Tina Mosiakina
National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA), Kyiv.
ORCID ID 0000-0002-4727-8099
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37627/2311-9489-26-2024-2.180-188
Keywords: myth, ideology, mediocrity, personality cult, cultural practices, sacred, resentment, dehumanization.
Abstract.
In this article, we consider the new cult of personality on the example of russian president. The purpose of the article is to reveal the connection between the personality cult of vladimir putin and mediocrity.
We use analytical and phenomenological methods to identify the features of the life-world of a certain personality type. We outline the main features of the leader of a totalitarian cult, namely, numerous taboos, the creation of an aura of mystery, the sacralization of the leader, as well as space and time. We prove the connection with totalitarian and fascist systems. We describe today’s features of such a cult, and also make a comparison with the cults of previous totalitarian regimes.
In the work, we also single out the main processes thanks to which it was possible to create a successful cult of personality on russian soil. We also outline the main features of the followers of this cult. We emphasize that the main driver of violent practice is the concept of resentment, which has been modified in the modern russian situation.
We describe the general characteristics of the latest ideological regime and their connection with the cult of nothingness and ontocide. We also consider the specificity of myth-making in the ideology of the russian federation, its peculiarity and relationship with religion as such. In the latter, actually, the mythopoetic is destroyed.
We show the connection between mediocrity and the new personality cult, as well as the psychological characteristics of the followers of such a cult. We find that existential fear, lack of freedom, and conformity to a totalitarian regime are defining features of mediocrity. We conclude that both the leader of the cult and his supporters fall under the category of “mediocrity”.
Authors Biography.
Tina Mosiakina, Ph.D. Student, department of Cultural Research, faculty of Humanities, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA), Kyiv.
References:
Anspach, M. R. (2017). Vengeance and the Gift. The Palgrave Handbook of Mimetic Theory and Religion. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. 549 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53825-3_8
Barthes, R. (1993). Mythologies, Vintage. 158 p.
Bataille, G. (1989). The psychological structure of fascism. Hermes, La Revue, 2 (№ 5–6), pp. 137–160.
Burkalo, V. (2023). The Russian imperial matrix, its self-reproduction and overcoming. Regional studies, No. 35. Pp. 7–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2663-6170/2023.35.1 (in Ukrainian)
Buyan, V. (2011). Political myth and ideology. State and law. Vol. 52. Pp. 716–721. (in Ukrainian)
Demchuk, R. (2017). Current myths of imperial identity. Actual problems of the history, theory and practice of artistic culture. Vol. 39. Pp. 63–74. (in Ukrainian)
Demchuk, R. (2022). Fake sexual narrative in the information war. Scientific notes of NaUKMA. History and theory of culture. № 5. Pp. 81–86. (in Ukrainian)
Eco, U. (1995). Le fascism eternal. Retrieved from https://www.yvespatte.com/2020/09/le-fascisme-eternel-un-article-dumberto-eco-1995
Ellul, J. (1973). Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes. New York: Vintage. 320 p.
Giorgadze, G. (2013). Existential fear as an ontological precondition of mediocrity. Bulletin of NTUU “KPI”. Philosophy. Psychology. Pedagogy. Issue 3. Pp. 3–9. (in Ukrainian)
Girard, R. (1972). La violence et le sacre. Editions Bernard Grasset. 456 p.
Haslam, N. (2006). Dehumanization: An Integrative Review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(3), pp. 252–264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1003_4
Minkowski, E. (1951). La mediocrite. Tijdschrift voor Philosophie, 13de Jaarg., Nr. 2, June 1951, pp. 226–235.
Morenchuk, A., & Morenchuk, A. (2023). Political and psychological origins of the aggressiveness of Putin’s ideology. All-Ukrainian political readings named after Professor Bohdan Yarosh. Issue 12. Pp. 103–110. (in Ukrainian)
Mosiakina, T. (2020). The concept of kenosis in the formation of iconological thinking. Retrieved from https://ekmair.ukma.edu.ua/handle/123456789/27866 (in Ukrainian)
Nikolayenko, N., & Zakharov, D. (2017). Essential characteristics of a political myth. Bulletin of the Donetsk National University. Political science series. No. 2. P. 30–33. (in Ukrainian)
Pocheptsov, G. (2024). Totalitarian man. Essays on totalitarian symbolism and mythology. Spirit and Letter. 176 p. (in Ukrainian)
Sedakova, O. (2011). Mediocrity as a social danger. Retrieved from https://polit.ru/articles/kultura/posredstvennost-kak-sotsialnaya-opasnost-olga-sedakova-ob-opasnosti-normalnogo-myshleniya-2022-03-12/ (in Russian)
Shevtsov, S. (2023). Thanatocentricity of the “Russian world”: the optics of Hannah Arendt. Scientific and theoretical almanac “Grani”, 26(3). Pp. 45–53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15421/172347 (in Ukrainian)
Shumylo, S. (2024). “Ordinary fascism”: analysis of theses about Russia’s “holy war” against Ukraine and the West. Retrieved from https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/zvychaynyy-fashyzm-rozbir-tez-pro-svyashchennuyu-voynu-rosiyi/32890534.html (in Ukrainian)
Siebers, T. (1988). The Ethics of Criticism. Cornell University Press. 264 p.
Sperling, V. (2015). Sex, Politics, and Putin. Political legitimacy in Russia. Oxford Univestiy Press. 310 p. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199324347.001.0001
Published:
Section: .