Sorry to burst your bubble, but this type of behaviour is typical of homo sovieticus though. A lot of people unlearned it now (and a lot died out) but this common disregard for common good (such as public spaces) was part of the reason why Poland was in the shit for so long. All ex-soviet countries suffer/suffered from this and it took a lot effort in Poland (and public campaigns) to unlearn it.
Every single soviet country was a low-trust society and there was a huge difference between how Poles and western europeans behaved in their societies.
For example, the concept of shared public spaces was not „this park/bus stop is public property, therefore belongs to everyone, including me, thus I need to respect and care for it” but „this public space is public property, therefore it belongs to no one and I can do whatever I want with it”. Littering was commonplace and while not as extreme this mentality was similar to what happens in India. You can also see this mentality in a lot of arrivals from 3rd world countries in western europe.
Theft from workplaces was rampant because „shared ownership” meant people felt entitled to just take things and had no respect for the state or state owned stuff.
So you are saying we should sanitize our work relationships with Poles because they are irremediable? At least the +30 ones and still be extremely suspicious of the younger ones (cause of inherited education). I kind of agree.
No, Im saying communism breeds this type of behaviour which is why Poles used to have the stereotype they did (the fact that a lot of those that emigrated after Poland joined EU were the lower classes didn’t help).
This behaviour was widespread but not everyone was like this, though a fair chunk of population was.
This mostly relates to people who grew up in communism, people born ~1985 or later are mostly okay, as when communism fell this type of mediocrity was aggressively shunned and people who grew up in capitalist Poland had a very different mindset.
I know your comment is supposed to be ironic but there is a very good reason communism is almost universally reviled across eastern europe, and the sad legacy of the eastern bloc takes years to unlearn. Of course it can be done because communists luckily did not succeed in murdering all of inteligentsia.
My point is I don't see that "different mindset" anywhere in Poles, maybe in some 25yo with study or work experience abroad that I know but that's about it.
And have you met many Poles? The society did not magically change overnight and it’s not completely gone. However, this type of behaviour is much less widespread than it used to be.
I’m soon 35 and I can see the difference on how most public institutions changed over time for the better. How stealing from the workplace or drinking at work is extremely shunned upon where was kind of expected in the 90s even. How I no longer expect the worst from the state and can actually somewhat trust public services quality. How Poland is no longer a state I need to be ashamed of most of the time.
Granted, if you base your opinion on polish immigrants I understand why. More often than not these tended to be the „problematic element” - I can actually understand them and visiting Facebook groups such as „poles in the UK” or „Poles in the Netherlands” is like a trip to a zoo. The ones that are on the level typically don’t stand out too much.
That being said I grew up there and lived there almost all my life (and still do). It’s not perfect and a lot of it still can be improved but mentality drastically shifted and it’s super visible.
I have friends I made during Covid and also know Poles I worked directly with in Czech Republic so yes I know what I am talking about.
Your no true Scotsman's rant about "Polish immigrants" is quite a Polish slogan at this point and yet another layer of the backwards indoctrination you are all subject to.
Yes, you met few people so you know better than me who lived there for 30 years how mentality supposedly did not change.
And it’s not „no true Scotsman” because it’s a fact. The memes about Poland being safe did not appear out of thin air, and it definitely wasnt the case before joining EU (and I grew up in the 90s so I know a thing or two about it). Poland became safe also due to criminal element deciding it’s better to do crime in western europe rather than in Poland - better payout and prisons were more comfy.
But suuure, you met few people and you know better how whats in Poland proper changed or not :)
Of course I know better, it is called having perspective and education my mini-Russian friend.
Edit: And I know Polish migrants were/are thieves, no need to convince me, my point is that they are 100% the product of Polish culture and indoctrination and in no way different than the ones who never left.
If you seriously think you can base your perceptions on how mentality changed in a nation over the span of 30 years based on few encounters you had with people you met abroad then sorry to say, but you’ve got serious issues with both.
But again, not gonna change your mind and further discussing it is a waste of time. I hope you have a good day
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u/Expert_Repair4206 Crypto-Albanian 7d ago
Poland would have a prosperous society when cooperation and collectivism had more weight