What are your thoughts on the origin of the Russian Gopnik Squatting Position?

[Vinz Clortho]

I have heard several conflicting stories regarding the evolution of this behaviour.

One is that during hard times, there simply was not enough furniture to go around and so people would squat around the living room carpet. Since food was often scarce, a pot of stew would always be cooking in the kitchen and someone would have to get up and tend to it. For this reason it was easier to squat rather than repeatedly sitting down & standing up.

Another is that the Soviet Politburo would patrol the streets and force people into this position during random searches. This happened so often that many usual suspects would squat in the street as the police approached them, in order to give them no reason to use excessive force.

Also I have heard that it originated in the Gulag, where the floors were so cold that it could be damaging to one's health to sit for a long period. There seems to be a particular emphasis on keeping the heels to the ground.

My intention in creating this post is twofold. I wish to offer my sympathy to all those who have suffered from poverty and oppression. I myself am not a rich man, nor do I claim any special knowledge about world affairs.
The second intention is to learn more about how our environment can influence our behaviours and interactions as human beings.

[Grønlænderen]

Gopnik is kind of an Eastern gangster... You can see the same kind of squatting position in some of the Western Rap artists. Could also be some influence there. Honestly I don't know, I never thought about it before.

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

I am squatting right now.

[Et tu, B?]

arent gopniks like the guys that slavaboos pretend to be even though gopniks are actual thugs from what ive heard,

otherwise however, i dont think much about it and havent before tbh