Now I know this is going to be unpopular, but I think the real reason Russians don't smile is cultural. It's because they are genuinely more cynical miserable people. This is completely a generalization and there are tons of exceptions on an individual level, but on average life (especially in the cities) is more cut throat, it's cold, the authorities are corrupt, people are asshole to each other in public, and if anything goes wrong you can be darn well be sure that no one will help you. There is no sense of community, or impulse for people to help each other out and being nice to strangers. So naturally you're worried you'll get robbed or whatever - so you keep to yourself, don't make eye-contact, and don't smile.
Living in far Northern Canada I can relate to this.
Up here, if someone wants to smile and say "Have a nice day", they will do so while making eye contact and you can tell they genuinely mean it. They are usually prompting you for further friendly chit-chat and happiness. Even when there are other customers waiting in line - those customers will be made to wait while two people have a friendly chat.
When they don't want to say "Have a nice day", they won't. Likely they won't say anything at all or kind of grunt/mumble and just move along (even in retail) - but at least you know they're being genuine either way.
Last time I went back to "the real world" I was shocked time and time again when someone would say "Have a nice day" - I'd start to return the sentiment and be utterly disgusted the person wasn't even looking at me, and wasn't even paying attention to me. It all felt so fake, and I was quickly tired of it.
Lots of business up here have a little sign in their shop "Yukon hospitality - it grows on you".
I genuinely wonder if the climate has something to do with this. Extreme cold and very dark days tend to bring people together, and tends to make people more genuine and humble, in my experience.
Я всегда считал что эти издержки от зэков достались. Типа за то что смотришь в глаза и скалишься можно по морде схлопотать. А если кого то бьют то его наказывают по распоряжению смотрящего и вмешиваться нельзя.
Еще дурачится нельзя и разрешать над собой смеяться а то можно потерять свой статус в банде.
Американцы превращаются в канадцев как только почувствуют что у тебя много денег - влезают без мыла с улыбкой и заискиванием в ожидании дохода.
Улыбчивость канадцев стала меня раздражать после того как я увидела истинное отношение-мнение, которое наступило в одном случае после значительного количества виски выпитого субьектом, а в другом - опять же после значительного количества алкоголя и марихуаны. Их лица открылись и были они отвратительны. Признаюсь до этого я верила в ежедневную доброжелательность людей, теперь она мне не нужна
