Ideas about the future in the collective consciousness of Russians

Abstract

The article discusses the interpretation of the image of the future in the views of Russians. Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of the formation of the image of the future in conditions of political instability. It is shown that citizens' ideas about the future of their loved ones and the state are influenced by current social problems and contradictions. However, we are not talking about the mechanical transfer of actual experiences of respondents to an idealized future. The factors determining the complex and multi-stage process of constructing the image of the future in the public consciousness are revealed. It is shown that trust in political institutions and state power is one of the main factors in the process of forming a relatively consistent and positive image of the future. The reasons for the weak reaction of society to various types of threats, including corruption and social inequality, are analyzed. Ideological concepts and the stereotypes that have manifested themselves in recent years in the minds of Russian citizens. The role of mass media in the construction of collective ideas about threats to the existence of the state in the medium term is noted. The evolution of conservative political attitudes in the mass consciousness under the influence of the official political narrative is traced. The fact of the growth of anxiety and alarmist ideas about the near future in various social groups is noted, as a psychological reaction of individuals to incomplete information about the ongoing political changes in society. At the same time, there is an obvious trend towards preserving democratic institutions and values that modern Russian society is not going to abandon. The article is descriptive and abstract in nature. The method of secondary analysis is applied. The conclusions are based on the publications of the Institute of Socio-Political Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1992-2022 , and according to the data of the All-Russian monitoring "How are you living, Russia?" (1992-2022), a comprehensive sociological study "Forecasts and alternatives for the development of Russia through the eyes of Russians" (2021). On the basis of the conducted research, criteria are identified that ensure the reproduction of stereotypical ideas about the future in the analyzed social groups. The study of the features of the formation of the image of the future can be useful for making political decisions aimed at the development of the state-political system, the improvement of civil society and the consolidation of modern Russian society based on the adoption of national values and ideals. The factors hindering the construction of a holistic image of the future in present-day Russia are considered. The relevance of the studied topic is explained by the fact that the analysis of the structural features of the formation and functioning of collective ideas about the future of the state contributes to the understanding of complex socio-psychological processes.