We Russians

We Russians have no system of social upbringing. We are not mustered or drilled to become champions of “social principles” or other principles, but simply left to grow wild, like nettles by the fence. That is why there are few hypocrites among us, but many liars, empty-headed bigots, and babblers. We have no need of playing the hypocrite for the sake of social principles, for we know of no such thing as social principles. We exist in perfect liberty, that is, we vegetate, lie, chatter quite naturally, without regard for principle.
Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin