Dark cool evening, two slowly strolling through the old park on the outskirts of the city. The atmosphere of love and harmony overwhelms them, when suddenly from around the corner an uncomplicated phrase “Hey boy, is there a call?” Then a crowd of guys comes 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 a gentleman in love, most likely, will return home without his cell phone.
Gopnik is a petty criminal who is away from the whole world around him. He parasitizes on the streets of the city, insulting and humiliating those who are weaker than him. And yet, how much is known about him? After all, even he must obey certain rules and laws. And what can be used in the war against the gopniks?
Gopnik: who are they?
So who are the gopniks? Photos of these guys can be seen on the pages of many sites, but even more often they can be seen in the releases of criminal news. Which, of course, is not surprising.
In fact, the gopnik is a petty criminal who leads a dissolute lifestyle. These guys rarely act alone, as a rule, they gather in small groups. Often you can meet them in quiet side streets and parks, as it is rarely crowded here. Seeing a lone traveler on the horizon, they immediately begin to process it. To do this, use thieves' jargon, threats or brute force.
Where did the term "gopnik" come from?
There are many versions regarding the background of this concept. What is true is 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 term "gopnik":
- The first originates in pre-revolutionary times. Then there were the so-called state charity societies (GOP). Such organizations monitored the poor, unemployed, and beggars who were in their province. Everyone who came under the supervision of a charity committee was called gopniks in the common people.
- The second theory dates back to the early 80s. At that time, the global migration of people to megacities began in the USSR, since there were much more opportunities to earn money here than in the village. The very poor were settled in state hostels of the proletariat, so it is not surprising that all sorts of extraordinary personalities often lived in such institutions. A little later, residents of these hostels began to be called gopniks, thereby indicating their place of residence.
- Another version is based on the thievish concept of “gop-stop”, or theft. And so the guys who trade for their lives with only robbery and extortion were called gopniks.
The heyday of crime in the early 90s
The collapse of the Soviet Union led to a weakened judicial system. Criminal authorities seized this moment and picked up most of the power for themselves. Lawlessness flourished throughout the country, the gopnik realized this and began his wild hunt.
Gopnik, like predators, scoured the streets of the city in search of new victims. Sometimes it was a random passerby, sometimes the goal was determined in advance. Indeed, in those days, the services of Gopniks were often used by local authorities in order not to dirty their own hands. For example, quite often they were used to defeat competitors' stores or to intimidate random witnesses.
But years passed, law enforcement agencies became stronger and stronger. Therefore, thieves in law began to conduct their affairs more deliberately, without raising excess dust. And they obviously did not need a stupid internecine fight of the gopniks. Therefore, they stopped using their services, much less cover small pawns in the face of the law.
Modern gopniks: a photo in a cap comes into fashion again
Now the cult of the gopniks still exists, albeit not on such a scale as before. Today's petty criminals, as before, "live in packs" and also lead a robber lifestyle. True, now it’s quite easy to make out even in the most crowded crowd.
The modern Russian gopnik is a “clear kid” who lives “according to concepts”. But these concepts are very different from those to which normal people are accustomed. Gopnik is often deprived of even elementary compassion, since he believes that there is nothing unnatural in his actions. In his mind, everything is quite simple: the strongest survives.
Another problem is that the image of the gopnik is idealized by modern youth. Thanks to the series, for example, the same "Brigade", the criminal life began to attract many guys. Especially if their life was far from perfect.
Laws According to which Gopniks Live
Let the gopnik is also the scum of society, but even in his world there are certain laws. First of all, he obeys the zoning order, and the gopnik has no right to transgress them. Otherwise, he may lose credibility in the eyes of his comrades.
That is why the 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-drawn-up scheme, thanks to which the victim turns into a sucker. But "by concepts", with a sucker and asking is not a sin.
Who becomes a gopnik?
Often a similar lifestyle is conducted by those who were born in a dysfunctional family. Deprived of parental warmth and affection, from an early age they watched how others enjoyed life. This hardened their heart and mind, moreover, they passionately want to get everything that they were deprived of, and no matter in what way.
An important role is played by alcohol. Gopnik from an early age drink beer, sometimes even vodka, because getting alcohol now is easy. And what to expect from a person who starts drinking at 10-12 years old?
The final factor is a bad company. After all, if you live with wolves for a long time, then you begin to howl like a wolf.