Three examples of dialogue between cultures in modern society. Dialogue of cultures in the modern world 3 examples of dialogue of cultures in modern society
Report by Associate Professor of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Philosophy, SSU, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences
Irina Viktorovna Kutyreva at the Plenary session of the X Pimenov Readings
A person living in the modern era, an era of rapid development of all spheres of social life, endless production of personal goods, is accustomed to frequent changes in various spheres. Having replaced the 20th century with its sometimes casual historical vicissitudes and dynamic development and often equally dynamic destruction, the 21st century forces humanity as a whole and each individual to turn to the issues that humanity has lived with throughout its history. It was during this period that our society, more than ever before, found itself cut off from its spiritual roots; it was during the period of progressive development (later it turns out that progress meant only scientific development and technical improvement) that primordial values and traditions were destroyed with particular force. Losses in the field of spiritual culture resulted in an almost complete loss of national identity. A person begins to remember his history and his culture, unfortunately, only when he realizes the need to not forget it. The unfolding of the global political situation indicates that the moment for this kind of necessity to arise has arrived. The need to revive traditional culture (including as a means of overcoming the modern spiritual and moral crisis) is currently recognized by society as one of the priority tasks.
The identified topic puts the problem of a cultural nature in the central place. At first glance, it may seem that problems of an economic nature, social vulnerability of certain segments of the population, environmental safety, for example, are more important than the problem of preserving the “heritage”, which will not be vital for a starving population, say, at the time of an environmental disaster. However, if we remember all the tragedies in the history of mankind, then to the question: “what helped the people/country/residents to remain a people, and not just an uncivilized community of representatives of homo sapiens?”, then the first thing that helped them was unity and awareness belonging to unshakable values. This is due to the fact that a person is brought up in culture and socialized in it. Culture is memory, a system of values, life ideas and patterns. In science, not a single term has such multiple definitions as the term “culture”, which unites everything: both the material and spiritual components. It is precisely the fact that EVERY person has his own deep cultural self-awareness, has a cultural memory that shapes his value ideals throughout his life, testifies to the fact that those born in a culture cannot imagine life outside it.
But history demonstrates that each culture cannot exist in isolation. Just as other cultures exist in interconnection or went through a stage of formation under the influence of an external dominant tradition, it is so difficult to imagine Russian culture in the form of an “ideally” holistic, historically continuously developing phenomenon. Unfortunately, it is not so difficult to imagine humanity of the 21st century included in the process of globalization, to see developed cultures, enriched by previous mutual influence, having individual self-awareness, but not hearing each other. This is a paradoxical reality. That is why the problem of “dialogue of cultures” comes to the fore today.
For Russia, as a multinational state, this topic is also important at the internal level. As already noted, our culture has developed very heterogeneously, however, it is worth noting its main focus: Russian culture is predominantly a spiritual culture.
Misunderstanding of cultural characteristics is often associated with studying or perceiving culture from the perspective of other people's stereotypes. In previous eras, Russia tried to find its own path of development by imitating Europe. Such ambivalence - on the one hand, to borrow the archetypes of European cultures and often forcibly implant them for external similarity, on the other hand, to recognize one's originality, which has an unshakable foundation - spirituality - is characteristic of Russian culture.
Today the West sets clichés by which the level of cultural development should be assessed. One of the main clichés is freedom, which is opposed to enslavement into an artificially created form of culture. The level of development is viewed through the prism of freedom. But we should not forget that even freedom has boundaries, otherwise it turns into chaos. Russian culture is distinguished by the fact that it understands the boundaries of what is permissible and cuts off what is unacceptable. These boundaries are based on moral values, the religious component, which for a long time has been a model of correct perception and understanding of what is happening around.
Due to the close interaction of all countries in solving global problems, knowledge of external cultures occurs, which influences internal cultural self-awareness. Under such influence, modern culture in Russia is in a changing state. There is no single direction in its development. Today, religion, and in particular the Orthodox Church, is separated from the state, but is recognized as leading in spiritual and moral direction and education. To preserve cultural diversity and cultural identity, it is necessary to perceive each culture as equal and necessary for preserving the historical memory of our people. Dialogue of cultures is only possible if it occurs with the participation of representatives of different cultures. Talking to yourself is not dialogue. In addition, dialogue presupposes equality of participants, which should be based on mutual respect. Respect for another, foreign culture is based on respect for one’s own and is brought up from childhood. The idea of one’s culture as the only form of true cultural acquisition and presence seems primitive. If a person values the culture in which he was raised and respects himself as an individual, then he must respect the “I” of another person who also has cultural consciousness and was raised in a different cultural tradition. Such consciousness should be instilled from childhood to minimize the possibility of conflict on ethnic grounds or religious hostility. Naturally, the development of culture is not limited only to the religious component, however, as the last decade of the 20th century clearly demonstrates to us, the gap between secular and religious culture was so significant that it could lead to a vulgar cultural rethinking of the entire historical heritage. Today we see an attempt to establish a dialogue between secular and religious culture. And once again, when attempts to reach an agreement through business language fail, the need arises to turn to the unshakable value foundations, the attitudes on which Russian self-consciousness has been based for centuries.
There is no doubt that the study of the spiritual culture of a people should begin with religion, as the primary source of spirituality. The religion of Rus' - Orthodoxy - has always played a decisive role in the formation of the main life values, principles of interpersonal interaction, ideological and moral attitudes, thereby being one of the main factors in the formation of Russian spiritual culture. Of course, it is necessary to understand that the uniqueness of Russian culture is not limited to the influence of Orthodoxy. The Western European tradition has had a certain impact on Russian culture in recent centuries, the influence of which has always been talked about a lot and colorfully. In any case, it should be said that there has never been a ban on research into the influence of Western culture on Russian culture. Orthodoxy, especially in the Soviet era, was a closed topic for a long time. Thus, many years of silence about the spiritual component in Russian culture has created a severe vacuum, which is felt more than ever today, and there is a vital need to fill it.
At the end of the last century, the interrupted connection of continuity of cultural life became acutely noticeable in Russian culture, the process of spiritual production changed, which was reflected in personality changes. It is with this that the modern anthropological crisis is connected - more than one generation has grown up in isolation from their spiritual roots. Therefore, today, more than ever, the process of reviving cultural traditions and instilling moral values is necessary. A decisive role in the creation of our culture is played by the upbringing of a spiritually healthy generation that has cultural self-awareness and respects its origins and traditions. Today, the concepts of secularism and religiosity are no longer mutually exclusive. Now we see the process of creation, the process of rooting moral ideals, instilling respect for one’s history and one’s culture, eliminating illiteracy and ignorance in the perception of the religious foundations of culture. The educational space today is called upon to reduce the gap between total ignorance and understanding of value guidelines and to eliminate existing gaps. The introduction of the fundamentals of religious cultures and secular ethics in secondary schools indicates a gradual return to moral origins.
The readiness of higher education to implement, within the framework of the Federal State Educational Standards, the training of bachelors and masters in the field of “Religious Studies”, “Fundamentals of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics” within the framework of Pedagogical Education, “Theology” is due to the social need for the formation of high-quality trained personnel who educate at the proper high level professional level of the existing generation.
But still, the attitude towards “Theology” of some part of the Russian elite is surprising. The introduction of one of the many educational areas enshrined in the state list is interpreted as a total clericalization of the university system.
It seems that theological education, with its powerful humanitarian and humanistic message, is a reasonable addition to the range of specialties that are implemented in universities today. Theological specialists today are in demand both by the church itself and, no less, by modern society, where there is an acute shortage of theological concepts and specific knowledge. Only after receiving a university theological education, a graduate is able to carry out appropriate expert work, patiently and professionally understand the most complex socio-political and interfaith relations, competently interpret works of art and literature, and fully understand the laws of the world order. Saratov University understands this well, and we plan to expand the range of educational services in the theological field. We understand that today theology in the academic space is an integral component of the entire educational sphere, responsible for the formation of religious culture. University theological education is currently being implemented in 34 cities of the Russian Federation. 37 state educational institutions received a license to train theologians, among which Saratov State University takes pride of place. This year, one of the important events took place in the university environment, which marked a return to tradition, namely, the re-establishment of the department of theology and religious studies. Already this year the university has made its first intake of master's students in the field of Theology.
In the coming 2013, it is planned to begin training bachelors and masters in the “Fundamentals of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics” within the framework of pedagogical education, which is due to the social demand that determines the demand for graduates of religious studies and theologians in various institutions of government, public structures, educational and cultural institutions, in mass media.
I would like to hope that the trend that has been built today, including in the educational space of Saratov University, will soon lead to long-awaited results, and in general will contribute to achieving a balance in the disrupted dialogue in modern culture between material and spiritual values.
IN As part of the Eurasian Women's Forum held in St. Petersburg, the Governor of Ugra Natalya Komarova held the first meeting of the international discussion club “Women Governors - a strategy for efficiency and development of territories.” Let us note that not only regional heads took part in it. “Our club is open to all women who work for people, develop territories and citizens. The forum is taking place in the year of the seventieth anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the preamble of which the equality of women and men in all states of the Earth was first established,” said Natalya Komarova.
The discussion club, which was assembled by the governor of Ugra, consisted of the most influential women on the planet. The chairman of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of South Africa to Russia, and women leaders from Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Serbia, Botswana, Norway, and the UAE gathered at the round table.
“Representatives from over 120 states take part in the forum, it is acquiring global coverage and a meaningful global agenda. The modern world is in dire need of humanizing international relations, building equal dialogue between countries, devoid of any discrimination. This thesis is especially highlighted in the draft resolution of our forum and, of course, its bearers are women in politics,” noted Natalya Komarova.
“I would like to thank the Governor of Ugra Natalya Komarova for the invitation, for the opportunity to speak on such an important topic. The issue of women in political life is central to the democratic cultures we have built over recent decades. About 20 years ago, when my political career began, it was rare to see a woman in high political positions. But times are changing. Today, when the importance of women in politics is growing, there is a need to create dialogue and increase cooperation between women to increase attention to the women's agenda and harness the potential of women,” said Gudrun Mosler-Törnström, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (Republic of Austria).
The club participants, 88 in total, discussed such areas as “Ensuring peace and security, building a peaceful, fair and free society from social barriers”, “International, interregional cooperation”, “Women’s contribution to the formation of a new technological order”.
“Scientists continue to argue about the structure of the sixth technological order and its dominant technologies today. One thing is obvious: the way of life is the center of human civilization. From time immemorial, the keeper of the hearth has been a woman. She knows how to organize all processes so that the hearth serves the family. In this case, the family is all of humanity,” from this position the governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug proposed building a conversation about the contribution of women to the formation of a new technological order.
One of the speakers on this topic was the head of the Šumadija district of the Republic of Serbia, Biljana Ilic-Stosic. She said that the project of the Union of Business Women of the country has been successfully implemented in Serbia for many years. It is aimed at increasing the high-tech, digital competencies of women, their inclusion in the fourth technological revolution as full participants.
“We want the modern woman to actively participate in modern technology. One of the goals of the project is to increase the number of women who start their own business. It is especially important to support women who are unemployed after 45 years of age. After completing specialized sections, they realize their abilities using Internet capabilities,” said Biljana Ilic-Stosic.
She also emphasized projects aimed at unlocking the potential of girls. Much attention was paid to this topic at the discussion club meeting. As the governor of Ugra noted, the successful development of advanced technologies and their rooting in our lives requires the earliest possible start. “When preparing for the second Eurasian Women’s Forum, we could not ignore the problem associated with the full involvement of teenage girls in society. More than 32 million of the world's poorest girls are not in school. This and a number of other problems are covered by the UN sustainable development agenda. In particular, the goal has been set by 2030 to take measures to prevent child marriage and guarantee schooling for all girls,” said Natalya Komarova.
In her opinion, the solution to these problems depends not only on the construction of new educational institutions, but also on how this group of teenagers thinks and how they look at the world. It is important to provide conditions for girls to develop a proactive position towards themselves and the world around them. In this regard, the head of the region said that in May of this year, a research session “The World of Adolescents and Youth: Interests, Risks and Opportunities for Ugra” was held in our district, during which sociological and psychological studies of adolescents were conducted. As a result, a general picture was formed of how they see the future for themselves and our district, and what life guidelines they adhere to.
“For the first time, such young girls are present at the table of such a high forum. During my business trips, I try to meet young people. Communicating with them, I heard that they lack such platforms where they can learn the successful experience of their elders, where they can realize themselves. It is important for us to provide them with this,” shared Irina Makieva, Deputy Chairman of Vnesheconombank, head of the “Integrated Development of Single-Industry Towns” program.
A student of secondary school No. 3 from Khanty-Mansiysk, Ekaterina Manvelyan, spoke about the practice of building such work in our district: “When moving to high school, you can’t help but think that the main choice that every teenager has to make is the choice of a future profession. In any case, no matter what profession we choose, we young people are united by the desire to work for the benefit of our city, region, country, to change life on this planet for the better. We don't just dream of a brave new world, we create it here and now. In many ways, my friends and I were helped with this by the research session “The World of Adolescents and Youth,” which we took part in in May of this year in Khanty-Mansiysk.”
The schoolgirl spoke about the activities of volunteers in Ugra and gave specific examples. Thus, a volunteer from Nizhnevartovsk, Dmitry Lisovoy, has been implementing the project “Nizhnevartovsk - a city without barriers” for the sixth year in a row. He identifies sidewalks, passages, and stairs that are not suitable for the comfortable movement of people with limited mobility, and together with the city administration makes them accessible to everyone.
In the Surgut region, volunteer Kristina Kyrova first arranged the courtyard of her house, and then proposed a project to improve the neighboring courtyards. She was supported by philanthropists and sponsors. The project has already transformed 38 courtyards.
“I think this project well reflects the essence of our volunteer movement. The planet is our common home, for which we are all responsible. Therefore, our fellow countrymen participate in various humanitarian missions. Recently, the governor of Ugra supported the initiative to create a “Russian Volunteer Humanitarian Corps”, which will educate and train volunteers, allow us to work and make new friends around the world. It will create additional opportunities for teenage girls through the practice of working with international projects,” shared Ekaterina Manvelyan.
The meeting of the international discussion club took place on September 21. This day was declared the International Day of Peace by decision of the UN. Therefore, the participants discussed approaches to building a peaceful, fair, and safe society.
“The vulnerability and fragility of the entire system of ensuring global world security has become especially obvious under the blows of international terrorism, which has established a lair in the territory of the once prosperous Syrian Arab Republic. I visited Syria this year and witnessed the consequences of the war,” Natalya Komarova shared.
A participant from Turkey, a country that has received the main wave of Syrian refugees and is implementing various programs for their support and adaptation, and Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Gaia Doganoglu, shared her experience.
“Today I will speak on behalf of Antalya. Antalya stands for international peace. The first Strong Cities Community Summit on strengthening communities against violent extremism took place in Antalya in 2016. For example, as a municipality, we represent Turkey in this network to maintain international peace and fight radicalism. As you all know, local governments play an important role in channeling the efforts of the central government to all sections of society. The Local Coordination Group for Public Order and Security in Antalya Province implements various projects together with all relevant government institutions, NGOs and universities. Their projects are aimed mainly at promoting the adaptation of rural and Syrian immigrants to urban culture; promoting mutual understanding and dialogue between different ethnic, political, cultural groups. A platform was created to expand interaction between civil society associations,” said Gaia Doganoglu.
A distinctive feature of the current forum is its practical orientation. In particular, a session of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the work of the BRICS women's business club took place. “These ideas are close to us, since our region is the initiator of the creation of the Council of Regions of the BRICS countries, we are consistent supporters of the development of horizontal interstate ties,” noted the Governor of Ugra Natalya Komarova.
During the discussion of this area - “International, interregional cooperation” - the participants talked about the sustainable development of territories. Experience was shared by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to the Russian Federation Nomasonto Maria Sibanda-Tusi, the mayor of the Nordland district of the Kingdom of Norway Soni Alice Steen, the governor of the Murmansk region Marina Kovtun, the president of the Foundation for the Development of Public Diplomacy “Women’s View”, a member of the expert council of the Development Committee women's entrepreneurship "Support of Russia" Veronika Peshkova, head of Samara Elena Lapushkina.
Having discussed all these areas, participants in the international discussion club “Women Governors – Strategy for Efficiency and Development of Territories” adopted a declaration of intent to create a Eurasian Association of Women Regional Leaders.
“Our harmonious neighborhood, dialogue of cultures, humanitarian and economic partnership are a huge resource for peaceful, sustainable development and mutual enrichment of nations. The Eurasian Association of Women – Regional Leaders can become a promising tool for unlocking the potential of such cooperation. It will allow establishing contacts and exchange of practices between leaders of the municipal and regional levels, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs and public leaders, developing the civil society of our countries through the prism of “women’s” public diplomacy,” commented the Governor of Ugra Natalya Komarova on this decision.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development of the Republic of Botswana, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, in turn, noted that the problems raised at the forum are also relevant for other continents. “Your intentions are so large and so noble that they concern all women in the world. The issues discussed here today could work anywhere in the world. I would not limit all this to the Eurasian space, I would like to take part in all this,” said a participant from Africa.
The participants also decided to create an online platform “Eurasian Association of Women – Regional Leaders” on the portal of the Eurasian Women’s Community.
According to the governor of the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug, this association will become a new starting point in the history of relations between the countries represented at the forum and will accelerate other vectors of cooperation.
During the final plenary meeting of the Eurasian Women's Forum, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko noted that the club met for the first time within the framework of the forum and there is hope that next time there will be more participants.
Option 1 and 6
Thanks to legal awareness:
- the number of cases of encroachment on someone else's property decreases, since the material world for a citizen acquires the property of belonging (private, personal and state property);
Instances of encroachment on the life and health of others are reduced, since other people are recognized and protected in their physical integrity and moral dignity by the rules of the law;
Respect for the rights and freedoms of other people, since the individual objectifies and understands his actions and moral qualities in the light of the legal norms of society and its laws.
C5. Individuality- a set of characteristic features and properties that distinguish one individual from another; originality of the psyche and personality of the individual, originality, uniqueness. Individuality is manifested in traits of temperament, character, specific interests, and qualities of perceptual processes.
Individuality is the specific traits of a person that distinguish him from other people.
The concept of individuality includes: intelligence, character, temperament, social differences.
C6. Main disadvantages: unemployment, large gap between rich and poor, inflation.
1.creation of new jobs, retraining of workers, government support for small businesses
2. increase in social tax
3. investment in production
C7. Vertical Social mobility. Descending and ascending. Descending - the actress is forced to work as a waitress. Rising - the main role in the popular film.
1.1 Definition of power.
1.2 The essence of power and its functions
1.3 Types of power
2. Public relations
2.1 Concept and elements of society
2.2 Types and types of relationships in society
3. Political power in society, its functions and properties
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITIONS OF POWER
RELATIONSHIP OF POLITICS AND POWER
POWER STRUCTURE
SUBJECT AND OBJECT OF POWER
FUNCTIONS OF AUTHORITY
CONCEPTS OF POWER
POWER SHARING
AUTHORITY RESOURCES
POLITICAL DOMINATION AND POLITICAL. LEGITIMITY
THE CONCEPT OF POLITICAL DOMINANCE
LEGITIMACY OF AUTHORITY
TRADITIONAL LEGITIMACY
CHARISMATIC LEGITIMACY
LEGAL AND RATIONAL LEGAL LEGITIMACY
MEANS OF GOVERNMENT LEGITIMATION
Option 2
- “The task of entrepreneurs in market conditions is to direct economic actions. They also retain the function of production control.”
Three ways to influence consumer demand
1) change customer preferences using hidden or explicit advertising (new or my product is better and why)
2) influence through a competent pricing policy - using a system of discounts: cumulative, one-time, holding a lottery, using club cards, etc.
3) use of the credit system, bank payment systems
C5 Social control is a mechanism for maintaining social order through the use of authority and sanctions.
- Depending on the means used, there are two types of social control:
informal and formal.
In the broad sense of the word, social control can be defined as the totality of all types of control that exist in society.
ideological (participation in the development of new curricula, new standards of secondary education);
financial (state financing of educational and cultural institutions)
supervision and control in the field of education (inspections of schools, implementation of unified state education);
P.7 Anna Ivanovna’s claims are justified. In this case, there is discrimination on the basis of age (part 1 of Article 64 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation) and Anna Ivanovna’s appeal to the court is lawful, provided that there is a refusal to hire in writing. This case will be considered in civil proceedings. Anna Ivanovna will act as the plaintiff.
C8. The problem of the world's cognition
1) The essence of knowledge
a) Sensual P.
b) Scientific knowledge
c) Knowledge and faith
d) Knowledge and truth
2) The collision of scientific and everyday
a) The influence of the traditional on our knowledge (religion, experience of generations, traditions...)
b) Science-based facts
3) Conclusion: Ways to solve the problem of the cognizability of the world
Option 3, 5
C3 Examples of dialogue between cultures
Days of France (England, Ukraine, etc., etc.) in Russia;
Various exhibitions of foreign art;
- “Russian Seasons” in Paris.
C5 Taxes, mandatory payments levied by the state from legal entities and individuals.
Taxes can be direct and indirect.
Taxes arose with the division of society into classes and the emergence of the state.
C6 Signs of ethnicity:
Language (Mikhail’s native language is Russian)
Culture (M.’s family is very fond of the pagan holidays of the Slavs)
Territory of residence (Mikhail managed to establish that his ancestors from time immemorial lived in Russia)
C7. - the executive branch will be headed by the government;
Management of the country's foreign policy;
The government will be responsible to parliament and partly to the president.
From 8. Plan “Employment contract in the Russian Federation”
1. The concept of an employment contract.
2. Conclusion of an employment contract.
3.1. Employer
3.2. Worker
3.3. Contract term
3.4. Employment test
3.5. Salary
3.6. Working hours and rest time
4. Termination of the employment contract
5. Features of regulation of labor relations of certain categories of workers.
5.1. Seasonal workers
5.2. Temporary workers
5.3. Part-time labor
5.4 Homeworkers
Option 4
Are emerging(After the rehabilitation of my grandfather, it became a tradition in the Ivanov family to visit the memorial on the Day of Remembrance of Victims of Political Repression)
Are being imposed(Decree of Peter the Great on the celebration of the New Year)
C4 according to the text
C5 The political elite is a privileged group that occupies leadership positions in power structures and is directly involved in making the most important decisions related to the use of power.
The political elite is a selected part of society that determines public policy.
There is a distinction between the highest political elite, which makes decisions that are significant for the state; middle, involved in the preparation and implementation of decisions; administrative, intended for executive activities, but in reality having a great influence on politics.
Own F. Acquired a new computer
enjoy Now F. makes precise drawings on the computer
Dispose of During the holidays, F. allowed his friend to use it
In this case, the social environment acts as a determining factor in personality development.
ENVIRONMENT is the social, material, spiritual, natural conditions surrounding a person of his existence, formation and activity, as well as the totality of people connected by the commonality of these conditions.
Two additional factors
HEREDITARY is the genetic program of biological characteristics that a child receives from his parents at birth.
EDUCATION is a purposeful pedagogical process of organizing and stimulating the active activity of the personality being formed to master the entirety of social experience.
Just like thousands of years ago, the world cannot do without strife and wars, only now their local nature can transform into a global conflict that can cover the entire globe. A dialogue of cultures, as exemplified by countries that have joined forces against global terrorism, will help prevent danger.
Dialogue and culture
Let's understand the concepts. Culture is everything that humanity creates in the material world and in the spiritual sphere. It undoubtedly unites people, since it uses the same “codes” characteristic of Homo sapiens as a species. For example, in the cultural baggage of all peoples there is an understanding of such concepts as beginning and end, life and death, good and evil, encrypted in myths and creativity. On these common points of contact between different cultures, their dialogue is built - interaction and cooperation, the use of each other’s achievements. As in any conversation, in the dialogue of national cultures there is a desire to understand, exchange information and indicate one’s own position.
Ours and others
Often people judge the culture of another people from the point of view of superiority. The position of ethnocentrism is characteristic of both the West and the East. Even ancient Greek politicians divided all the people of the planet into primitive barbarians and exemplary Hellenes. This is how the idea was born that the European community is a standard for the whole world. With the spread of Christianity, pagans became a despised part of society, and the truth was considered the prerogative of believers.
A vile product of ethnocentrism is xenophobia - hatred of other people's traditions, thoughts and views. Examples of dialogue between cultures, as opposed to intolerance, prove that relationships between peoples can be civilized and fruitful. In the modern world, the process of dialogue is becoming more intense and diverse.
Why is dialogue needed?
Cooperation not only contributes to the creation of a global culture, but also sharpens the uniqueness of each of them. Interaction allows us to solve global planetary problems together and saturate our spiritual space with the achievements of other ethnic groups.
The modern understanding of the dialogue of cultures takes into account the fact that today, thanks to the Internet, every person has a unique opportunity to satisfy the hunger for information and get acquainted with the world's masterpieces.
What is the problem?
Being participants in various kinds of intercultural relations, people differ quite greatly in terms of customs, languages, national clothing, cuisine, and norms of behavior. This makes contact difficult, but the real problem lies elsewhere.
The fact is that each person tends to perceive another through the prism of his own, familiar and understandable. By perceiving other civilizations through the framework of our own, we narrow the possibility of dialogue between cultures. Example: the alien world of the pygmies living in the equatorial forests of Africa, which is alien to the European, makes him look down on this people. And only scientists closely involved in the study of pygmy tribes know how amazing and “advanced” their culture is and to what extent they coexist harmoniously with the planet than the so-called civilized people. The sad thing is that communication obstacles are most often unconscious.
Is there a way out? Undoubtedly! Effective cultural interaction between peoples is possible if it is studied purposefully and patiently. It is necessary to understand that to be a cultured people, as well as such a person, means to have a developed sense of responsibility and morality.
Eastern and Western models: action and contemplation
Nowadays, the dialogue between the cultures of the West and the East has acquired particular significance. The first is focused on technology and the dynamic, active development of all areas of life, the second model is more conservative and flexible. If we use gender formulas, we can say that Eastern culture is similar to the feminine principle, and Western culture resembles the male type of perception of reality. Western mentality is characterized by a division of the world and concepts into black and white, hell and heaven. In the Eastern tradition, the world is understood as “all in all.”
Russia between two worlds
Russia is a kind of bridge in the dialogue between the cultures of East and West. It unites both traditions and acts as a mediator between them. Cultural scientist and philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin believed that this mission could lead to one of three outcomes:
1. Cultures develop a single common position based on synthesis.
2. Each culture retains its originality, and through dialogue is enriched by the achievements of the other side.
3. Realizing the fundamental differences, they refrain from interaction, but do not quarrel or fight.
Does Russia have its own cultural highway? Our country's place in contradictory cultural contacts has been viewed differently in different eras. In the middle of the century before last, the Slavophile and Westernist views on this problem clearly stood out. Slavophiles considered Russia's path to be special, linking this exclusivity with deep religiosity and emotionality. Westerners argued that the country should take on the richest achievements of Western civilization and learn from it.
During the Soviet era, the cultural identification of Russia completely acquired a political, class connotation, and the conversation about its own path became irrelevant. Today it has resumed and demonstrates precisely the very example in the dialogue of cultures that requires a thoughtful and conscious understanding of the value of mutual acceptance in order to preserve peace.
