Russian and Japanese Mass Culture: Comparative Value-Semantic Analysis.
The study of the complex of mass culture values applied to different national cultures gives both unique and universal ideas of mass culture. Russia and Japan were under the mutual influence at the beginning of the 20th century, but in Japan all borrowings resulted in the absorption of the very essence of its national culture. As for this process in Russia it led to the loss of its own cultural traditions which turned out to be rather specific. The stability of Japanese culture is based on its obvious explicitness, emphasized collectivity and eventually the responsibility of the society. The specificity of the ideal of beauty in both mass cultures is brought to the focus. The contrast is obvious as in the East Asia the preferences of inner elegance over the outward beauty which is typical of Russia give stability to the Japanese culture, while for Russia going into extremes has become more characteristic. Mass culture under the circumstances of globalization in post-information society presupposes clear and outspoken identity. Mass culture is a stage in the development of human civilization in general, and “elite” or “truly national” culture is only its sector.
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Issue: 7, 2006
Series of issue: Humanities (Philosophy and Cultural Science)
Rubric: Philosophy and Theory of Culture
Pages: 87 — 92
Downloads: 1687