The values of traditional culture and their understanding in the minds of young people

Makarov Artem Sergeevich ORCID: 0009-0002-3316-3167 Postgraduate student, Department of Sociology and Cultural Studies, Kuban State Agrarian University named after I.T. Trubilin 350044, Russia, Krasnodar Territory, Krasnodar, Kalinina str., 13 makarov_artem_s@mail.ru

Shalin Viktor Viktorovich ORCID: 0000-0002-2886-5976 Doctor of Philosophy Professor, Department of Sociology and Cultural Studies, Kuban State Agrarian University named after I.T. Trubilin 350044, Russia, Krasnodar Territory, Krasnodar, Kalinina str., 13 victor_filosof@mail.ru

Modern scientific knowledge contains a variety of approaches to the definition of "Traditional culture", the content of the term varies within different sciences. Representatives of socio-humanitarian disciplines, which include: cultural studies, anthropology, sociology, history, philosophy, ethnography, ethnology, folklore, do not give a universal definition of the concept of "Traditional culture", but use along with this term the equivalent terms "Archaic culture", "Everyday culture", "Agrarian culture", etc.

The interpretation of the definition depends on the research interest in the study of this phenomenon, its content, the method of reproduction and the conditions of functioning. Thus, in socio-humanitarian knowledge, functional, substantial, philosophical-sociological, ethnographic and cultural approaches to understanding the term "Traditional culture" are distinguished, and each of these approaches is endowed with certain characteristic features, signs, advantages and disadvantages. Realizing the complexity and ambiguity of this phenomenon, the connection with folk and archaic cultures, the use of modern mechanisms for the transmission and translation of cultural forms (in the form of QMS and network technologies), let us clarify the semantic boundaries of the term "Traditional Culture" and explore the relationship between traditional culture and Russian youth as an active subject (carrier) of modern culture.

A.V. Kostina argues that in the conditions of modern society, the most essential elements of traditional culture are: cultural subjects, social mechanisms of cultural transmission, social functions of culture and cultural texts in a broad sense ^[1]. According to the scientist, traditional culture functions within the framework of modern culture with the help of samples of past socio-cultural activities of generations in already proven conditions, that is, those that have been verified by history and time. Rituals, customs, folklore and mythology become the main channels for broadcasting such socio-cultural experience. The constant reproduction of previously set cultural patterns, according to A.V. Kostina, inevitably leads to static and extensive development of modern society.

Within the framework of the functional approach, A.V. Zakharov builds his theory of traditional culture, which sees the connection between the past and the present on the basis of the continuity of spiritual values. The researcher conducts a semantic analysis of the concept and examines the everyday, ethnographic, philosophical and sociological meaning of the term "Tradition", as a result of which he comes to the conclusion that traditional forms of social life do not disappear, but coexist along with urbanized, mass culture. Studying the discussion on the reinterpretation of the concepts of "Modernity" and "Modernity" between sociologists of the classical period of development (M. Weber, E.Durkheim, G.Simmel, K. Marx, F. Tennis) and representatives of the "theory of modernization" (W.Rostow, D. Bell, R. Aron, Z.Bzezhinsky, W. Moore), A.V. Zakharov emphasizes that mass civilization does not displace traditional culture, but includes it ^[2]. At the same time, a modern researcher of traditional culture quite rightly notes that it is necessary to study this phenomenon within a certain subject area.

Undoubtedly, the dialogue between modern and traditional cultures, building their interaction on the borders of historical epochs and the "past–present" model, is obvious. It is difficult not to agree with the opinion of associate professor of the Samara State Institute of Culture Chirkova N.V., who is convinced that elements of folk culture have been discovered in modern culture, emphasizing the idea that traditional folk culture is the bearer of new relevant meanings ^[3]. The researcher of folklore traditions points to the continuity of the "past–present" model in modern culture.

By reviewing the holidays and festivals held in Russia in recent decades, organizing exhibitions, ceremonies, political and commercial events, and making commercials, N.V. Chirkova emphasizes the connection between landmarks, symbols of the "glorious past" and "modernity". She uses the terms "Third Culture", "Intermediate Culture" or "Popular Culture", filling the gap between professional culture and folklore, indicating a mixed type of culture, the result of the fusion of traditional and popular culture. According to the scientist, at this stage there is a process of reflecting the traditions of the past in modern culture, because, despite the changes, the transition to postmodernism, new approaches to its content, the emergence of new methods and styles, mass culture is inherently traditional and polymorphic.

B.G. Sokolov holds a similar opinion regarding cultural coherence, the connection between the past and the future of mankind on the basis of traditions. The scientist builds his statement with the help of the freedom of human existence, the eidetic space of culture, which, in his opinion, is open to the future. The professor of St. Petersburg State University speaks about the identity, proximity of culture and tradition, that both concepts are the most important factors in the creation and formation of humanity, tied to the sphere of values, while simultaneously asserting their multidirection (due to different time parameters). As a result, they can come into conflict with each other, limit each other, but it is through the tension of their connection, according to B.G. Sokolov, that the future of culture can be considered ^[4].

S. Huntington insists on the position of conflict between the phenomenon of culture and traditions, who justifies his concept of the conflict of civilizations by the contradiction between tradition and modernity. He perceives Russia as an Orthodox civilization of a traditional type, with a set of moral imperatives and spiritual values that are the basis of a culture that, according to the American sociologist, opposes a powerful Western European civilization focused on economic growth, material benefits and legal culture. ^{[5, p.30]}. J. Peel, as well as S. Huntington, believes that the cultural identity of the peoples of Russia and developing countries prevents their integration into the system of Western European civilization. Such countries, according to J. Saw, are "ghosts" ^[6]. In the view of Western scientists, the concepts of "culture" and "civilization" are considered synonymous.

Tolstikov V.A., Revenko N.V., Russian researchers of the cultural and civilizational space of Russia from Belgorod, believe that due to the lack of development of a unified national idea, the West does not consider our country as a self-sufficient cultural and civilizational system of modernity, correlating it with the so-called "second world". Russian scientists focus on historicism, spiritual practices, national identity, reconstruction of the theory of "Christian socialism", insisting on the search for a new cultural paradigm for Russia ^[7].

The need to study the features of traditional historical and cultural ties between generations is justified in the work of Russian scientists Volkova P.S., Kovaleva S.V.. The study says that the connection should be ontological in nature and manifest itself in the minds of young people based on the actualization of the basic phenomenon of understanding containing meaning, but the form of this connection may be different and depend on the possibilities of representation by means of modern technologies ^[8].

Let's turn to the results of the VTSIOM daily survey "Russians on the Unity of the Nation" conducted in November 2023, according to which the sense of national unity of Russians has become stronger compared to previous years. Thus, 58% of the inhabitants of our country today feel solidarity and national unity. The survey data indicate that more than half of Russians share a sense of national unity, who emphasize the peaceful coexistence of representatives of different cultures and ethnic groups (22%), the peculiarities of the Russian mentality and culture (11%), the unity of the people in difficult times for the country (12%), mutual assistance (7%), love for Homeland (6%).

Comparing the answers of Russians to the closed question: "Is there national unity in Russia?", asked to our compatriots in previous years, starting in 2012, it turns out that the proportion of respondents declaring national unity changed non-linearly, therefore it is impossible to talk about a mathematically distinct trend. The lack of internal integrity of society was especially pronounced in 2021, when 61% of respondents replied that there was no national unity in Russia. Half as many (31%) believed that unity rather exists.

An analysis of the answers to the question by gender and age shows that there is national unity in Russia, according to the ideas of the female population 60 years and older (63%), who have a good financial situation (69%), live in small, provincial towns with a population of 100-500 thousand people or in rural areas (64%), prefers television to the Internet (71%).

"There is no national unity in the country," according to men (39%) who are younger than 60 years old (34-39%), dissatisfied with their financial situation (53%) and prefer the Internet to television (47%). According to the territorial factor, the answers to the question are divided as follows: a minority of the country's population living in large megacities feels national unity. In particular, the opinion of residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg was equally divided: 47% believe that there is unity, 48% — that there is none. Evaluating the responses of age groups, it can be found that, according to representatives of the 60+ generation, national unity in Russia is observed for 63% vs. 58% of the sample. But at the same time, they believe that the celebration of National Unity Day is not important. Unlike them, young people are convinced of the need for this holiday. In particular, 18-24 year olds recognize the importance of this event (70% vs. 89%).

However, to the question: "What event happened on November 4, in honor of which we celebrate a holiday on this day?" only 24% were able to give the correct answer: "The Day of Liberation from the Polish intervention by Minin and Pozharsky," and 59% are at a loss to answer.

According to VTSIOM's position, "it can be assumed that young people, as the most active social group, consider the holiday not only as an occasion to feel the unity of the multinational people of Russia, but also to relax, attend festive events — exhibitions, concerts, master classes. In other words, she can understand the symbolic content of the holiday to a lesser extent" ^[9].

Applying sociological research methods in the practice of working with young people ^[10], work was carried out with students of the 1st-4th year of the Kostroma State Agricultural Academy. In the course of the work, 95 people aged 18 to 22 were interviewed in order to study the position of young people on the values of traditional Russian culture associated with the celebration of National Unity Day on November 4, 2023. The students replied as follows:

·        61.5% do not consider this holiday indicative of the unity of the Russian people (39% – according to VTSIOM);

·        70.3% know the historical meaning of this holiday (24% – according to VTSIOM indicators);

·        A holiday is necessary just to relax, to relax from studying – 95.2%

· 58% do not recognize the value of family, love for the Motherland, and the brotherhood of nations.

Thus, concluding the study on the understanding of traditional Russian cultural and historical values in the minds of young people, we can say that there is a tendency to blur the clear ideas of the younger generation about the figurative and symbolic meaning of the spiritual and moral unity of the people. In fact, this conclusion corresponds to the assumption made by VTsIOM. In addition, as modern researchers point out, the consciousness of young people becomes "clip-on", screen technologies used in smartphones create a virtual world of simulacra, which closes a person within the boundaries of an illusory reflection, preventing them from looking both inside themselves and into the space of external reality ^[11],[12]. According to Grigoriev S.L., the problem of the influence of screen gadgets on the consciousness of young people "has now transformed into a problem of dependence on these devices, which has become a real threat to the process of natural translation of necessary forms of significant socio-cultural experience from generation to generation" ^{[13, p. 47]}.

Conclusions of the article:

· The concept of "traditional culture" includes ideas about cultural subjects, social mechanisms of cultural transmission, social functions of culture and cultural texts;

·     Traditional forms of social life do not disappear, but coexist along with urbanized, mass culture;

·     Traditions and culture, being the basic factors of the formation of society, can be multidirectional in their development, enter into conflict with each other, limit each other, but precisely through the tension of their connection;

· National unity as a social integrity of society based on the connection of tradition and culture is recognized by the generation of elderly people who have a stable good financial situation and use television forms of obtaining information;

·     The younger generation mostly does not recognize the value of the unity of society as an indicator of the integrity of the state, mostly does not know the historical meaning of the National Unity holiday, does not consider traditional values (family, love of the Motherland, brotherhood of peoples) significant in modern reality, uses the Internet space for communication;

·     It is necessary to change the conditions of education and upbringing of the younger generation, minimizing the use of digital technologies in the educational process, creating the opportunity to actualize the creative potential of the inner world for the realization of the basic phenomena of human existence expressed in various forms of cultural texts.