Il'in A.N. Individualism as the Value Cultivated by Consumer Culture

Abstract: In his article Ilyin critically re-evaluates individualism as the main value advertised by consumer culture. The researcher analyzes the connection between the growth of individualistic attitudes and the decline of moral values. Individualism is being viewed as themain factor of social automization and deconsolidation. The following hypothesis is being proved: 1) individualism leads to the loss of family values, solidarity, patriotism, interest towards politics and socially important issues that stand above an individual; 2) individuation is associated with the substitution of serious social issues with personal interest. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research involves recent researches of Russian scientists working in the sphere of sociocultural and cultural-philosophical approaches. Individualism is the main value of consumer culture. According to the author, the growth of individualistic practices has a destructive influence on personal and social existence. Consumer culture cannot be considered to be an affluent or morally healthy type of culture. The author of the article also touches upon the problems of the dialectics of the individual and collective in culture and postulates the principle of unity between the personal and the social. 

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