What does it mean to be a modern person? Modern man

The inhuman world in which modern man lives forces everyone to wage a constant struggle with external and internal factors. What happens around an ordinary person sometimes becomes incomprehensible and leads to a feeling of constant discomfort.

Daily Sprint

Psychologists and psychiatrists of all stripes have noted a sharp surge in anxiety, self-doubt and a huge number of different phobias among the average representative of our society.

The life of a modern person passes at a frantic pace, so there is simply no time to relax and escape from numerous everyday problems. The vicious circle of running a marathon at sprint speed forces people to race against themselves. Intensification leads to insomnia, stress, nervous breakdowns and illnesses, which has become a fundamental trend in the post-information age.

Information pressure

The second problem that modern man cannot solve is the abundance of information. A stream of various data falls on everyone simultaneously from all possible sources - the Internet, mass media, press. This makes critical perception impossible, since internal “filters” cannot cope with such pressure. As a result, the individual cannot operate with real facts and data, since he is unable to separate fiction and lies from reality.

Dehumanization of relationships

A person in modern society is forced to constantly face alienation, which manifests itself not only in work, but also in interpersonal relationships.

Constant manipulation of human consciousness by the media, politicians and public institutions has led to the dehumanization of relationships. The alienation zone that has formed between people makes it difficult to communicate, to look for friends or a soul mate, and attempts at rapprochement by strangers are very often perceived as something completely inappropriate. The third problem of 21st century society - dehumanization - is reflected in popular culture, the linguistic environment and art.

Problems of social culture

The problems of modern man are inseparable from the deformations in society itself and create a closed spiral.

Cultural ouroboros causes people to withdraw even more into themselves and move away from other individuals. Contemporary art - literature, painting, music and cinema - can be considered a typical expression of the processes of degradation of public self-awareness.

Films and books about nothing, musical works without harmony and rhythm are presented as the greatest achievements of civilization, full of sacred knowledge and deep meaning, incomprehensible to the majority.

Crisis of values

The value world of each individual can change several times during his life, but in the 21st century this process has become too fast. The result of constant changes is constant crises, which do not always lead to a happy ending.

The eschatological notes that creep into the term “crisis of values” do not mean a complete and absolute end, but they make us think about the direction in which the path should be taken. Modern man is in a permanent state of crisis from the moment he grows up, since the world around him is changing much faster than the prevailing ideas about it.

A person in the modern world is forced to drag out a rather miserable existence: thoughtless adherence to ideals, trends and certain styles, which leads to the inability to develop one’s own point of view and one’s position in relation to events and processes.

The widespread chaos and entropy that reigns around should not be frightening or cause hysteria, since change is natural and normal if there is something constant.

Where and from where is the world heading?

The development of modern man and his main paths were predetermined long before our time. Culturologists name several turning points, the result of which was modern society and people in the modern world.

Creationism, which fell in an unequal battle under the pressure of adherents of atheology, brought very unexpected results - a widespread decline in morals. Cynicism and criticism, which have become the norm of behavior and thinking since the Renaissance, are considered a kind of “rules of good manners” for moderns and elders.

Science in itself is not the raison d'être of society and is unable to answer some questions. To achieve harmony and balance, adherents of the scientific approach should be more humane, since the unresolved problems of our time cannot be described and solved like an equation with several unknowns.

Rationalization of reality sometimes does not allow us to see anything more than numbers, concepts and facts, which do not leave room for many important things.

Instincts versus reason

The main motives for the activities of society are considered to be the inheritance from distant and wild ancestors who once lived in caves. Modern man is just as tied to biological rhythms and solar cycles as he was a million years ago. An anthropocentric civilization only creates the illusion of control over the elements and one’s own nature.

The payback for such deception comes in the form of personal dysfunction. It is impossible to control every element of the system always and everywhere, because even your own body cannot be ordered to stop aging or change its proportions.

Scientific, political and social institutions are vying with each other about new victories that will certainly help humanity grow blooming gardens on distant planets. However, modern man, armed with all the achievements of the last millennium, is not able to cope with a common runny nose, like 100, 500 and 2000 years ago.

Who is to blame and what to do?

No one in particular is to blame for the substitution of values ​​and everyone is guilty. Modern human rights are both respected and not respected precisely because of this distortion - you can have an opinion, but you cannot express it, you can love something, but you cannot mention it.

Stupid Ouroboros, constantly chewing his own tail, will one day choke, and then there will be complete harmony and world peace in the Universe. However, if this does not happen in the foreseeable future, future generations will at least have hope for the best.

The modern world is indeed contradictory. On the one hand, there are positive phenomena and trends. The nuclear missile confrontation between the great powers and the division of earthlings into two antagonistic camps are over. Many nations of Eurasia, Latin America and other regions that previously lived in conditions of unfreedom have embarked on the path of democracy and market reforms.

A post-industrial society is being formed at an increasing pace, which is radically restructuring the entire way of life of mankind: advanced technologies are constantly being updated, a single global information space is emerging, a person with his high educational and professional level is becoming the mainspring of progress. International economic ties are deepening and diversifying.

Integration associations in various parts of the world are gaining more and more weight and are turning into a significant factor not only in the global economy, but also in military security, political stability, and peacekeeping. The number and functions of international institutions and mechanisms in the UN system are growing, bringing humanity together into one whole, promoting the interdependence of states, nations, and people. There is a globalization of the economic, and after this, the political life of mankind.

But just as obvious are phenomena and trends of a completely different order, provoking disunity, contradictions and conflicts. The entire post-Soviet space is going through a painful process of adaptation to new geopolitical, ideological and economic realities. After decades of calm, the situation in the Balkans exploded, painfully

recalling the events that led to the outbreak of the First World War. Conflicts are breaking out on other continents. There are attempts to fragment the international community into closed military-political blocs, competing economic groups, and rival religious and nationalist movements. The phenomena of terrorism, separatism, drug trafficking, and organized crime have reached planetary proportions. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction continues, and environmental threats are on the rise.

Globalization, along with new opportunities for socio-economic progress and expansion of human contacts, also creates new dangers, especially for lagging states. The risk of dependence of their economy and information system on external influences is growing. The likelihood of large-scale financial and economic crises is increasing. Natural and man-made disasters are becoming global in nature, and environmental imbalances are worsening. Many problems are spiraling out of control, outpacing the world community's ability to respond to them in a timely and effective manner.

The fact that a new, stable system of international relations has not yet emerged exacerbates friction and contradictions. In this regard, in the scientific and political environment, alarmist scenarios for the development of world politics are born and become widespread - in particular, clashes between civilizations (Western, Chinese, Islamic, East Slavic, etc.), regions, the rich North and the poor are predicted The South even predicts the total collapse of states and the return of humanity to a primitive state.

There is, however, reason to believe that in the 21st century. The main actors on the world stage will remain sovereign states, and life on earth will continue to be determined by the relationships between them. States will continue to cooperate or compete in accordance with their interests, which are complex, multifaceted, diverse and do not always coincide with civilizational, regional and other vectors. Ultimately, states' capabilities and positions will continue to rest on their combined power.

To this day, only one superpower has survived: the United States, and many begin to think that an era of unlimited American domination “Pack America” is dawning. The United States undoubtedly has grounds to claim the role of a powerful center of power for the long term. They have accumulated impressive economic, military, scientific, technical, information and cultural potential, which is projected onto all major spheres of life in the modern world. At the same time, America has a growing desire to lead others. The American official doctrine proclaims the existence of a US zone of influence in the world (the so-called core zone), which is supposed to ultimately include the overwhelming number of states. The United States is favored in this policy by the fact that alternative social models (socialism, non-capitalist path of development) at this stage are devalued, have lost their attractiveness, and many countries voluntarily copy the United States and accept its leadership.

Nevertheless, the world will not become unipolar. First of all, the United States does not have enough financial and technical resources for this. Moreover, the unprecedentedly prolonged rise of the American economy will not last forever; sooner or later it will be interrupted by depression, and this will inevitably reduce Washington’s ambitions on the world stage. Secondly, there is no unity in the United States on issues of foreign strategy; voices are clearly heard against overloading the United States with international obligations and interfering in everything. Thirdly, there are states that not only resist American influence, but are capable of being leaders themselves. This is, first of all, China, which is rapidly gaining overall state power, in the longer term - India, possibly a united Europe, Japan. At some stage, ASEAN, Turkey, Iran, South Africa, Brazil, etc. may apply for leadership on a regional scale.

As for Russia, despite the difficulties it is experiencing, it does not intend to enter the zone of foreign influence. Moreover, our state has the necessary potential for gradual transformation into a prosperous and respected center of power in a multipolar world - this is a huge territory, colossal natural, scientific, technical and human resources, an advantageous geographical location, military power, traditions, and the will to lead, and, finally, the demand for Russia as an influential power in various regions of the globe (CIS, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Latin America).

The movement towards multipolarity is a real and natural process, because it reflects the will of existing or promising centers of power. At the same time, the transition period, being associated with the struggle for influence, with changes in the balance of forces, is fraught with conflicts. There are no guarantees that rivalry between major powers and associations of states will automatically disappear after the formation of a new system of international relations. It is known from history that the multipolar system created as a result of the First World War did not prevent the outbreak of a new, even more destructive conflict two decades later.

Nobody knows how new centers of power will behave in the 21st century, having sensed their own superiority. Their relations with medium-sized and small countries may well continue to carry a charge of conflict due to the latter’s reluctance to submit to the will of others. This can be seen in the example of current relations between the United States and the DPRK, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, etc. It is also characteristic that even those countries that, of their own free will, enter the zones of influence of centers of power defend their rights much more energetically than in the era of the Cold War. Thus, the Europeans are still ready to cooperate with the United States, but at the same time they are strengthening regional institutions, thinking about purely continental defense efforts, and refusing to “march to American drums” in all matters. Many differences and disagreements exist between Washington and its partners in Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. There are problems in the relations of China, Russia, Japan, India with their smaller neighbors.

Another reality of the modern world, which will obviously persist in the 21st century, is the contradictions between medium-sized and small states themselves. After the end of the Cold War, their number even increased due to the elimination of the previous bloc discipline, when the superpowers kept their wards in line, the absence of regional leaders in a number of regions of the globe (primarily in Africa and the Middle East), the collapse of the USSR and Yugoslavia.

Humanity is entering the new millennium with the burden of numerous territorial, religious, ethnic, and ideological disputes. Conflicts, as before, can give rise to such motives as the struggle for resources, ecology, migration, refugees, terrorism, possession of nuclear weapons, etc.

A distinctive feature of the current era is the presence of a significant number of states that are experiencing serious internal difficulties. Moreover, as the recent financial crisis in Asia has shown, dynamic economic systems are not immune to disruptions. A threat to stability in a state can come from a political system - either a totalitarian one, sooner or later doomed to collapse, or a democratic one. Rapid democratization gave free rein to various destructive processes: from separatism to racism, from terrorism to the breakthrough of mafia structures to the levers of state power. It is also obvious that even in the most developed countries, knots of religious and ethnic contradictions persist. At the same time, internal problems are increasingly breaking out beyond state borders and invading the sphere of international relations. Despite, however, the high potential for conflict that remains in the modern world, there is still reason to look into the 21st century. with a certain optimism. It is inspired, first of all, by the already mentioned growing interdependence of states. Gone are the days when large countries tried their best to bleed each other dry. Russia does not want the American economy to collapse or chaos to spread across China. In both cases, our interests will suffer. Chaos in Russia or China will hit America equally.

The interdependence of the modern world will continue to increase under the influence of factors such as:

the accelerating revolution in means of transport, communications and microelectronics;

ever more complete inclusion in world relations of the former communist countries, as well as the PRC, the states of the “third world”, which have abandoned the non-capitalist path of development;

unprecedented liberalization of world economic relations and, as a consequence, deepening interaction between the national economies of most states;

internationalization of financial and production capital (transnational corporations already control 1/3 of the assets of all private companies);

common tasks of humanity to counter growing global threats: terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, nuclear proliferation, famine, environmental disasters.

The internal development of any state now depends on the external environment, support and assistance of other “players” on the world stage, in this regard, globalization, with all its flaws, “pitfalls”, dangers, is preferable to the complete separation of states.

The mitigation of contradictions in the international arena should be facilitated by democratization, which has covered a significant part of the planet. States that adhere to similar ideological principles have fewer grounds for mutual contradictions and more opportunities to overcome them peacefully.

The cessation of the arms race between the “superpowers” ​​and their blocs, the awareness of the danger of a reckless buildup of nuclear missile potential contribute to the demilitarization of the world community. And this is a factor that also works to harmonize international relations.

Reasons for optimism are also given by the fact that in the era of globalization the system of international law is being improved, its norms are increasingly recognized. Most modern states subscribe to such concepts as renunciation of aggression, peaceful resolution of conflicts, submission to decisions of the UN Security Council and other international institutions, fight against racism, respect for the rights of peoples and human rights, electability of governments, their accountability to the population, etc. .

Finally, another treasure of humanity on the threshold of the 21st century. - this is the already mentioned growth of the system of global and regional organizations that have a mandate to deepen interaction between states, prevent and resolve conflicts, carry out collective actions on political and economic issues, etc. The UN is a universal forum that is gradually capable of evolving towards becoming a kind of world government.

If this trend continues to develop, then there is hope that power politics and unbridled rivalry between states will begin to fade into the background.

The modern world - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Modern World" 2017, 2018.

Each generation considers itself much cooler than all previous ones. After all, thanks to technological progress, it knows what was not known before, uses things that did not exist before, eats, drinks and consumes products and services that were invented quite recently. After all, you are a modern person, and they are already covered with the dust of time.

Then this generation becomes “obsolete”, and even more modern people come who believe that no one really lived before them, only this generation truly lives. So generation after generation passes, and they don’t really understand that everything that distinguishes one century from another is not so significant.

Even now, many imagine that technical progress, social progress began quite recently, and we are at its peak. And therefore we are, as it were, smarter, better than our ancestors, and therefore we have every right to not give a damn about their experience.

But maybe we are exaggerating the importance of technological progress? And we exaggerate precisely because we have become a consumer society, and the function of consumption has become perhaps the main task of man?

Of course, we have made huge strides in consumption. What about everything else?

Flickering effect

The twenty-first century is just around the corner!

Is there a future for consumer society?

The world of consumerism and the degradation of society

In our rapidly changing world, it is simply necessary to be a modern person , but not everyone can understand what does it mean to be a modern person. In fact, everything is simple, because ours is an information age, and in it, you need to constantly be in search of new information and knowledge. Today, it is useful and necessary to be a smart, wise and informative person, creating new ideas and opportunities.

Today, in this article you will learn the most basic points and methods that will help you become a modern person and achieve everything you want.

Do you want to become a modern person

Undoubtedly many want to be modern people, but for some reason few people do anything about it. People believe that if they live in the modern world, then they are also modern, but this is far from the case. Even if we live in the 21st century, this does not mean that we have become modern, since our consciousness, knowledge, capabilities, principles, values ​​remain from the 19-20 centuries. Our education system has also remained outdated, which today teaches us to live in a world that has not existed for a long time. Decide whether you want to be a real, modern person or continue to live in the past. For greater efficiency, write down on a piece of paper what prospects and opportunities will open up for you when you become a modern person.

Appreciate everything you have

Oddly enough, only 10% of 100% of people can rightfully be considered modern, since 90% live in a new world, but with old thinking, ideas and opportunities. Therefore, in order to realize what it means to be a modern person in the modern world, you need to start cherishing and appreciating everything you have and improving yourself, becoming even better. Strive for the best, but appreciate everything you already have. One who does not have this principle, often achieving some result or success, does not appreciate it and fails. Live in the present, appreciate life by appreciating everything and everyone around you.

Explore new sciences and discoveries

In the modern world, we need to start studying new discoveries in the sciences, especially in psychology. Since in our time people most often have problems related specifically to psychology, so you need to either surround yourself with professionals in this field, or start studying this science yourself. Of course, you need to study other sciences, but without it, today it is difficult to cope with common problems. Modern psychology, for example, discovered that all our thoughts and emotions are material, and not only discovered but also proved in practice for millions of people. Therefore, if you start studying this science, you will not regret it.

Engage in self-development

Self-development is simply necessary for those who want to be a modern person . Since self-development consists of many factors that you need to independently study and apply in practice. The most important thing in self-development is giving up bad habits, overeating, poor lifestyle, and addiction. Start with this, and when you get rid of it, start reading your favorite books or those that are necessary to achieve your goals. In books, you will find answers to all your questions and will be able to move faster towards your dream. Self-development will help you start learning better and faster than at school. Because what they teach at school is not what a modern person really needs.

Play sports

Due to the fact that the modern world mainly requires intelligence, new ideas and opportunities from a person, which makes a person sedentary, you need to play sports. Sport will help you stay healthy, improve your physical fitness, and also clear your mind of unnecessary information. Sport helps you to be in an alert state all day long, as well as take a break from mental work. Since the best rest is a change of activity, and for the modern world, where work is mainly mental, breaks and sports will help. Sports do not require heavy loads from you, since you can simply do morning exercises every day and take sports breaks from mental work, which more effectively helps a person to relax and return to work, with new strength and fresh memory. For those who have sedentary jobs, even basic walking and gymnastics will help.

Look for new opportunities and create ideas

The most important thing to do to be a modern person is to look for new opportunities and create ideas. To do this, each person needs to have his own dream or goal and go towards it. Then, in this process, new ideas and opportunities will begin to come into your life that will help you achieve all your goals. It’s enough just to really want something and believe every day that you will achieve it, then everything will turn out to be much easier. Anyone who does not know what he wants from life will achieve nothing, and will continue to blame others, but not himself. Once you find your purpose, ideas and opportunities will come into your life.

Find your favorite thing

In order to be a modern person in the modern world, you need to find your favorite thing. Without a favorite job, a person will continue to go to an unloved job, working for someone who has a favorite job and goal. Always the one who does not have a specific goal in life will work and obey the one who has it. So realize that

Despite the fact that the Internet has long become a “matchmaker” for adults, and applications like Tinder make finding a couple much easier, St. Petersburg residents complain that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find a partner. Maria Galimzyanova, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Developmental Psychology and Differential Psychology at St. Petersburg State University, told how to do this.

Marriage or cohabitation?

Olga Salnikova, website: - The bill of Senator Belyakov, who proposed to equate unregistered relationships for 5 years with an official marriage, caused negative reviews. Although in many European countries it is possible to legally formalize “cohabitation,” although it is voluntary. How do you feel about this idea and “civil marriages” in general?

This allows you to avoid so-called separation marriages, of which there were many during the USSR. Cohabitation in those years was not encouraged; if you moved away from your parents, you had to get married right away, but it could soon become clear that the spouses were not suitable for each other. And in the first year and a half there is just a grinding in: love weakens, family attitudes that have been laid down since childhood come to the fore, difficulties arise due to different ideas about roles in the family. If all this is accompanied by a silent expectation that the partner will show psychic abilities and guess desires, then the relationship reaches a dead end.

Therefore, there is nothing wrong with going through a period of “grinding in” in an unregistered marriage. But there is an interesting feature here. According to surveys: women in a “civil marriage” tend to feel married, while men feel single. There are also men who keep a suitcase in their hallway for years, packed in case they leave. And such unstable relationships, especially if they last for years, are more likely to suit men.

- Speaking of parents... It turns out that their model of relationships will really be decisive for their children later?

Research data shows that the more conflict-free and loving the parents' relationships were, the more satisfied their children feel when creating their families. And if there is an experience of a strong parental family, when, despite disagreements, people found a common language, a person will strive for this model - to look for love and support in his future spouse, to perceive family conflicts as temporary difficulties.

And if he has a single-parent family behind him, a painful divorce, quarrels and domestic violence, he may have little idea of ​​how to interact, and conflicts may be perceived as the collapse of the relationship. It happens that partners are chosen based on traumas experienced in childhood. Thus, those who have experienced suffering, the departure of one of their parents from the family, often choose spouses with whom they can “relive” these feelings. And they can even unconsciously provoke them to do this. The good news is that traumatic childhood experiences can be “edited” with the help of your partner and psychologists.

Eternally searching

Such payments can give some sense of security and become an additional argument in favor of the decision to have a baby. Although the economic factor is not the only one here. Moreover, we may face an even greater demographic failure due to psychological reasons: today's children have no idea about family. And if earlier at school there were lessons on “ethics and psychology of family life,” which allowed them to at least “prepare” a little for their family future, now no one teaches them this.

The topic of intimate relationships is actively taboo; they are trying to replace it with spiritual values, while at the same time transferring all responsibility to parents. The latter are often confused, considering such conversations “awkward.” After all, no one talked about this with many of them. As a result, awareness among young people decreases, and the number of abortions increases. Good literature is published on this topic from time to time, but recently there have been calls to ban it. As a result, the only and not the best option for teenagers is the Internet. And they won’t teach family values ​​there...

- Can adults build their family by finding a couple on the Internet?

I support online dating - it is a salvation for business people and for those who find it difficult to meet people directly. Yes, there are “grooms” and “brides” who “live” on these sites for years and even decades. Often they initially do not have the task of creating a serious relationship and it is the search that becomes the goal, not the result. They are usually distinguished by correspondence lasting months...

When meeting such applicants, people become disappointed in dating sites; it seems to them that everything there has problems. But many of my friends who firmly set themselves the goal of finding a partner approached this issue in a businesslike manner and successfully entered into marriage. The main thing is to decide what kind of person you want to see next to you, what relationships you strive for, and which ones you will never allow - and follow this. It is very useful to discuss your past relationships with a specialist so as not to step on the “old rake”.

Sports bar instead of theater

It makes sense to take advantage of every opportunity. Although entering another culture is often a painful process. Having moved to a foreign country, a person finds himself alone with his partner, since the social circle has not yet been formed, plus there are often problems with knowledge of the language and work... And if the partner does not meet expectations, which is absolutely normal, then dissatisfaction increases and the person becomes more and more isolated. In such a situation, a local psychologist who knows the traditions and characteristics of the culture from the inside could facilitate integration.

European men cite the commercialism of Russian women as one of the cultural characteristics that is difficult to accept...

Indeed, many foreigners who tried to build relationships with Russian women came to this conclusion. Yes, for the most part, Russian women expect that a man will pay in a restaurant, buy gifts, and pay for trips. They absorbed this image with their mother’s milk, and the actively advancing European feminism has not yet succeeded in erasing it.

On the other hand, it is difficult to accuse Russian women of commercialism, because they often do not spare the last money to buy their partner a desired gift, and take two jobs if their husband has lost his. And as a result, they often take responsibility for their children, husband and parents... A lot has changed in recent years. Many mothers are now building a career, and fathers are actively raising children. More and more men want to be present at childbirth and share all the concerns about the baby, although 10 years ago this was rare.

- What advice could you give to those who want to meet their love, but don’t know how?

It is important to be optimistic, to cheer up, and not to remember all your love failures and be afraid of new ones. A person who is open, interested and has a sparkle in his eyes is always more attractive. It makes sense to try different options - from the Internet to acquaintances and friends, to whom it would be nice to let them know that you are looking.

Many women try to find a partner where they themselves like to be - in theaters, museums, at development courses, but often nothing works out. But you should go to a sports bar, a car dealership, a gym or a stadium and it turns out that there are a lot of interesting men there! As Dale Carnegie said, although he personally loves strawberries and cream, it’s better to catch fish with worms, which they prefer...