THE INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA AND THE INTERNET ON THE FORMATION OF THE SPIRITUAL IDENTITY OF MODERN RUSSIAN YOUTH

ABSTRACT

This work is devoted to the influence of mass media and Internet resources on the formation of the spiritual identity of modern Russian youth. The article defines the concept of «spiritual identity», and examines the problems of the negative influence of the media and the Internet on the spiritual identity of modern youth and the use of useful cognitive content for the spiritual and moral development of youth on the specified «platform».

Keyword: Modern Russian youth, spiritual identity, mass media, Internet, content.

The successful future of any country depends on the proper upbringing of the younger generation. Therefore, at present, the formation of the spiritual identity of modern Russian youth, in our opinion, is key for the education of future citizens of Russia, and if we stop forming spiritual identity, the result will be the construction of a false identity of youth and, accordingly, the destruction of our country from within. At a time when various external and internal negative actions are becoming more and more powerful on modern youth every year, the processes of developing spiritual identity are also becoming more complicated. Today, the task of developing the spiritual identity of the younger generation is entrusted to educational institutions, various public patriotic organizations, as well as to the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Spiritual identity, according to the definition of the Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary «Religious Studies», «is a category of religious consciousness, the content of which is the awareness of a person's involvement in religious ideas and values, as well as awareness of belonging to a specific form of religion and religious group» [3, p. 863].

According to the Russian researcher V.G. Litvinovich, «spiritual identity is one of the most possible ways of spiritual self-determination of the whole society in its relation to the surrounding societies. The history of the religions of the world eloquently demonstrates the possibility and even the fruitfulness of the interpenetration of high samples of religious spirituality into society. Religious figures have always easily found a common language in various parts of the world» [2, pp. 43-44]. According to A.S. Yanenko, «it is the spiritual identity that helps to preserve the religious uniqueness and independence of the state in the face of increasing external and internal threats» [4, p. 3-4].

Religion, since ancient times, is still one of the main forms of organization of human society, since the vast majority of people belong to one or another religious organization to varying degrees. It is still, in our opinion, an indispensable form of building a young person's identity. A person, according to A.N. Krylova, «it is through the traditional religious teaching to which he belongs that he forms his spiritual identity. Religion helps him to find himself, his place in society. Through religion, a person realizes his belonging to his family, to the nation, to the state. Also, religion helps society to preserve and transmit various norms and traditions necessary for the identification process» [1, p. 233].

In the XXI century, the mass media (hereinafter referred to as the media) and, especially, the Internet began to exert a strong influence on the development and upbringing of modern youth, as well as on all spheres of public relations – spiritual, moral, political and many others. Today they (especially the Internet) are the main source of information for the modern youth audience. However, their influence cannot be assessed only positively. If we consider the influence of the media and the Internet on the formation of the spiritual identity of Russian youth over the past decades, it must be said that, unfortunately, much attention is paid to negative moral attitudes in the media and on the Internet.

The program document of the XIII World Russian People's Council emphasizes that «under the influence of the media and the Internet, Russian youth has become more deeply attached to all Western values. At the same time, the younger generation began to develop a disdainful attitude towards their native country, history and culture, and religion» [5]. According to researchers S.I. Samygin and A.V. Vereshchagina, «the threat of the media and the Internet is manifested not only in the fact that they form a «reality», which is artificially built through certain manipulative mechanisms that plant in the minds of young people, but the main thing is that the entire huge flow of information is often negative (violence, suicide, crimes, cruelty, economic problems, etc.), which destroys spiritual and moral values, but most importantly makes young people vulnerable to various types of manipulation of consciousness» [7].

In our opinion, in order to prevent negative anti-spiritual influence through the media and the Internet on modern Russian youth, it is necessary to start actively using the media and Internet resources for the full-fledged education of spiritual and moral qualities necessary for life (kindness, love, humility, patriotism, etc.) and for the formation of the spiritual identity of Russian youth, carefully selecting useful information and cutting off negative content.

According to Russian researchers I.A. Erin, S.N. Perederia and E.N. Fanin, «despite the current situation with modern media, there has been an increase in the number of TV channels and TV shows aimed at forming the spiritual identity of modern Russian youth. Such TV channels as «Culture», «Soyuz», «Spas», «Detsky», «Mama» have already been able to prove their high-quality and useful effectiveness; TV shows «BesagonTV» (which mainly appears on the Internet on the same channel in the YouTube video hosting), «The priest's Answer», «Conversations with the priest»; informational and educational talk shows «New Day», «Living History», «Word» and many others. Video blogs dedicated to cultural events, exhibitions and musical events for young people have become popular on Internet platforms. Many cultural objects (theaters, museums, exhibition complexes) have opened their Internet platforms in order to attract the younger generation» [6].

Thus, it can be stated that the media and the Internet in our time have long been considered as one of the main factors that have a strong influence on the formation of the spiritual identity of modern Russian youth, although not always positively. It is necessary for modern youth to provide more content that reveals the meaning of the spiritual and moral foundations of society, emphasize the value of family and marriage, value attitude to elders, the need for mutual assistance, etc.

References:

1. Krylov A. N. Religious identity. Individual and collective self-consciousness in the post-industrial space. Moscow: Publishing House of the National Institute of Business, 2012. - 303 p.
2. Litvinovich V.G. Religion and cultural diversity in the context of the ideas of the culture of peace // Cultural and historical traditions of Orthodoxy: materials of the international scientific and practical conference 11-12 Dec. twothousandfourteen Pyukhtitsky Assumption Monastery. - Kuremae, Estonia, 2014. - pp. 41-47.
3. Religious studies / Encyclopedic Dictionary. - M.: Academic Project, 2006. - 1256 p.
4. Yanenko A.S. Spiritual identity of Russian society in modern conditions: autoref. dis. cand. philos. Sciences: 09.00.11. M., 2009. - pp. 3-4.
5. Future generations are the national treasure of Russia. Program document of the XIII World Russian People's Council [Electronic resource] - Access mode. — URL: http://www.dubus.by/modules/myarticles/article_storyid_1354.html (date of application 15.04.2021).
6. Erin I.A., Perederiy S.N., Fanina E.N. Spiritual and moral education of modern Russian youth with the help of mass media // MNKO. 2020. No. 6 (85). [Electronic resource] - Access mode. — URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/duhovno-nravstvennoe-vospitanie-sovremennoy-rossiyskoy-molodezhi-s-pomoschyu-smi (date of application 15.04.2021).
7. Samygin S.I., Vereshchagina A.V. Spiritual security of Russia as the basis of Russian statehood/Sociological sciences. Issue No. 1 - 2011 [Electronic resource] - Access mode. — URL: https://www.online-science.ru/m/products/social_sciense/gid35/pg0 / (date of application 15.04.2021).