ANOTHER DISTINCTIVE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE ATTITUDE TO CHANGE AND FUTURE. AMERICANS ARE GENERALLY LESS CONCERNED ABOUT HISTORY AND TRADITIONSTHAN ARE PEOPLE FROM OLDER SOCIETIES. "HISTORY DOESN'T MATTER," MANY OFTHEM WILL SAY. "IT'S THE FUTURE THAT COUNTS." THEY LOOK AHEAD. PEOPLE FROMMANY OTHER CULTURES, AS WELL AS RUSSIAN, HAVE A PRONOUNCED REVERENCE FORTHE PAST. IN THOSE CULTURES THE FUTURE IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE HANDS OFFATE, GOD, OR AT LEAST THE FEW POWERFUL PEOPLE OR FAMILIES DOMINATINGSOCIETY.

Russians have a totally different opinion about their own and somebody elses private space. In the American culture the distance while communicating comprises m, while in the Russian culture such a distance is considered as a sign of disrespect. Americans like their privacy and enjoy spending time alone. Foreign visitors will find American homes and offices open, but what is inside the American mindis considered to be private. To ask the question "What is on your mind?" may be considered by some to berude.

EQUALITY IS, FOR AMERICANS, ONE OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT VALUES. AS ITS STATED IN THEIR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, «ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL». «ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE», THEY SAY, MEANING THAT ANY PERSON'S OPINION IS IMPORTANT. THERE ARE EVEN LAWS THAT PROTECT THIS «RIGHT TO EQUALITY» IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS.

Americans in particular are clock-watchers. They cheat on sleep to get more done and consider any waste of time a waste of life. Russians are often late and much less driven by deadline. Time has never been money, so there's no incentive to race the clock. Time