We are imposed the universal pseudo-culture. What for?!

Sergey Klyuchnikov is one of the known practical psychologists, the author of 26 books on psychology, the director of the Center of practical psychology. He is the member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Our conversation is about what occurs with the consciousness of the whole people in present period? How the masscult impact influences the national culture? Is it a lot of general in the cultures of the former Soviet republics and how it affects in present circumstances?

- The consciousness is multidimensional concept. And, of course, such civilization consciousness on the one hand covers consciousness of different ethnos as integral This consciousness was created, but created with different degree as all people had a different previous way to civilization. As the level of social, economic and cultural development was very various.

And when this civilization consciousness weakened, the various complexes connected with manifestation of national consciousness in new conditions got out on a surface. We see it not so strongly on the senior generation in the CIS countries, on an average generation I would tell optionally and it affected the youth, of course, most of all. But it is not only leaving in the national niche, it was a way to leave the late Soviet civilization to the western civilization which has lost the charm. All started to watch then the western movies, to read the western books, to listen to the western music and to chew the chewing gum … That is, to feel though the other identity in such a way.

- Do the consequences of such leaving visible?

- Certainly. Let's take for an example the Baltic where this national identity was most developed; besides it was thoroughly worked unlike the republics of Central Asia, for example. But now the prominent representatives of the intellectuals of the Baltic republics, the same Raimonds Pauls and other known figures, say directly that in new conditions they suffer and feel big disappointment of that the Baltic countries became the cultural province of Europe, in fact the boondocks of the Western world. And after all earlier it was actually the gate to the West for the Soviet Union and this circumstance had great value for culture of the Baltic States.

- But the feeling of that you are on boondocks, or, speaking the modern language, is far from a mainstream, is capable after all to generate various complexes, isn't it?

- Here two variants are possible. On the one hand, there is a sensation of some disappointment, uncertainty, there is a depression. And on the other hand the compensatory feeling of nationalism increases. The image of the enemy becomes stronger: in Ukraine they speak more about “damned Moskals” and in the Baltic – about “invaders” … That is, the people which has suffered actually more than others are accused of all troubles. There is an identification of a political regime with the greatest people on number. But it is necessary to say that by eightieth years the regime has already lost the totalitarianism and became softly authoritarian, somewhere almost democratic …

And thereupon the fact of election of Nil Ushakov as the mayor of Riga is extremely interesting – the Russian-speaking mayor and also the successes on last parliamentary elections in Latvia of the block focused on the union with Russia. It means that having tried itself in independent swimming, they have clearly seen that Europe and the West don't aspire to help economically at all and there is the present expansion menacing to the existence of national culture in the cultural sense.

- Is the social being determines the consciousness?!

- Of course, the social being defines the consciousness, but in return process and the consciousness defines the social being too. There are the nations with high level of consciousness, but there are the nations with a complex of any civilization break. Now we observe it. That freedom and democratization, about which spoke so much, suddenly have appeared deprived of the concrete maintenance at closer examination! There is no any positive, creative, optimistic beginning and it simply should affect. Only one idea is broadcast on the foreground: to be enriched as soon as possible. But this way conducts only in deadlock.

And it is necessary to say that the values in the former Soviet republics are the value of a traditional society in huge degree. They are well-known: respect for seniors, orientation to work, the big families, types, clans which it is necessary to support, affinity to the land. Any of inhabitants of the post-Soviet territory can continue this list. Though the young capitalist class has already arisen and even purely consumer class, the representatives of which wouldn't like to work, of course. But they would like to live as in the West, without applying any efforts. It is the whole phenomenon which needs the most careful studying.

- But can the national culture resist to it?

- It can, if there will be a state support. Not declarations are necessary, but the real support, and, first of all, the support of traditional culture. If it isn't present, it is very bad! Support is necessary in the most different spheres, and, first of all, at legislative level.

There is a translation that the American culture of consumer society is universal culture for any human society. But actually it is the universal pseudo-culture of mankind. I mean the mass culture which is imposed to us in the strengthened order, instead of the American national culture, the symbols of which are Faulkner, Hemingway and country.

The pseudo-culture creates the resistant marginal feelings at any who isn't entered in it. And it is, certainly, the way to destroy any national consciousness. And even many European countries understood it. The same France takes all necessary measures for protection of the national cinema. They limit the quantity of the Hollywood production, but nobody calls them as chauvinists! They are able to do it in a civilized way and in this sense set a good example as it is necessary to do.

- Turkmenbashi acted too: forbade the opera and the ballet as the phenomena alien to national culture …

- It is clear that it is impossible to call these actions correct in any way. The refusal of great culture can't give something positive! Attempts to enter the guarding measures are clear, but it is not necessary to invent a bicycle as the universal recipe is known long ago. The matter is about the orientation on high, on classics! Each country, each culture should keep classical heritage of the culture. The classics is necessary both world, and national. And, if the classics restrict on boondocks in modern culture, so the primitive pseudo-culture will dominate as it is a way to creation of operated mankind.

- But who can offer the alternative today?

- Russia and China can make it. Now the five-year period of our neighbors passes under the badge of harmony and following will pass under the badge of happiness. They were fond of it very much and put a problem to lift a happiness index for all nation noticeably. Asia just combines the support on national traditions with modernization. It is clear abundantly: the national motivation is necessary to make the sharp breakthrough forward.

- Having analyzing all those processes which occur today in the spiritual sphere, are you an optimist?

- It is necessary to be the realist. If not to return a fitting place to national culture, it will be very difficult. Do you understand, the marginal person can't be modernized and the balanced person can develop, supplementing himself. The marginal person can be the guest worker, but not the representative of the culture in other country in any way.

In order to make a step forward, sometimes it is necessary to take a step back firstly. And it needs to be made! Perhaps, it is not optimistic look, but realistic. It concerns also the integration processes in the CIS.

The main thing is not to oversleep!