50%

of Russians believe that academics have less exciting lives than other people do. 

Academics are often somewhat eccentric people (57% of Russians believe this) and show little interest in things outside of their work (45%).

That said, the majority of respondents say that academics are dedicated people who work for the good of humanity (72%) and solve difficult problems (80%).

These data were obtained during a representative sampling survey of Russians aged 16 years and older that was commissioned in November 2014 by the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK). The survey was conducted as part of a Monitoring Survey of Innovative Behaviour of the Population.

By way of comparison, 19% of respondents in the U.S. believe that academics have boring lives. 38% of Americans believe that academics are eccentric (source: National Science Board. Science and Engineering Indicators – 2014. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation).