Paper short abstract:

Competition between Moscow and St. Petersburg for power is reflected in literature and lore, revealing conflicts between dynamism and loyalty to the tradition. We analyze how stereotypes attributed to the dwellers of these cities are appropriated or challenged in self-presentation on Ru.net.

Paper long abstract:

Competition between the two largest Russian cities for power and prestige has been going on since the foundation of St. Petersburg. It did not cease in the Soviet period when uniformity of thinking and behavior were enforced by the official ideology, neither did it disappear after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The rivalry of the two cities is reflected in literature and lore, revealing the sizzling conflict between westernization and patriarchal orientations, dynamism and loyalty to the tradition. Not only citizens of the two Russian capitals but the population of other Russian cities participated in the dissemination of legends, anecdotes, sayings and jokes dealing with real and alleged differences in the way of life, mentality, behavior and speech habits in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Internet has added a new dimension to this never-ending dialogue of cultures. Comic texts and lists comparing residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and humorous tests determining which of the two cities had an impact on the personality and speech portrait of the test-taker circulate on the Ru.net inspiring numerous comments and discussions. This paper will analyze which of the stereotypes traditionally attributed to Moscovites and St. Petersburg dwellers have remained intact and which have reversed in the post-Soviet years under the influence of political and economic changes. We will discuss how the users appropriate or challenge these stereotypes in self-presentation and virtual communication. Finally, we will look at the elements of social criticism when Moscow is juxtaposed to the rest of Russia.