Lithuania's worldview and cultural perspective

¶ … Lithuania's worldview. A brief history is given, regarding the country, as well as cultural aspects. Then the Lithuanian culture's worldview is discussed. And, finally, how their cultural communication has affected their views.

Lithuania Worldview

Lithuanian History and Culture:

Lithuania is a small country, of approximately 65,200 km2, with 3.5 million people. Lithuania is located in Eastern Europe and is bordered by Belarus, Latvia, Russia, and Poland (See Image 1). 81% of the population is Lithuanian, while 9% is Russian, 7% is Polish, and 1% is Byelorussian ("Lithuania," 2004). Lithuanians were the last Pagans in Europe, however, religion now takes the form of Catholicism primarily located in the Northern part of the country (personal communication D. Deimante, November 11, 2004).

During Roman times, Lithuania traded amber with Rome. The countryside was split into various language groups: Lithuanians, Prussians, Latvians, Semigaalians, and others. In 1230, Lithuania emerged as a nation, under the leadership of Duke Mindaugas. Lithuanian tribes became united and were able to ward off attacks by the Teutonic Knights. By 1253, Duke Mindaugas became king, however Lithuania was not able to fully separate itself from Polish rule ("History," 2004).

More than 500 years of turmoil later, in 1795, an alliance between Prussia and Austria and Russia ended Poland's independence, and Lithuania fell also as a Russian province. Despite insurrections in 1831 and in 1863, the country remained under the control of the Russian Empire. During this reign, Russian social and political institutions were forced upon Lithuania. Lithuanian schools, publications in Latin script, and the Roman Catholic Church were forbidden. However, despite this oppression, the indigenous cultural institutions and language still flourished ("History," 2004).

Figure 1: Map of Lithuania. Source: "Lithuania," 2004.

In 1905, Lithuania was the first Russian province to demand autonomy. Although this was denied, World War I led to Russia and Germany's demise, and Lithuania declared their independence. The trials and tribulations did not cease, however, and their early disorganization caused a delay in their recognition by Western powers ("History," 2004).

During the 1920s and 30s, Lithuania made great progress in nation building and development. Conservative fiscal management, a strong currency and establishment of schools and universities began to strengthen the nation. However, in October of 1939, the Soviet Union forced Lithuania to allow Moscow to station 20,000 troops within their borders and by June of the following year, the Red Army had overrun the country entirely ("History," 2004).

The political climate began to change for Lithuania in 1985, with Mikhail Gorbachev in power. By 1987, dissidents were holding public demonstrations in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital. And, on February 16, 1988, Lithuanians engaged in widespread celebration of their Independence Day. Finally, in May, 1989, Lithuanian sovereignty was proclaimed, and by August 1993, all Russian troops were removed from Lithuanian soil ("History").

There are a variety of cultural musts and taboos in Lithuania. A firm handshake and a slight nod of the head is the customary greeting. Punctuality is very important, especially in instances of business meetings. Direct eye contact should always be maintained in a conversation. And, individuals should always be addressed by their title and last name, unless directed to do otherwise ("Etiquette," 2004). Leaving food on one's plate is also considered very impolite, as it suggests that the meal was not satisfactory ("Republic," 2004).

The typical Lithuanian family has one or two children. And, although the father is generally the head of the house, both parents typically work outside the home. Each family has a "kitchen garden" which provides fresh food, relaxation, and contact with the land, either near their rural home, or on the outskirts of the cities ("Family," 2004).

Basketball is the favorite sport in Lithuania. Soccer, rowing, volleyball, cycling, tennis, and cross-country skiing are popular past times as well ("Recreation," 2004). Local myths, folklore, and riddles are very popular. These often take form in Lithuanian folk art. A recent revival in folk art has occurred with pieces including: straw baskets, leather goods, woodcarvings, clay or straw sculptures, and amber jewelry ("The Arts," 2004).

The Lithuanian Culture's Worldview:

Lithuanians describe themselves as quite shy and quiet, when compared to Western cultures. Although when comparing themselves to other Baltic cultures, such as the Latvians and Estonians, they are not as reserved as their neighbors (personal communication, D. Deimante, November 11, 2004).

As described by D. Deimante, Lithuanians are quite a jealous nation. As she described it, if her nation feels good, then their neighbors must feel bad (personal communication, November 11, 2004). Perhaps this is due to a history of struggling for their independence. Too often, it was torn away from them, and this may have made them not only a bit possessive, but a bit jealous as well of others who haven't had to struggle as much.

Interestingly, when a study was performed on whether or not the Lithuanian people thought they were tolerant, somewhat surprising results were found. 33% of the nearly 8,000 respondent stated that it depended on what they were talking about. 28% said simply no. Another 28% said that they were tolerant some of the time. While only 8% said yes, they were tolerant (personal communication, D. Deimante, November 20, 2004). Perhaps this intolerance is fueled by world stereotypes.

Being somewhat secluded from the rest of the world, Lithuanians still often see the world in terms of stereotypes. Although they love Russian music and movies, they typically dislike Russians and see them as people who drink a lot of vodka. Americans are stereotyped as stupid, lazy and fat. The British are stereotyped, in their minds, as snobbish (personal communication, D. Deimante, November 20, 2004). It is these preconceptions that make it difficult for Lithuanians to get past ethnocentrism.

How Lithuania's Communication Pattern Reflect on Their Worldview:

As mentioned, Lithuanians are quite reserved and conservative. As an example that was given by D. Deimante, it was mentioned that in America it is common to ask people, "How are you?" even to the point that this phrase is asked multiple times per day, and even when the person asking it really does not care what the reply will be. In Lithuania, questions such as this kept to a minimum, and only asked when they are truly meant (personal communication, November 11, 2004). This has given Lithuanians the viewpoint that Americans are less sincere and more superficial.