Introduction

Culture is a general concept that covers various classes of phenomena. It is a complex, multi-layered, multi-level whole, including various phenomena. Depending on from what point of view, on what grounds it is analyzed, one or another can be distinguished. structural elements, differing in the nature of the carrier, in the result, in the type of activity, etc., which can coexist, interact, oppose each other, change their status. Structuring culture based on its carrier, we will single out as the subject of analysis only some of its varieties: elite, mass, folk culture. Since on modern stage they receive an ambiguous interpretation, then in this test we will try to understand the complex modern cultural practice, which is very dynamic and contradictory, as well as contradictory points of view. The test paper presents various historically established, sometimes opposing views, theoretical justifications, approaches, and also takes into account certain sociocultural context, the relationship of various components in the cultural whole, their place in modern cultural practice.

And so, the goal test work is to consider the varieties of culture, elite, mass and folk.

culture elite mass folk

Occurrence and main characteristics elite culture

Elite culture, its essence, is associated with the concept of elite and is usually contrasted with folk and mass cultures. The elite (elite, French - chosen, best, selected), as a producer and consumer of this type of culture in relation to society, represents, from the point of view of both Western and domestic sociologists and cultural scientists, the highest, privileged strata (stratum), groups, classes , carrying out the functions of management, development of production and culture. This affirms the division of the social structure into higher, privileged and lower, elite and the rest of the masses. Definitions of the elite in various sociological and cultural theories are ambiguous.

The identification of an elite layer has a long history. Confucius already saw a society consisting of noble men, i.e. minorities, and a people in need of constant moral influence and guidance from these noble ones. In fact, Plato stood in an elitist position. The Roman senator Menenius Agrippa classified most of the population as “draft animals”, which require drivers, i.e. aristocrats.

Obviously, from ancient times, when in the primitive community the division of labor began to occur, the separation of spiritual activity from material activity, the processes of stratification according to property, status, etc. began to stand out (alienate) not only the categories of rich and poor, but also the most significant people in in any respect - priests (magi, shamans) as bearers of special secret knowledge, organizers of religious and ritual actions, leaders, tribal nobility. But the elite itself is formed in a class, slave-owning society, when, thanks to the labor of slaves, privileged layers (classes) are freed from exhausting physical labor. Moreover, in societies different types the most significant, elite strata, constituting a minority of the population, are, first of all, those who have real power, backed up by the force of arms and law, economic and financial power, which allows them to influence all other areas public life, including sociocultural processes (ideology, education, artistic practice, etc.). Such is the slave-owning, feudal aristocracy (aristocracy is understood as the highest, privileged layer of any class, group), the highest clergy, merchants, industrial, financial oligarchy, etc.

Elite culture is formed within the framework of layers and communities that are privileged in any sphere (in politics, commerce, art) and includes, like folk culture, values, norms, ideas, ideas, knowledge, way of life, etc. in the sign-symbolic and their material expression, as well as ways of their practical use. This culture embraces different areas social space: political, economic, ethical-legal, artistic-aesthetic, religious and other areas of public life. It can be viewed on different scales.

In a broad sense, elite culture can be represented by a fairly extensive part of the national (national) culture. In this case, it has deep roots in it, including folk culture, in another, narrow sense, declares itself to be “sovereign,” sometimes opposing the national culture, and to a certain extent isolated from it.

An example of elite culture in a broad sense is knightly culture as a phenomenon of secular culture in the Western European Middle Ages. Its bearer is the dominant noble-military class (knighthood), within which they have developed their own values, ideals, their own code of honor (loyalty to the oath, adherence to duty, courage, generosity, mercy, etc.). Their own rituals were formed, such as, say, the ritual of knighting (concluding an agreement with a lord, oath of allegiance, taking vows of obedience, personal perfection, etc.), ritualized and theatrical holding of tournaments to glorify knightly virtues. Special manners develop, the ability to conduct small talk, play the musical instruments, write poems, most often dedicated to the lady of the heart. Knightly musical and poetic creativity, cultivated in national languages and not alien to folk musical and intonation traditions, constituted a whole trend in world culture, but it faded away with the weakening and departure of this class from the historical arena.

Elite culture is contradictory. On the one hand, it quite clearly expresses the search for something new, still unknown, on the other hand, an orientation toward conservation, the preservation of what is already known and familiar. Therefore, probably in science and artistic creativity, new things achieve recognition, sometimes overcoming considerable difficulties. Elite culture, including areas of an experimental, even demonstratively non-conformist nature, contributed to the enrichment of the ideological, theoretical, figurative and content outline, to the expansion of the range of practical skills, means of expression, ideals, images, ideas, scientific theories, technical inventions, philosophical, social -political teachings.

Elite culture, including its esoteric (internal, secret, intended for initiates) directions, are included in different spheres of cultural practice, performing different functions (roles) in it: informational and cognitive, replenishing the treasury of knowledge, technical achievements, works of art; socialization, including a person in the world of culture; normative-regulatory, etc. In elite culture, the cultural-creative function, the function of self-realization, self-actualization of the individual, and the aesthetic-demonstration function (it is sometimes called the exhibition function) come to the fore.

Instructions

Elite culture includes works different types arts: literature, theater, cinema, etc. Since its understanding requires a certain level of training, it has a very narrow circle of connoisseurs. Not everyone understands the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, the films of Andrei Tarkovsky and Alexander Sokurov. A special type of thinking is required to understand the works of Franz Kafka or James Joyce's Ulysses. The creators of elite culture, like , do not try to achieve high fees. Much more valuable for them is creative self-realization.

Consumers of elite culture are people with a high educational level and developed aesthetic taste. Many of them are creators of works of art themselves or professional researchers of them. First of all, we are talking about writers, artists, art historians, literary and art critics. This circle also includes connoisseurs and connoisseurs of art, regular visitors to museums, theaters and concert halls.

Moreover, works of the same types of art can belong to both elite and mass culture. For example, classical music belongs to elite culture, and popular music belongs to mass culture, Tarkovsky’s films belong to elite culture, and Indian melodramas belong to mass culture, etc. At the same time, there are literary genres, which always belong to mass culture and are unlikely to ever become elitist. Among them are detective stories, romance novels, humorous stories and feuilletons.

Sometimes interesting things happen about how works belonging to elite culture can, under certain conditions, become popular. For example, Bach's music is undoubtedly a phenomenon of elite culture, but if it is used as an accompaniment to a figure skating program, it automatically turns into a product of mass culture. Or quite the opposite: many of Mozart’s works for their time were most likely “ light music"(i.e. could be classified as popular culture). But now they are perceived rather as elitist.

Most works of elite culture are initially avant-garde or experimental in nature. They use means that will become clear mass consciousness several decades later. Sometimes experts even name the exact period – 50 years. In other words, examples of elite culture are half a century ahead of their time.

The term “classical music” is sometimes interpreted extremely broadly. It includes not only creations outstanding composers past years, but also world-famous hits popular artists. However, there is a strictly authentic meaning of "classical" in music.

In the narrow sense, classical music refers to a rather short period in the history of this art, namely the 18th century. The first half of the eighteenth century was marked by the work of such outstanding composers as Bach and Handel. Bach developed the principles of classicism as the construction of a work in strict accordance with the canons in his works. His fugue has become a classical - that is, exemplary - form of musical creativity.

And after the death of Bach, the history of music opens new stage associated with Haydn and Mozart. The rather complex and ponderous sound was replaced by lightness and harmony of melodies, grace and even some coquetry. And yet, it is still a classic: in his creative search, Mozart sought to find the ideal form.

Beethoven's works represent a junction of classical and romantic tradition. In his music there is much more passion and feeling than rational canons. During this period of formation of the European musical tradition, the main genres were formed: opera, symphony, sonata.

A broad interpretation of the term “classical music” implies the work of composers of past eras, which has stood the test of time and has become a standard for other authors. Sometimes classical music means music for symphonic instruments. The most clear (although not widely used) can be considered classical music as author’s, clearly defined and implying execution within a given framework. However, some researchers urge not to confuse academic (that is, squeezed into certain frameworks and rules) and classical music.

In the evaluative approach to defining classics as the highest achievements in the history of music, there is a hidden possibility. Who is considered the best? Can the masters of jazz, The Beatles, be considered classics? The Rolling Stones and other recognized authors and performers? On the one hand, yes. This is exactly what we do when we call them exemplary. But on the other hand, in pop-jazz music there is no rigor of the author's musical text, characteristic of classics. In it, on the contrary, everything is based on improvisation and original arrangements. This is where a fundamental difference lies between classical (academic) music and the modern post-jazz school.

Video on the topic

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What is culture? Definition of the word culture. The meaning of the word culture and photo

There are several types of literature, each of which has its own characteristics. Yes, under classical literature understand works that are considered exemplary for a particular era.

History of the term

Classical is a rather broad concept, since this type includes works different eras and genres. These are generally recognized works, considered exemplary for the eras in which they were written. Many of them are included in the mandatory program.

The concept of classics developed in the last three centuries of antiquity. Then it designated certain writers who, according to various reasons were considered models to follow. One of the first such classics was the ancient Greek poet Homer, the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

In the 5th-8th centuries AD. There were authors of texts who determined the theories and norms transmitted in the learning process. IN different schools this canon differed minimally. Gradually, this list was replenished with new names, among which were representatives of pagan and Christian faith. These authors became cultural treasures, imitated and quoted.

Modern meaning of the concept

During the Renaissance, European writers turned their attention to the authors of antiquity, due to the liberation of secular culture from excessive pressure. The result of this in literature was an era in which it became fashionable to imitate ancient Greek playwrights, such as Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, and follow the canons classical drama. Then the term “” in a narrow sense began to mean all ancient literature.

In a broad sense, any work that created a canon in its genre began to be called classical. For example, there are eras of modernism, eras, realism, etc. There is a concept of domestic and foreign, as well as world classics. So, recognized classics of domestic literature in Russia are considered A.S. Pushkin, F.M. Dostoevsky, etc.

As a rule, in the history of literature different countries and nations there is an age in which artistic literature gained its greatest strength, and such an age is called classical. There is an opinion that the work acquires public acceptance when it carries " Eternal values", something relevant for all times, encourages the reader to think about some universal human problems. Classics remain in history and are contrasted with ephemeral works that eventually fall into oblivion.

A person’s ability to have an emotional and sensory perception of reality and to artistic creativity prompted him to express his experiences figuratively, with the help of colors, lines, words, sounds, etc. This contributed to the emergence artistic culture in a broad sense.

What is included in the concept

Artistic culture is one of the areas public culture. Its essence is a creative reflection of existence (, society and its life) in artistic images. It has important functions such as forming aesthetic perception and people's consciousness public values, norms, knowledge and experience, and recreational function (rest and restoration of people).

As a system it includes:
- art as such (individual and group), works and artistic values;
- organizational infrastructure: institutions ensuring the development, preservation, dissemination of artistic culture, creative organizations, educational institutions, demonstration sites, etc.;
- spiritual atmosphere in society - perception, public interest in artistic and creative activities, art, public policy in this area.

Artistic culture includes mass, folk, artistic culture; artistic and aesthetic sides various types activities (political, economic, legal); regional artistic subcultures; artistic subcultures of youth and professional associations, etc.

It manifests itself not only in art, but also in everyday life and in material production, when a person gives expressiveness to the practical and utilitarian objects he creates and, realizing his need for aesthetics and beauty, in creativity. Besides material sphere and physical objects, it also concerns the spiritual sphere.

Artistic culture in the narrow sense

The core of artistic culture is professional and everyday art. This includes Tip 6: Who are geishas, one of which is the word “man”, the other is “art”. Already from the etymology of the word, you can guess that geishas are not Japanese courtesans. For the latter, there are separate words in Japanese - joro, yujo.

Geisha mastered being a woman perfectly. They lifted the spirits of men, creating an atmosphere of joy, ease and emancipation. This was achieved through songs, dances, jokes (often with erotic overtones), tea rooms, which were demonstrated by geishas in men's companies along with casual conversation.

Geishas entertained men both at social events and on personal dates. There was also no place for intimate relationships at the one-on-one meeting. A geisha can have sex with her patron, who took her virginity. For geisha, this is a ritual called mizu-age, which accompanies the transition from apprentice, maiko, to geisha.

If a geisha gets married, then she will leave the profession. Before leaving, she sends her clients, patron, and teachers with a treat - boiled rice, thereby informing them of the severance of communication with them.

In appearance, geisha are distinguished by their characteristic makeup with a thick layer of powder and bright red lips, which make the woman’s face look like a mask, as well as an old-fashioned high, fluffy hairstyle. The traditional geisha wears a kimono, the main colors of which are black, red and white.

Modern geisha

It is believed that geisha appeared in the city of Kyoto in the 17th century. The quarters of the city where the geisha houses are located are called hanamachi (“ flower streets"). There is a school here where, from the age of seven or eight, they are taught to sing, dance, conduct a tea ceremony, play the national Japanese instrument shamisen, conduct a conversation with a man, and are also taught to make up and put on a kimono - everything that a geisha should know and be able to do. .

When in the 70s years XIX century, the capital of Japan was moved to Tokyo, and noble Japanese, who made up the bulk of the geisha's clients, also moved there. Geisha festivals, which are held regularly in Kyoto and have become its hallmark, were able to save their craft from the crisis.

After World War II, Japan was taken over by popular culture, leaving Japanese culture on the margins. national traditions. The number of geishas has decreased significantly, but those who have remained faithful to the profession consider themselves guardians of true Japanese culture. Many continue to fully follow the ancient way of life of the geisha, some only partially. But being in the company of a geisha still remains the prerogative of the elite segments of the population.

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Geisha world

Elite or high culture long years remains incomprehensible to most people. This explains its name. It is created and consumed by a narrow circle of people. Most people are not even aware of the existence of this form of culture and are unfamiliar with its definition.

Elite, folk and mass - are there any similarities?

Folk art is the founder of any other cultural movement in general. Her works are created by nameless creators, they come from the people. Such creations convey features of each time, the image and lifestyle of people. This type of art includes fairy tales, epics, and myths.

Mass culture developed on the basis of folk culture. It has a large audience and is aimed at creating works that will be understandable and accessible to everyone. It has less value than any other. The results of its activities are produced in large volumes, they do not take into account the refined tastes or spiritual depth of people.

Elite culture is created by professionals for a specific circle of people with a certain level of education and knowledge. She does not seek to win the sympathy of the masses. With the help of such works, masters seek answers to eternal questions, strive to convey depth human soul.

Over time, works of high creativity can be appreciated by the masses. Nevertheless, going to the people, such creativity remains the highest level in the development of any type of art.

Features and signs of elite culture

The best way the differences and characteristics of elite works of art can be seen in their comparison with mass ones.

All signs elite art are contrasted with mass or folk ones, which are created for wide range spectators. Therefore, its results often remain misunderstood and unappreciated by most people. Awareness of their greatness and significance occurs only after more than one decade, and sometimes even a century.

What works belong to elite culture

Many examples of elite works are now known to everyone.

The group of people for whom such masterpieces of art are created may not stand out old name, nobility of the family and other differences that in everyday speech characterize the elite. It is possible to understand and appreciate such creations only with the help of a certain level of development, a set of knowledge and skills, and a pure and clear consciousness.

Primitive mass creativity will not be able to help in developing the level of intelligence and education.

It does not touch the depths of the human soul, it does not strive to understand the essence of existence. It adapts to the requirements of the time and desires of the consumer. That is why the development of elite culture is very important for all humanity. It is precisely such works that help even a small circle of people preserve high level education and the ability to appreciate truly beautiful works of art and their authors.

Concept elite denotes the best. Exists political elite(part of society with legitimate power), economic elite, scientific elite. German sociologist G.A. Lansberger defines the elite as a group that significantly influences decisions on key issues of a national nature. UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld believed that the elite is that part of society that is able to bear responsibility for the majority of people. Ortega y Gasset believed that elite- this is the most creative and productive part of society, possessing high intellectual and moral qualities. In the context of cultural studies, we can say that it is in the elite sphere that the foundations of culture and the principles of its functioning are formed. Elite- this is a narrow stratum of society that is capable of generating in its consciousness values, principles, and attitudes around which society can consolidate and on the basis of which culture can function. Elite culture belongs to a special social stratum with rich spiritual experience and developed moral and aesthetic consciousness. One of the variants of elite culture is esoteric culture. The concepts themselves esoterics And exoterics came from Greek words esoterikos – interior And exoterikos – external. Esoteric culture is accessible only to initiates and absorbs knowledge intended for a select circle of people. Exotericism presupposes popularity and accessibility.

Society's attitude towards elite culture is ambiguous. Culturologist Dr. Richard Steitz (USA) identifies 3 types of people’s attitudes towards elite culture: 1) Estatism- a group of people who are not the creators of elite culture, but they enjoy it and appreciate it. 2) Elitism– consider themselves to be an elite culture, but treat mass culture with disdain. 3) Eclecticism– accept both types of crops.

One of the factors that aggravated the need of nineteenth-century society to separate elite culture from mass culture is associated with the rethinking Christian religion, which proposed those norms and principles that were accepted by all members of society. Refusal of the norms of Christianity meant the loss of a meaningful single ideal of absolute perfection, an absolute criterion of holiness. There was a need for new ideals that could stimulate and guide social development. As a matter of fact, the split in people's minds about the value of a common Christian culture meant the splitting of society into social groups, cultures, subcultures, each of which adopted its own ideals, stereotypes and norms of behavior. Elite culture, as a rule, is opposed to mass culture. Let us highlight the main features that characterize both types of culture.

Features of elite culture:

1. Constancy, that is, the products of elite culture do not depend on historical time and space. Thus, Mozart’s works from the moment of their creation are examples of classics at all times and in any state.

2. The need for spiritual work. A person living in an environment of elite culture is called to intense spiritual work.

3. High requirements for human competence. In this case, what is meant is that not only the creator, but also the consumer of the products of elite culture must be capable of intensive spiritual work and be sufficiently well prepared in the art historical sense.

4. The desire to create absolute ideals of perfection. In an elite culture, the rules of honor and the state of spiritual purity acquire central, pronounced significance.

5. Formation of that system of values, those attitudes that serve as the foundation for the development of culture and the center of consolidation of society.

Features of popular culture:

1. Possibility of conveyor production of crop-related products.

2. Satisfying the spiritual needs of the majority of the population.

3. The opportunity to attract many people to the social and cultural life.

4. Reflection of those patterns of behavior, stereotypes and principles that prevail in the public consciousness for a given period of time.

5. Fulfillment of political and social orders.

6. Incorporation into the mental world of people of certain patterns and patterns of behavior; creation of social ideals.

It is important to take into account that in a number of cultural systems the concept of elite culture is conditional, because in some communities the boundary between the elite and the masses is minimal. In such cultures it is difficult to distinguish mass culture from elite culture. For example, many fragments of everyday life receive the academic status of a “source” only if they are remote from us in time or have an ethnographic-folklore character.

In the modern world, the blurring of the boundaries between mass and elite culture is so destructive that it often leads to the devaluation of cultural property for subsequent generations. Thus, pop culture has affected all spheres of life, creating such phenomena as pop ideology, pop art, pop religion, pop science, etc., involving everything from Che Guevara to Jesus Christ in its space. Pop culture is often perceived as a product of culture economically. developed countries, capable of providing themselves with a good information industry and exporting their values and stereotypes to the environment of other cultures. When it comes to developing countries, pop culture is often considered an alien phenomenon, certainly of Western origin, with very destructive consequences. Meanwhile, the “third world” has long had its own pop culture, which affirms, albeit in a somewhat simplified form, the cultural identity of non-European peoples. This is the Indian film industry and kung fu films, Latin American songs in the Nueva Trova style, various schools popular print and pop music. In the 70s, a passion for reggae music arose in Africa, and at the same time the associated “Rastafari movement” or “Rastafari culture” arose. In the African environment itself, a passion for pop culture products sometimes blocks the rooting and spread of the norms of elite culture. As a rule, its fruits are better known in European countries than in those where they were produced. For example, the production of original colorful masks in Africa is focused mainly on selling them to tourists, and some of the buyers are more familiar with cultural meaning of these exotic masks, rather than those who profit from their sale.

Difficulties in distinguishing the line between elite and mass cultures sometimes lead to the development of a sectarian movement, when a person asserts dubious ideals as meaning-forming ones in the life of society. This is clearly illustrated by the example of the “Rastafari movement”. It is difficult to determine what it is: a messianic sect, or a folk religious movement, or a cult, or a movement for cultural identity, or a surrogate of Pan-African ideology, or a political anti-racist movement, or Negritude “for the poor,” maybe a slum subculture lumpenism or youth fashion? Over the past 60 years, Rastafari (Rastafarianism, more often simply “Rasta”) has gone through amazing, even incredible metamorphoses.

Rastafarism arose as a sect that deified the Ras (local ruler) Tafari Makonnen (hence the name of the sect), who was crowned on November 2, 1930 under the name of Haile Selassie (“the power of the Trinity”). The sect arose in Jamaica in the early 30s, but in the 60s its adherents appeared among young people of color in the USA, Canada and Great Britain. In the 70s, it turned into a pop religion, and then simply into youth fashion, thereby causing a boom among the urban youth of the African continent. Despite the fact that “Rasta” came to Africa from the outside, it turned out to be long-awaited, filling a certain spiritual vacuum.

The first scholar to conduct field research on Rastafarian sects was sociologist of religion George Eaton Simpson, author of many works on cults of African origin in the Caribbean. Based on the materials of his observations in 1953-1954. he tried to describe the cult from the point of view of functionalism in sociology. Simpson considers the sect a tool for relieving frustration and adapting the minority to dominant culture indirectly - through the refusal of benefits inaccessible to the social lower classes. The description of the cult itself is given in passing, generally boiling down to five main points: Haile Selassie is a living god; Haile Selassie is omnipotent, even nuclear energy is subject to him; blacks are Ethiopians, a new incarnation of the ancient Jews; the gods of the Romans were wooden idols, the British consider God to be a spirit, incorporeal and invisible, but in fact God is alive and in the world - this is Haile Selassie; heaven and paradise are a lie, the black man's paradise is on Earth, in Ethiopia. Noting the “militantly anti-white rhetoric” of the cult, Simpson considers it completely peaceful, and the verbal belligerence is designed to relieve socio-psychological tension. In general, Simpson defines Rastafari as a counterculture, which, however, turns into a subculture.

The essence of the Rastafari ideas is as follows: Haile Selassie I, Lion of Judah, King of Kings, etc. - a descendant of the house of Solomon, the next incarnation of God, the deliverer of the chosen race - the black Jews. This is how Rastafarians interpret the history of the Jewish people as set out in the Old Testament: this is the history of Africans; Jews with light skin are impostors, posing as God's chosen people. For their sins, the black Jews were punished by slavery in Babylon. Pirates under Elizabeth I brought blacks to America, that is, to Babylon. Meanwhile, God has long forgiven his chosen people; they will soon return to Zion, which means Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is seen as the black man's paradise, America is hell, and the church is a tool of Babylon to deceive black people. Deliverance awaits them not in heaven, but in Ethiopia. Weakness or lack of elite culture can lead to such sectarian movements.

Middle culture

Concept middle culture was introduced by N.A. Berdyaev. The essence of this culture is the search for form and meaning human existence between extreme oppositional life attitudes, for example, God exists And There is no god. This concept of a middle-ground culture is essentially an attempt to find a place for a person between extreme beliefs. It is common for an individual to always choose one of these extremes, and the choice itself is inevitable for a person. The Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset writes in his work “The Revolt of the Masses”: “To live means to be forever condemned to freedom, to forever decide what you will become in this world. And decide tirelessly and without respite. Even when we abandon ourselves to chance, we make a decision – not to decide.” The main choice a person makes is when deciding about his essence, who he will be. An active understanding of this peculiarity of people became an important feature of the culture of the Renaissance, when society tried to build the world not according to divine laws, but also not according to demonic ones, but exclusively on the basis of human ones. In Europe in the 15th century, this idea was expressed by Mirandola in the treatise “Speech on the Dignity of Man.” The Thinker writes: “We do not give you, O Adam, neither your place, nor a certain image, nor a special duty, so that you have a place, a person, and a duty according to at will, according to your will and your decision. The image of other creations is determined within the limits of the laws we have established. You are not constrained by any limits, you will determine your image according to your decision, into the power of which I will leave you.” The last part of this quote emphasizes not only the possibility free choice person, but also that the image that he takes will become decisive for his essence, his train of thought. In other words, the individual himself will choose what will have power over him. If a person establishes himself in a reasonable spiritual form, then he will follow reasonable requirements, but accepting a demonic quality will make the individual dependent on the dark principle. Meanwhile, the choice is inevitable, because a person, having two natures: potency (potenzia) and activity (atto) - cannot help but strive to take on some form. In Russia, the dilemma of oppositional concepts, as a rule, was designated by the concept divine And demonic and was repeatedly reflected in the works of many Russian philosophers. So, F.M. Dostoevsky in his novel “The Brothers Karamazov” writes: “A man who is even superior in heart and has a lofty mind, begins with the ideal of the Madonna, and ends with the ideal of Sodom. It’s even more terrible for those who, with the ideal of Sodom in their souls, do not deny the ideal of the Madonna...” This kind of attitude is largely explained by the dogma of Orthodox doctrine, according to which man is called to become like God through the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. However, if we admit deification, then, therefore, likening to a demon is also possible.

Following Russian philosophical thought and Russian culture as a whole, it is appropriate to note that an average culture is impossible for a human society that has achieved statehood. As noted by A.P. Chekhov, “...between “there is a God” and “there is no God” there lies a whole enormous field, which a true sage traverses with great difficulty. A Russian person knows one of these extremes, but the middle between them is not interesting to him, and it usually means nothing or very little.”

Elite culture has rather blurred boundaries, especially nowadays with the tendencies of mass elements to strive for the expression of individuality. Its peculiarity is that it is doomed to be misunderstood by most people, and this is one of its main characteristics. In this article we will find out elite culture, what its main characteristics are and compare it with mass culture.

What it is

Elite culture is the same as “high culture”. It is contrasted with mass culture, which is one of the methods of its detection in the general cultural process. This concept was first identified by K. Mannheim and J. Ortega y Gasset in their works, where they derived it precisely as the antithesis of the concept of mass culture. They meant by high culture one that contains a core of meaning capable of developing human individuality, and from which the continuation of the creation of its other elements can follow. Another area that they highlighted is the presence of special verbal elements accessible to narrow social groups: for example, Latin and Sanskrit for clergy.

Elite and mass culture: contrast

They are contrasted with each other by the type of impact on consciousness, as well as by the quality of the meanings that their elements contain. Thus, the mass one is aimed at a more superficial perception, which does not require specific knowledge and special intellectual efforts to understand the cultural product. Currently, there is an increased spread of popular culture due to the process of globalization, which, in turn, is distributed through the media and is stimulated by the capitalist structure of society. unlike elitist, it is intended for a wide range of people. Now we see its elements everywhere, and it is especially pronounced in programs television channels and cinema.

Thus, Hollywood cinema can be contrasted with arthouse cinema. Moreover, the first type of film focuses the viewer’s attention not on the meaning and idea of the story, but on the special effects of the video sequence. Here, high-quality cinema implies an interesting design, an unexpected but easy-to-understand plot.

Elite culture is represented by arthouse films, which are assessed by different criteria than Hollywood products of this kind, the main one of which is meaning. Thus, the quality of the footage in such films is often underestimated. At first glance, the reason for the low quality of filming is either the lack of good funding or the amateurism of the director. However, this is not so: in arthouse cinema, the function of video is to convey the meaning of an idea. Special effects can distract from this, so they are not typical for products of this format. Arthouse ideas are original and deep. Very often, in the presentation of a simple story, a deep meaning is hidden from a superficial understanding; the real tragedy of the individual is revealed. While watching these films, you can often notice that the director himself is trying to find the answer to the question posed and studying the characters as he shoots. Predicting the plot of an arthouse movie is almost impossible.

Characteristic high culture

Elite culture has a number of characteristics that distinguish it from mass culture:

Its elements are aimed at displaying and studying the deep processes of human psychology.
It has a closed structure, understandable only to extraordinary individuals.
It is distinguished by original artistic solutions.
Contains a minimum of visual aids.
Has the ability to express something new.
It tests what may later become a classic or trivial art.