SAME INFORMATION, and what is more - we have to pass the EXAM AGAIN.

We have lectures and practice classes, and teachers of both have agreed to put us the marks we already got for this course. Everything depended on the dean...who said no. Because the previous time we had this class the final mark was made up of points in 2 subjects, that is - the one we're having again has been a half of the exam mark.
We have to attend lectures and practice classes again and then get ready for an exam. We have to do tasks to earn points. This all requires time.

Photo from www.icanhascheezburger.com

Waste of time is a catastrophe not only in education. It often happens because of lack of knowledge of modern technologies and because of...people's arrogance. Certain individuals are afraid of taking up something new, part of them doesn't accept everything that comes from the West. But these people fear being called stupid or old because they don't know what the whole world already uses. So they choose the tactics of scaring those who are more up-to-date, using the power they have because of their jobs. People have to take up the lifestyle of the one who is "above" them. The difference in perception is that supporters of modern stuff do know that work can be done more efficiently with less time used, while the old fa**s have no idea things can be different from what they're used to.

I think another reason might be the conservative points of view on life Ukrainians naturally have. Though national mentalities are only a base to keep national identity, people of Ukraine would easily be able to run an up-to-date lifestyle with a noticeable and unique national background. It happens when countries use technologies developed anywhere around the globe and adjust them to their own peculiarities. It would be possible for Ukraine if it had a single-sided strategy of further development.

But while part is for tighter bonds with the successful and modern West, the great deal of people is for closer relations with one of the neighboring countries with even a more conservative lifestyle than we have here, and with great influence of Orthodox Christian church that often turns into insanity.

At one of the useful classes the teacher told us about the "ill January" and proved that some laziness is a natural feature of Ukrainians.

January is the month with many holidays and people almost stop working for this period. But in the old times the holidays were about performing various rituals and celebrations according to traditions that have a meaning. It wasn't about being a couch potato or staying drunk all the time as if often happens now. All traditional celebrations that still live in some regions were a kind of vacation, and after them people came back to their usual business with renewed strength being "emotionally fresh". Here's what can be the national background of Ukraine as a modern country. It can be adjusted to the fast and efficient lifestyle, and the latter is possible to be led with breaks aimed on renewing strength to move forward.

If wasting time is a disadvantage we have, it shouldn't be fed and supported. Of course this is a way for weak people to rule and exploit the power they have. But it kills chances to succeed both in individuals and the country/society as a whole.
I'm sure the place I live in would be much better if more people understood that "time is money" or, as I'd transform this saying, "time is space for developing."

Personal experiences make any explanations and theories more clear, so here it goes.

The class lasts for more than an hour. I'm sitting in a room listening to the teacher talking, trying to make some notes or simply drawing/talking/yawning/dreaming/spitting into the ceiling etc. I get nothing useful for myself, and also get exhausted. Boredom makes me much more tired than hard work (I don't mean studying this time, it's also exhausting).

During the time I waste listening to what I've already learnt and forgotten I'd be able: to improve my German and go on with Swedish and Danish; make a piece of jewelry or a pattern for a new outfit; write a draft of an article or a whole small article; edit a short video or draft a longer one; read a book; make a few useful phone calls and do lots of other things I need. Of course I mean the time of the class is enough for a single part of this list, not all I mentioned. :)