About the difficulties of modern culture
Бронникова Ольга Николаевна, учащаяся 11 класса
Научный руководитель: Попова Наталья Юрьевна, учитель английского языка
МБОУ СОШ № 29 г. Астрахани
Bronnikova Olga Nikolaevna, a student of the 11th grade
Supervisor: Popova Natalia Yuryevna, English teacher
MBOU School № 29 (Astrakhan)
In the modern world culture is in decline, which is quite deplorable fact. Tragically, cultural degradation engulfed the whole world. Young people do forget about the behavior rules and moral considerations. Thus, they do not show respect not only to others but also to themselves. If we compare the old people with the youth, we can see an incredibly huge difference in their behavior. We also notice that the word-parasites began to spread and destroy not only the beauty of the language, but also literacy of our people. The purpose of this article is to define the concepts of «culture», «cultural degradation»; show the examples of the cultural and moral decline not only in Russia but also worldwide. There are many definitions of «culture». The concept of «culture» goes back to the days of Roman antiquity, while «culture» is defined as «the difference of human activity from biological life forms». Every person sees in this concept something special: some see the value of spiritual life, the others define it as the objects of art. Nowadays, the term «culture» is also understood as education and training. One of the most capacious definitions of «culture», was given by the American scientist M. Herskovits: «Culture is the part of the human, environment, created by the people themselves (building, clothing, cooking methods, parenting, social interaction, religion, science, art, machinery, tools, household items, language, traditions and customs, and more)». [6]
For a modern society typical are trends not only in economic, socio-political and spiritual decline, but also in the moral degradation of the individual. One of the most striking examples of the cultural and moral degradation, is the infamous French magazine «Charlie Hebdo», whose editors ridiculed in cartoons their dead colleagues, their compatriots killed in the terrorist attacks organized by terrorist group ISIS, a Syrian boy who died while crossing the sea on the raft, the Russians who died in the crash of an airplane over Sinai Unfortunately, «Charlie Hebdo» cartoons are considered to be the part of French culture, because the cartoons in France are very popular.
Today, the culture is influenced by the requirements of modernity, everyday culture is introduced into the sphere of traditional culture. More and more monuments of UNESCO cultural heritage are destroyed all over the world. The reasons for the destruction of the cultural heritage are very different: from the process of urbanization to the barbaric attitude of a man to cultural monuments. One of the cases of the UNESCO cultural heritage destruction has happened in Peru in 2013. Peruvian developers demolished 4000-year-old pyramid in order to clear the area for construction of new houses. The destroyed pyramid was part of El Paraiso, the complex near the Peruvian capital. Now we will never know how it was built, what materials were used, what role it played in public life. Vandalism is often the cause of the destruction of cultural heritage. Following the resumption in 2009 of excavations of the ancient settlement of El Hihbeh, near Cairo, the scientists discovered hundreds of tombs eviscerated by the looters. Stolen by vandals from the excavation site values were soon found on the «black market». The given example is a mark of consumerism of our society [3].
Unfortunately, one of the main causes of the destruction of the UNESCO World Heritage in our time become deliberate acts of terrorism. Last year the militants of the group ISIS, banned in the Russian Federation, destroyed 14 monuments of cultural heritage such as the statue of Virgin Mary, the ancient Church of St. Sarkis and Bacchus, the ensemble of churches and mosques of Ibn al-Walid, the minaret of the Seljuks of XI century, the Assyrian city of Nimrud and Durr-Sharrukin, Syria’ landmark — the Arc de Triomphe, 3 funerary towers in Valley of the tombs. All these actions is a pure mark of the «resentment phenomenon». [5]
Cultural decline is also visible in Russia. The entire television broadcast is filled with a huge number of «low-grade» TV-shows, primitive series contributing to the moral decay and do not carrying informational value. We also can observe the collapse in Russian cinema. Russian film directors are increasingly trying to make their creations similar to the films produced in the west, the directors are trying to add more special effects in movies, stunts, dramatic scenes like the American melodramas. «Just look at the mass movie posters. It’s no secret that most of the films has a goal to attract more audience at the box office, attacking the viewer with the flow of ideas and light emotions, which impose extremely tangible assets, exciting action causes adrenaline fun, and thus immobilize the idea and block deep feelings of human, leading to the degradation of the individual» said the Patriarch Cyril at the closing ceremony of the Film Festival «Radiant angel» in Moscow. [4] The domestic film lending service has recently received a sufficient number of films dedicated to Russian history («Stalingrad» directed by F. Bondarchuk, «Sunstroke» directed by Nikita Mikhalkov, «The Battle of Sevastopol» directed by S. Mokritsky, «The Battalion» directed by D. Meskhiev), but these films do not carry much importance, they are superficial and do not reflect historical reality.
We often see in foreign films a variety of Christmas markets which are particularly beautiful: Christmas carols sung in the streets, gingerbread houses, Christmas lights and more. Perhaps the last Christmas was the last indeed. Due to the influx of migrants European countries are refusing their traditional holidays. In Denmark, it was prohibited to celebrate Christmas in public in order not to offend the sensibilities of visitors (meaning the migrants). In the most UK offices it is forbidden to decorate the working place for Christmas. In UK cinemas it is forbidden to show the video clip with the prayer «Our Father», as the movie may be found as insulting by the representatives of other faiths. Pope Francis urged not to celebrate Christmas saying: «We are approaching the celebration of Christmas with the lights, parties and decorated Christmas trees. But in my opinion it is unthinkable to arrange celebrations at a time when the whole world is immersed in a war». [1] The UK authorities punished primary school, because of the large number of white students and a small number of students from Africa and Asia. Bishop of Sweden ordered to remove the crosses from the domes of the «Church of seafarers» in Stockholm. The Cabinet of Ministers of the UK banned the wearing of crucifix during working hours. Such cases tell us the European sociocultural milieu is losing its identity. [2]
We should not forget about such factors affecting the cultural decline as globalization, which is especially dangerous in the field of culture because it carries the inevitable consequences, leading to a total destruction of cultural identity of the peoples. We can draw the following conclusion: the issue of cultural decay is particularly acute today and citizens should make efforts to stop this process. Here there are just a few ways: to educate and develop a «sense of beauty» in the younger generation since childhood, to prevent any vandalism, to reconsider their own attitudes to the cultural and moral values.
References:
- Исламизация Европы. Рождество на грани срыва. [Электронный ресурс]. — http://balalaikanews.ru/politics/ %D1 %81hristmas2015
- Лебедева И. В. Социокультурная среда как фактор развития этнической общности // диссертация на соискание ученой степени кандидата социологических наук / Москва, 2004.
- Лебедева И. В., Романова А. П., Якушенков С. Н. Массмедиа и консюмеризация культуры // Известия Волгоградского государственного педагогического университета. 2012. № 9 (730). с.71–74.
- Патриарх Кирилл нашёл причину деградации российского населения [Электронный ресурс]. — http://deita.ru/news/culture/10.11.2015/5008074-patriarkh-kirill-nashel-prichinu-degradatsii-rossiyskogo-naseleniya/
- Фролова Ю. С., Лебедева И. В. Взаимосвязь феноменов бедности и ресентимента в социуме // Каспийский регион: политика, экономика, культура. 2015. № 2 (43). с. 327–333.
- Herskovits M. J. Cultural Anthropology. Knopf, New York 1955.
