The Gopnik subculture is notable for the fact that it appeared in the USSR, although, in fact, Gopniks- This is a layer of working youth from low-income families, and similar layers can be found in literally any country at one time or another. For example, British punks of the 1930s (not to be confused with the punk subculture of the 1960s-1970s), about which you can read more in the article on punks. However, domestic gopniks are a truly unique phenomenon.

There are several versions of the origin of the word “Gopnik”. According to the first of them, the term appeared at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries, and the situation was like this: in St. Petersburg a State Charity Society was established, where street children who were involved in theft and hooliganism were placed. Perhaps the word “gopnik” began to be used in relation to these same street children. Another option: in the building of this State Society, after the revolution of 1917, the Civil Hostel of the Proletariat was organized, which was used for the same purposes as the previous society. In both cases, the word “Gopnik” comes from the abbreviation of these institutions. Another version says that the word “Gopnik” comes from thieves’ slang. According to this version, gopniks were thieves who were engaged in gop-stopping (following the example of other criminal “specializations”: a pickpocket - a “tweezer”, a murderer - a “mokrushnik”, etc.). Some argue that “Gopnik” comes from the abbreviation “citizen of dangerous behavior.” However, in all these cases, a gopnik is any antisocial type with thieves' habits. The Gop subculture became especially acute in the 1970s and 1980s. Gopniks declared themselves in numerous fights with the then Soviet informals - punks and metalheads. Since then, the word “gopnik” has firmly entered our vocabulary.

Among the musical preferences of Gopniks are criminal chanson, rap and low-grade pop music. Gopniks cannot imagine their collective walks without listening to their favorite music. Soviet gopniks listened to music on battery-powered cassette recorders. Gopnik, who carried a “mafon” with him, was held in special esteem among the “Kents”. Nowadays, gopniks listen to music from mobile phones. Today's gopniks are passionate fans of the work of such groups as “Factor-2”, “Gaza Strip”, “Butyrka”, “Leningrad”, “Casta”, “Malchishnik” and performers Noggano, rapper Syava, etc.
Thus, all the signs of a separate subculture of gopniks are evident - their own ideological principles, musical tastes, their own style of clothing, as well as an incomparable style of behavior. The low level of moral and aesthetic development, the low spiritual level of Gopniks determines the appropriate behavior. Young people who want to live “by the rules” put on a “clean” tracksuit and go drink beer with the “lads”. And the saddest thing is that the number of such people is not decreasing at all.

In the 1990s, it seemed that the “Gopniks” would take over, if not the whole world, then at least one-sixth of the land.

"Gopniks" ruled the roost in all 11 time zones of Russia. Gopniks - or Russian men who adopted the Gopnik style - surged into all spheres of life, from "business", where they played the role of foot soldiers, to politics, where they formed the nucleus of resistance to Western influence ...

Gopnik - (normal kid, goper, gopar, gop, gopota, punks, gopson) in post-revolutionary Petrograd - a resident of the City Dormitory of the Proletariat (the current Oktyabrskaya Hotel, according to contemporaries, everyone wore red socks and were identified by them, that’s where it came from) ) - the lowest multicellular, infantry from the criminal world, but in fact - punks, a petty street criminal, whose main hobby is squeezing money and cell phones from passers-by, and of course, kicking emo and other representatives of less aggressive subcultures.

The appearance of Gopniks is typical and predictable: Russian guys of the “don’t put your finger in your mouth” type with dull faces, which reflect only one thought: “Yes, I’ve laid it on you!”

These guys are more comfortable squatting than standing. But, most importantly, these are the last males on planet Earth who manage to wear 1920s gangster caps with style; everyone else in such caps only looks like fagots from drama school rehearsing some kind of musical.

Gopniks are cool because there is no place for self-irony in their world. They are very "authentic". Proof of this is their fantastically adventurous tastes: a mixture of bad taste, menace and garish Third World chic. Even the fact that Gopniks like to blast techno at full blast, sing karaoke songs in cheap cafes with color music, or wear cheap pointy leather boots to match their 1920s ragtime-style pillbox caps cannot take away their status as the most dangerous scumbags. in the world.

History of the word, Gopnik culture. About the word. There are few terms that one hundred percent correspond to the designated object. "Gop" sounds angry, stupid and funny, but not so funny that you dare to laugh in the face of a gopnik. The word "Gopnik" is based on the abbreviation: "State hostel of the proletariat." Add to "G.O.P." the suffix “nick” - and the new biological species is ready. Gopniks appeared after the revolution. The first gopniks came to Petrograd in the 1920s in search of work. By origin, they were peasants or completely landless scum.

The species "common gopnik" even had its own specific habitat - Ligovsky Prospekt, building 10. Actually, this is a hotel, now called "Oktyabrskaya", and the gopniks, in their own way, turned it into a collectivist gangster club. Since they were outsiders in their villages, often children from single-parent families, and many already had petty crimes on their record, if not something worse, indigenous people Petrograd, and then Leningrad, were disgusted with Gopniks.

They went down in legends as thugs and lucky ones, whom even the Soviet system could not break. They had their own code of honor, they lived by their own rules, they had their own tattoos on their fingers, their own fashions. They represented something like a caste of “thieves in law” in the world of delinquent “hooligans”. Later, the meaning of the word changed, and the expression “gopnik” meant any dubious type with a shaved head, wearing a thick leather jacket, stupid leather boots and a pillbox cap.

Some gopniks exchanged leather jackets and sweatshirts for brown blazers from Hugo Boss, but could not resist complementing this splendor with shiny mules: gold chains on their hands and necks, fancy watches and so on. The Gopnik culture in the 90s was accompanied by techno music. However, the 1990s turned out to be not so much the rise of the Gopnik Nation as the Beginning of its End.

Have Gopniks survived to this day?
Most sources agree that two factors contributed to their virtual extinction. First: in the 1980s and 1990s, hard drugs and weapons suddenly became widely available.
Their introduction into such a fearless and primitive culture as the Gopnik culture meant that in one decade almost half of the individuals left for another world.

The second reason is more related to changes in habitat. The advent of Western bourgeois values ​​and cultural preferences, and the beginning of a period of external stability, growth and sobriety under Putin, meant that the Gopnik's 70-year reign as the king of the rebel world came to an abrupt end: Russians of all social classes quickly came to hate the Gopnik's loutish aesthetic.

Nothing speaks more eloquently about the tragic disappearance of Gopnik from the face of the earth than the fact that Shnur from the group “Leningrad”, a big fan of Gopnik culture, is going to open (perhaps he has already opened, I don’t know) in his native St. Petersburg “Gopnik Museum”. Shnur's group romanticizes the Gopniks to a middle-class audience that has finally come to appreciate them, albeit in a semi-ironic spirit that would not have been possible if the Gopniks had not disappeared. Even the original cradle of Gopniks - house 10 on Ligovsky Prospekt - today is nothing more than a three-star hotel.

Anatomy of a gopnik. A pillbox cap is a key element of a Gopnik's outfit. Leather ones are for serious murders, stripes are for all sorts of trifles. Ears - usually protrude more than those of ordinary homo sapiens, thanks to fights, as well as the indispensable haircut to zero. Shashlik - Gopniks (like all Russians) believe that meat tastes best when it is roasted on a stick over a fire. Sweatpants still remain the most ergodynamic for squatting.

Shoes. Gopniks prefer a) pointed leather boots or b) slippers, but as they assimilate culturally, they sometimes wear sneakers. Glass - everyone knows that vodka tastes best when it is served warm in plastic cups. It is very important that several midges float on its surface. Leather jacket, alternatively an Olympic jacket. Forehead - convex frontal lobes are inherited from distant ancestors - humans.

Gopnik Guide different countries

When traveling abroad, Russian tourists sometimes decide that other countries have exclusively intelligent, friendly, stylishly dressed law-abiding citizens. Have you ever seen Gopniks in Japan? No? In fact, you only missed them because you didn't know what they looked like. From this material you will learn who to be wary of or, conversely, who you can squat next to and talk about life abroad...

Let's start with the classics.

“Chav” comes from the Romani word “сhavvi”, which means “child”. As a rule, these are representatives of disadvantaged families who live on unemployment benefits. Because of this, they become objects of contempt: the British complain that slackers live on their taxes, without contributing to society. Chavs prefer a sporty style in clothing, although they are rarely seen playing sports.
Chavette girls wear tight T-shirts with famous brand logos, skinny jeans or short skirts, UGG boots or sneakers, but are especially distinguished by their hairstyles: bleached hair with grown roots is pulled into a tight ponytail, and their ears are decorated with large hoop earrings. Chavettes generally love shiny jewelry that imitates gold. Both men and women rarely let go of a can of beer and a cigarette, so they can be safely classified as wardrobe items.
Chavs prefer hip-hop and R&B when it comes to music, despite the fact that they do not shun everyday racism. Chavs love cars very much, but they are not patient enough (or too adventurous) to save up money and buy a good car. They prefer to take a heavily used one and spend time and money on tuning it. They communicate in typical slang with a strong accent, their vocabulary is rich in swear words.

The Irish word "knacker", in addition to the local equivalent of "gopnik", is also used to describe a person who buys old or sick cattle in order to kill them and sell the meat. It can be assumed that the offensive connotation extends to all its meanings. Besides this, Irish neckers are not much different from British chavs - the same appearance and lifestyle. The abbreviation “ned” stands for “non-educated delinquent,” translated from English as “uneducated criminal.” They differ from English chavs mainly in their accent and addiction to fake Burberry caps. They often smoke hashish, which is crushed and rolled into rolled-up cigarettes. This habit is so widespread that a special word was needed for the holes in clothes burned by the ashes of cigarettes with pieces of hashish - “bommers”.

The appearance of bogans is radically different from the style of other gopniks: they wear flannel shirts, black jeans or leggings, black wool sweaters and UGG boots. Bogans drive around in used Holden Commodores or Ford Falcons. Unlike other gopniks of the world, bogans wear long hair or at worst long bangs.
It cannot be said that they are extremely aggressive or trying to “squeeze out the mobile phone,” but in the minds of Australians, bogans occupy the place of uneducated, immoral elements of society. Bogans gather in pubs, where they watch Australian football with adoration and occasionally get into fights. Bogan girls are considered much more aggressive and uncontrollable. They pass the time by walking through shopping centers and supermarkets with a bottle of beer, constantly shouting and bullying other women.

In different autonomies of Spain, the subculture of working-class youth is called differently. The common name is cani, but in reality there are more than two dozen of them: surmanito and willi in Seville, burraco in Malaga, doncho in Granada, garrullo in Catalonia, hueso in Almeria, macoy in Extremadura, pokero in Madrid and many other names in different autonomies, cities and villages. If we talk about clothing style, it all depends on the capabilities of each individual kani. If a kani has an El Niño down jacket, he won’t take it off even in August. Under the down jacket there must be a tracksuit. If a guy has a sculpted torso, then it will be possible to force him to wear a T-shirt only before Christmas. Both of them adore sunglasses and wear them, regardless of the time of year and the amount of sunlight.
The same goes for baseball caps. On public transport they like to play music from a mobile phone, often flamenco, raggaton or bacalao - a local subtype of club music. Of course, on public transport you can only meet those who do not have their own means of transportation. As a rule, this is a Yamaha Jog-R scooter with a replaced muffler - the factory one is too quiet. It is considered especially chic to replace as many spare parts of the scooter as possible so that it can go faster and make louder noise.

Nieros (also known as turros in Argentina, nados in Mexico and tukkis in Venezuela) differ from canis primarily in their hairstyle - mullets (or “sevens”, as the Colombians call them) are still held in high esteem on the South American continent. According to local testimony, the highest concentration of niero is observed in the city of Medellin, which in last years strengthens its status as the capital of the drug trade.
The nieros chose as an example to follow El Zarco, the hero of the novel of the same name by the Mexican writer Ignacio Manuel Altamirano and the film based on it. El Zarco is the leader of a criminal group, young and handsome, but aggressive and merciless. Like the Kani, the Nyero's uniform is fake Nike, Puma and Adidas tracksuits. Sometimes it is supplemented with amulet or images that are hung around the neck, and a dog that sits at the feet. The angrier and bigger the dog, the better. They often shoot at passers-by's cigarettes, half coins and telephones. They listen to regular Latin American pop music, sometimes Latin American hip-hop.
In addition to petty theft and drug distribution, they sometimes make a very good living in an unusual way: they sell sweets on buses, inventing a tragic story for themselves or borrowing it from a telenovela (the wife of my father’s twin brother killed him, the family was left without a breadwinner). The older Nieros work as driver assistants, sit on a side stool and collect money from passengers, while the oldest ones become drivers and decorate their workplace with icons, flags and keychains. In their free time, nieros like to play mini-football, always bare-chested, taking pictures of themselves on a mobile phone, like ordinary Russian chicks.

Rakai stand out from the crowd with their Lacoste tracksuit (sometimes Sergio Tacchini or Airness) and their habit of tucking their pants into their socks. A fanny pack (also Lacoste) is worn over the tracksuit, and the mobile phone hangs on a cord around the neck. Like the Spaniards, French gopniks like to listen to music in public places without using headphones, but their playlist is somewhat different: they prefer hip-hop, R&B and the forgotten tectonic.
Rakai travel on mopeds, which allows some of them to deftly snatch bags from the hands of passers-by while riding. Raki's special territory is the RER commuter trains. They are similar to our metro, only the cars are double-decker and very dirty, and the stations are longer. There they gather in huge groups of 15-20 people, squeeze the girls, swoop down as a whole group on some frail Frenchman to take away money or a phone, swing on the handrails and spit on the floor.

In Japan, “Yankees” do not refer to Americans, as in the rest of the world, but to working-class Japanese youth with antisocial habits. They are often talked about as future members of the Yakuza, but the Yankees are much more harmless and their crimes are limited to petty theft, hooliganism, vandalism and fights. The Yankees could get along well with ordinary Russian boys: both of them prefer to communicate while sitting “on the courts.”

The word "dress" originated in the 1990s thanks to the tracksuits (dres) that flooded the markets. It is assumed that previously no one united the dres into a single subculture and they were simply called hooligans or criminals. Habitat: residential areas of large cities, just like ours, built up with multi-storey buildings. That’s why sometimes the boys proudly call themselves blokersi, that is, “the boys from the area.” A self-respecting dress always has a pseudo-golden chain with a cross on its neck. Hairdressers don’t go to barbershops, but prefer to shave their heads bald with the help of friends or put their hair back, pouring plenty of gel on their heads. When it comes to cars, they prefer Germans; basically they can only afford old Volkswagens, Opels, and Audis. The risen karki (neck, bull neck, bros) drive used BMWs. Very young people with no experience of street robbery are forced to travel by bus. It also has its own culture: the dres, regardless of the number of brothers, occupy the last six places.
Those whose level is not supposed to sit hang on the handrails, rock the bus and pester the townspeople. Sometimes, if there is a particularly grumpy grandfather, they may give him a seat. In general, elderly people are outside the concept of suckers, so they are not beaten or “thrown on the mobile.” What’s interesting is that dres, unlike our skinny gopniks, visit rocking chairs. Fighting breed dogs (Staffordshire terriers and pit bulls) are also often adopted.

If in urban areas the honor of gopniks is defended by well-known black gangstas, then in the provinces there is a broad concept of “white trash” for all rabble. Back in the 19th century, “white trash” began to be called poor white workers who, along with black slaves, harvested crops on plantations. Now white trash is the name given to poorly educated poor Americans whose behavior does not fit within the framework of generally accepted morality. Although they do not look like the gopniks of other countries, they are perceived precisely as declassed elements.

The most common image of white trash is a white man who lives in a trailer or at least drives a pickup truck, has his own gun, wears a mullet hairstyle, and has a lot of tattoos on his body, done at home by his boyfriends. Even if he works, he earns very little, and immediately spends the money he receives on a “new TV” instead of food for the children, and more often he simply receives unemployment benefits. He amuses himself by visiting the “village club”, where he is sure to start a fight. The habitat is throughout the country, but the greatest concentration of such people is in the south. It is distinguished by zealous patriotism and interethnic hatred.

In small towns, gangs of young people very often form, who can also be classified as white trash. Each settlement usually has several warring factions that fight for authority and influence over the residents. They are very well organized, subordinate to the oldest member of the gang, who distributes tasks to the younger members. Usually this is petty street hooliganism, squeezing money out of “boys and suckers” or burglary. Stereo systems and weapons are most often removed from homes. Sometimes they sell drugs and weapons. It is interesting that such gangs have their own codes. For example, one of the rules is that everything that happens in a gang should not affect the families of the participants.

The word "ars" appears to be derived from the Moroccan word for "pimp." Ars are young men who carelessly wander in packs under the scorching Israeli sun and pester girls. They are distinguished by aggressive behavior in public places, do not hesitate to speak very loudly on the phone among strangers (apparently to show their superiority), prefer to make circles around the city in a car with open windows, from which everyone can hear rap or Arabic music.
Arses gather in pseudo-Greek cafes, where they drink cheap wine and argue with waiters and guys at neighboring tables. The arses dress in trousers with motny and wear giant gold chains - the more chains on their necks, the better. They wear short, bowl-cut hairstyles. The arses are also distinguished by their extremely disdainful attitude towards female, while each ars strives to acquire his own (or at least one for two) freeware. The word “freeha” is translated from Arabic as “joy”; it is used to describe girls without outstanding mental abilities. Israeli “freshies” are distinguished primarily by their revealing outfits.

Gopniks (also gopi, gopari, collectively - gopota, gopoten, gopyo - a slang word in the Russian language, denoting representatives of the urban stratum of low social status, poorly educated and lacking moral values, aggressive youth (teenagers) with criminal behavioral traits (less often close to criminal world), often coming from dysfunctional families, and united along the lines of a counterculture (informal subculture). The term is widely used in Russia and the countries of the former USSR (since the end of the twentieth century).

Origin of the word

There are several versions of the origin of the word “Gopnik”

1. According to one, it comes from slang for a robber. Dahl's dictionary mentions the word "Gop" expresses a jump, leap or blow; | interjection knock, splash. Tell the lad when you jump! not before. Gop, jump, gallop, jump; stomp, jump or hit. -sya, flop, fall. Hop or gopki! will command jump, jump. Since street robbers used to suddenly attack (“jump, pounce”) on their victim, often hitting him in order to stun him and deprive him of the opportunity to escape/resist, their crime began to be called gop, gopstop or gop-jump in the criminal environment , and themselves - gopniks or gopstopniks. It is not surprising that over time this began to be called representatives of the criminalized part of the Soviet and then post-Soviet youth, for whom gop-stop, i.e. sudden attacks on random passers-by for the purpose of robbery were common practice.
2. There is another version. Back in the 19th century in Russia there were “City Prize Societies” (GOP), i.e. care, care, in which there were shelters for the homeless, cripples, orphans, etc. Those who were kept in these shelters began to be called gopniks. The contingent of GOPs was prone to committing crimes, incl. the words “gop” and “gopnik” quickly acquired a negative connotation. Gopniks began to be called flophouses or being in a flophouse, and by gopniks they meant degraded people from the lower social classes, prone to vagrancy and committing crimes. Among those held in the GOPs there were many teenagers and young people. It is not surprising that the word gopnik gradually became associated with the criminal part of young people.
3. Version three. Linguists who study thieves' traditions are sure that a “gopnik” is a person who makes a “gop-stop.” What it is? This is what the “hairdryer” calls a lightning-fast street robbery, when the victim is “taken out of fear.” Hence the “thieves” idiom – “take it to the gop-stop.” It is interesting that “gop-stop” was called “gop with a stop” back in the 19th century. “Gop” means a jump, an unexpected blow, and “smyk” comes from the verb “smyknut” (“shmygnut”) - “to move quickly.” In other words, the “gopnik” tactic consists of an unexpected raid on the victim and a quick escape.
4. Another option is a degenerate drunkard or bootlegger. However, there are facts that in some communities of thieves back in the 20-30s of the last century, gopniks were not called street robbers at all, but degenerate drunkards. Supporters of this version claim that the word “Gopnik” comes from the word “Gop”, which imitates a snap on the neck. Every Russian knows this gesture - it means “put it by the collar.” Interestingly, this gesture was used by speculators in alcoholic beverages during the Prohibition Law, which Nicholas II established in Russian Empire in 1914. A number of linguists are sure that initially they were called “gopniks”, and then the word spread to their “clients”.

Where did you come from?

It’s not too difficult to understand - just remember that a significant percentage of Russian residents have at least once visited places not so remote. Now think for yourself what a “wonderful” upbringing the children of these people receive. In combination with the atmosphere of the outskirts of cities, the soil is created for more and more generations of hereditary punks and criminals. When the economy and the system of social values ​​began to rapidly collapse in the late 80s, this resulted in an increase in crime, including street crime. Until the mid-90s, in the ex-USSR there was an intensive redistribution of property and power, including through organized crime groups, which carried their “culture” to the masses and trained personnel, many of whom managed to undergo internships in prisons and colonies. A significant part of these bandits, scammers and their protégés subsequently became businessmen, government officials, and deputies, which led to high corruption in Russia and the criminalization of entrepreneurship. Having undergone socialization, received administrative resources and wanting to preserve their “honestly acquired” and reduce the population of competitors, former scammers further contributed to the suppression of crime, especially small-scale and young crime, which led to its decline by the end of the 90s. Television, which shows “The Brigade” and other “Sonka-Golden Hands”, also contributes a lot to the increase in rabble-rousing. In particular, in one of Pimanov’s programs they showed how in the early 90s in the Agievskaya organized crime group the film “The Godfather” was used to train personnel.

Characteristics of the subculture

Researcher of the “Gopnik” subculture - employee of the Department of Sociology, Political Science and Management of Kazan State Technical University. A. N. Tupolev notes:“The City Center for the Prevention of Neglect and Drug Addiction of Minors of St. Petersburg designates gopniks as “informal associations” and includes them in the “aggressive” section. Discussions on Internet forums speak about the level of development of these informal associations as follows: “... from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, gopniks are to this day the most common form of youth associations,” and all the sources used emphasize the pronounced criminal and group nature of this subculture: “These are mainly fights, robberies, and assaults , who are aimed at making money..., alcohol and cigarettes.’” Unlike most informal youth associations (for example, hippies, punks, role-players), gopniks did not assign any names to the rest of the population and did not identify themselves as a separate group relative to the entire population, from which it follows that they did not recognize themselves as a subculture. Most youth subcultures are characterized by aversion to gopniks, reaching the point of extreme antagonism.

Stereotypical appearance

Thus, the following features are noted:

• A tracksuit is the most common clothing in the summer, and includes pants and a jacket made of synthetic material. As he notes, most often these are counterfeits of well-known brands purchased on the clothing market (for example, Adidas or Puma). Less commonly, classic black trousers, often a little larger than necessary;
• A short jacket made of leather, leatherette or fabric, or a vest made of the same materials over a tracksuit. The collar is often set in a stand-up manner, and it is also often tucked into the pants;
• Among the headwear, preference is given to a “tablet” cap (an “eight-piece cap” or a baseball cap). The following peculiarity is noted: the hat is not removed indoors, but is worn on the top of the head in such a way that it rests on the back of the ears and does not cover them.
• A typical haircut is “bald” or very short, sometimes with bangs (“half-box”). · Wearing a “borset” is also typical. Often, representatives of the subculture are associated with a bag of seeds, rosary beads and a balisong knife.

Other distinctive features

There are many dedicated to Gopniks musical works. One of the first mentions of Gopniks was recorded in Leonid Utesov’s song “Gop with a bow” from his repertoire 1929–1933. The most widely known song is “Gopniki” by Mike Naumenko and the group “Zoo” (1984). One of the verses of the song characterizes the behavior of Gopniks:

Who drinks port wine in the heat, who doesn’t warm beer in winter, who spits like a camel, who laughs like a whippoorwill? Who shits in our front doors, who vomits in subway cars, Who is always ready to black out our eyes and stab a feather in your side? These are gopniks! They interfere with our lives! »

Subsequently, several cover versions of the song “Zoo” were recorded by a variety of performers: “DDT”, “The Last Tanks in Paris”, “ Different people", "Az", "FRONT" and others.

Among the songs of famous performers telling about Gopniks:

• "Children of Satan" by Bad Balance
• “Go to the swing” by the group “Lumen”
• “Street Fight” and “To the Last Drop of Blood” by the group “Nothing Good”
• “Dogs from the city outskirts” by the group “Chaif” (the name of the song is often used as a common noun to refer to youth street crime)
• "Gop-stop" group "Gas Attack Sector"
• "Gopnik" by Ben Gunn
• “Down with Gopota” by the group “Brigade Podryad” and a cover version of this song recorded by the lead singer of the group “King and the Jester” Mikhail Gorshenev (album “I am an Alcoholic Anarchist”). On the other hand, in the genre of thieves' songs, gopniks and their activities are described with sympathy. Among such songs one can highlight “Gop-stop” (known by Alexander Rosenbaum) and “Gop with a bow” (known by Andrei Makarevich and Alexei Kozlov).

In the 2000s, artists appeared whose entire work was devoted to parodying typical devils and their hooligan behavior in the style of so-called “boy rap”: the groups “Gopota”, “Gopnik” (Ukraine), “Black GUN Dons”, “a.b.i.b.a.s”, “Night Dogs”, as well as rapper Syava. David Brown dedicated the new album of the Brazzaville group “Teenage Summer Days” to Russian Gopniks.

Why do Gopniks sit on their haunches?

The “squatting” pose, like many other attributes of the gop style, comes from prison customs and has been known since the times of pre-revolutionary Russia. When transporting prisoners, the guards, in order to prevent unwanted actions on the part of the prisoners, traditionally commanded: “Hands up the hill! Everyone hunker down!” It is easier to predict the intentions of a person squatting, but this position gives prisoners the opportunity to rest, since during the short minutes of a cigarette break it is more comfortable to squat than to sit on the frozen ground or in the mud.

In a crowded pre-trial detention center cell, it can also be difficult to find a seat, so the prisoner has no choice but to spend his time squatting. Very soon this position becomes so firmly a habit that it can be difficult to get rid of it even in freedom. Former housemates often recognize each other from afar precisely by their habit of squatting.

It’s a dark, cool evening, two people are leisurely strolling through an old park on the outskirts of the city. The atmosphere of love and harmony overwhelms them, when suddenly from around the corner comes the simple phrase “Hey, kid, is there a call?” After which a crowd of guys come out to meet them, dressed in old tracksuits with fancy caps on their heads. The outcome of this meeting is not difficult to predict - today the lover in love will most likely return home without his mobile phone.

Gopniks: who are they?

So, who are the gopniks? Photos of these guys can be seen on the pages of many websites, but even more often they can be seen in crime news releases. Which, of course, is not surprising.

In fact, a gopnik is a petty criminal who leads a dissolute lifestyle. Such guys rarely act alone; as a rule, they gather in small groups. You can often find them in quiet alleys and parks, as they are rarely crowded. Seeing a lone traveler on the horizon, they immediately begin to process him. To do this, they use criminal jargon, threats or brute force.

Where did the term "gopnik" come from?

There are many versions regarding the background of this concept. Which one is true is quite difficult to determine, and besides, there is a high probability that there is some truth in each of them.

So, there are three main versions of the origin of the term “Gopnik”:

1. The first originates in pre-revolutionary times. At that time there were so-called state charity societies (GOP). Such organizations monitored the poor, unemployed and beggars who were in the territory of their province. Everyone who came under the supervision of the charity committee was popularly called gopnik.
2. The second theory dates back to the early 80s. At that time, the global resettlement of people to megacities began in the USSR, since there were much more opportunities to earn money here than in the countryside. The poorest were housed in state hostels of the proletariat, so it is not surprising that such institutions often housed all sorts of extraordinary personalities. A little later, the residents of these hostels began to be called gopniks, thereby indicating their place of residence.
3. Another version is based on the thieves' concept of “gop-stop,” or theft. And that’s why the guys who earn their living only by robbery and extortion are called gopniks.

The rise of crime in the early 90s

Decay Soviet Union led to the fact that the judicial system was greatly weakened. took advantage of this moment and took over most of the power. Lawlessness flourished throughout the country, Gopnik realized this and began his wild hunt.

Gopniks, like predators, scoured the streets of the city in search of new victims. Sometimes it was a random passerby, sometimes the target was determined in advance. Indeed, in those days, local authorities quite often used the services of gopniks, so as not to dirty their own hands. For example, they were often used to destroy competitors' stores or to intimidate bystanders.

But as the years passed, they became stronger and stronger. Therefore, thieves in law began to conduct their affairs more thoughtfully, without raising unnecessary dust. And they clearly didn’t need the stupid internecine fight between the Gopniks. Therefore, they stopped using their services, much less covering up small pawns in the face of the law.

Modern gopniks: photos with caps are back in fashion

Now the cult of gopniks still exists, albeit not on the same scale as before. Today's petty criminals, as before, “live in packs” and also lead a predatory lifestyle. True, now they are quite easy to spot even in the most crowded crowd.

The modern Russian gopnik is a “clean boy” who lives “by the rules.” But these concepts are very different from those to which normal people are accustomed. Gopnik is often devoid of even basic compassion, since he believes that there is nothing unnatural in his actions. In his mind, everything is quite simple: survival of the fittest.

Another problem is that the image of a gopnik is idealized. Thanks to TV series, for example, the same "Brigade", the criminal life began to attract many guys. Especially if their life was far from perfect.

The laws by which Gopniks live

Even if Gopnik is the scum of society, even in his world there are certain laws. First of all, he obeys Zonov’s orders, and Gopnik has no right to violate them. Otherwise, he may lose authority in the eyes of his comrades.

That is why gopniks first of all try to intimidate their victim morally. To do this, they use conversational tricks. "Who are you?" or “Why are you walking here?” Such questions are a kind of greeting, and if a person answers incorrectly, then the gopnik begins an active verbal assault. Everything goes according to a long-established pattern, thanks to which the victim turns into a sucker. But “by the standards”, it’s not a sin to ask a sucker.

Who becomes a gopnik?

Often, a similar lifestyle is led by those who were born in Deprived of parental warmth and affection, they early years watched others enjoy life. This has hardened their hearts and minds, moreover, they passionately want to get everything that they were deprived of, no matter how.

Alcohol also plays an important role. Gopniks drink beer, sometimes even vodka, from an early age, because getting alcohol is so easy now. What can you expect from a person who starts drinking at the age of 10-12?

The final factor is bad company. After all, if you live with wolves for a long time, then you begin to howl like a wolf.

Outskirts. The street lights, of course, are not on, and you are holding your phone in your hands, illuminating the concrete path with it. It’s dark, deserted, cold – the desire to be in a warm, cozy apartment is greater than ever. Suddenly, a dashing whistle comes from the depths of the playground. "The Nightingale the Robber?" - you think. But let's take a closer look: who is it that is calling us in a hoarse voice and unfriendlyly demanding that we approach him?

Gopniks, gops, gopars. Collectively - gopota, gopyo. We met in courtyards, at public transport stops, in underground passages. Over time, from the name of the most widespread subculture it became a household name. Swearing obscenities in a minibus - Gopnik. If he didn’t throw the cigarette butt into the trash bin, he’s a gopnik. If you drink alcohol on the street, laugh loudly in public, you are a gopnik. But few people think about what the history of this culture is, what rules it has and characteristics. We decided to dispel the haze of uncertainty with our historical excursion and tell everything.

HISTORY OF ORIGIN

The history of Gopniks begins not with the dashing 90s, as many people think, but with late XIX century. In rainy and chilly Petrograd, on Ligovsky Prospekt, the State Prison Society is created. Abbreviated as GOP. It receives homeless children and children caught in petty hooliganism and theft. A little later, after October revolution In 1917, the Prison Society was renamed the State Hostel of the Proletariat. The function has not changed, only the number of young lawbreakers has increased several times. Residents of the city began to call the students of the hostel “Gopniks,” and the expression appeared in everyday life: “The number of Gopniks is measured in leagues.” And ill-mannered people were asked: “Do you live on Ligovka?”

After the Great Patriotic War, when gopniks had not yet become a truly large-scale phenomenon, Soviet punks were operating in the courtyards of outlying areas. Their gangs were divided into areas and were at odds with each other, constantly organizing mass brawls. The police did not interfere because the punks managed without serious criminal charges and did not maintain connections with the world of crime.

The term “Gopnik” became widely known in the late 1980s, during the period of perestroika. This was the only subculture that did not “forget” certain musical genres and did not oppose herself to the masses. But the cultural influence eventually took its toll - the gopniks began to use the “gangster fenya”, adhered to “prison concepts” and felt in their hearts the criminal thieves’ romance – dirty, but honest and boyish. By the dashing 90s, they had become a full-fledged part of the culture - with chanson borrowed from those sitting, sportswear due to the cheapness and huge number of fakes in regional markets, as well as authentic rules and habits.

RULES

Gopnik differed from Gopnik; not everyone adhered to the established canons. Just a few important points distinguish a gopnik from an ordinary street hooligan and lawless man:

• Rule #1: “Opponents fight one on one.” An attack by a crowd is something that was done in exceptional cases.
• Rule #2: “Do not call your elders for help and do not complain to them.” Since this is a manifestation of weakness and cowardice, which was condemned and punished.
• Rule #3: “There must be a reason for a fight.” Hitting for no reason is lawlessness, which is punished by elders.
• Rule #4: “You can hit, but you can’t maim.” They fought until the first blood was drawn and never hit the person who decided to separate the fighters.
• Rule #5: “You can’t brag about something you haven’t done.” A person could always be asked to prove his heroic deeds. If he cheats, the braggart is guaranteed universal contempt.
• Rule #6: “Don’t touch lovers.” Even if a “stranger” from another area escorts his girlfriend through foreign territory. But as soon as the girl crosses the threshold of the house, a showdown begins.
• Rule #7: “You can’t hit or insult girls.” But this rule did not apply to girls of “easy virtue” or those who smoke cigarettes.
• Rule #8: “You can’t rat out your friends” - never, under any pretext.

CHARACTER TRAITS

• Sportswear, a hedgehog hairstyle, rosary beads, a cap with a visor or a black sports cap on the back of the head (the most likely version is that gopniks are copying the habit of demobilization, who wore caps in a similar way in front of a civilian; another legend says that during the times of Kievan Rus, men in this way showed that they were ready for a fight).
• Distorted “prison concepts” - according to “prison concepts” one cannot call a person who does not belong to it a representative of non-traditional sexual orientation. Moreover, you should not touch homosexuals, so as not to get “stirred.”
• Loose speech deviant behavior, “patriotism” - Gopniks fundamentally prefer cars from domestic manufacturers.
• Squatting - and it is very important that the heels do not leave the ground. This is how prisoners in places of deprivation of liberty rested during walks in the yard so as not to sit on cold concrete.

How to deal with a gopnik who wants to provoke a conflict?

As mentioned in the article, in order not to be considered a “lawless”, you cannot fight without a reason. Therefore, conflict must be created. What follows resembles either a simple chess game or a verbal duel. And everyone is able to win it by following simple tips:

1. Don’t come if your name is called: why should you follow his instructions?
2. Don't shake hands: According to prison rules, you shouldn't shake a stranger's hand. What if it’s not the right guy, but a rooster – and you’ll get screwed?
3. Don’t make excuses: your “but” will be regarded as weakness.
4. Don't worry: weakness only provokes them to aggression.