Myths and media. Myths and stereotypes as the basis for manipulation in the media Mechanisms of formation of modern myths in the media

Religious Studies and Mythology

Consider the socio-psychological mechanisms of suggestion through the formation of myths, stereotypes, and rumors. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that all this is happening before our eyes, and we do not notice it. The books by Sergei Kara-Murza “Manipulation of Consciousness” and Tkachenko S.V. “Information War against Russia” tell in detail about the management of public consciousness through the media.

Federal Agency for Railway Transport

Siberian State Transport University

Department of Philosophy and Cultural Studies

Mythology and modernity

Abstract on the discipline "Philosophy"

Head Developed

Professor student gr. Mpm-112

Bystrova A.N. ____________ Bushuev E.A.

(signature) (signature)

_____________ ____________________

(date of inspection) (date of submission for inspection)

year 2013

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………….3

CHAPTER I . LACK OF WILL IN MODERN SOCIETY…4

CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………….7

BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………………………..8

INTRODUCTION

Mythology - (from Greek mythos legend, legend, story). Mythology is not only a collection of myths, that is, tales created by folk imagination, but it reflects phenomena of nature and social life. Myths intricately combined elements of realistic knowledge about reality, artistic images, moral norms, and religious ideas.

But also the type of functioning of cultural programs, which presupposes their perception by individual and mass consciousness. Man is a social being. As Aristotle said, only gods and animals can live outside society. The individual is the ideal idea of an isolated person that developed in the 17th century with the emergence of modern Western society. The Latin word individual itself is a translation of the Greek word, which in Russian means indivisible. In practice, the myth of the individual is not feasible; a person arises and exists only in interaction with other people and under their influence. A child raised by wild animals (such cases are known and studied. He is not a person and cannot survive in human society. Even a child isolated by his mother from other people does not become a person. This means that the behavioral program inherent in us biologically is not sufficient for us to be human. It is supplemented by a program written in cultural signs.

The purpose of the study is to consider the socio-psychological mechanisms of suggestion through the formation of myths, stereotypes, and rumors. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that all this is happening before our eyes, and we do not notice it. The books by Sergei Kara-Murza “Manipulation of Consciousness” and Tkachenko S.V. “Information War against Russia” tell in detail about the management of public consciousness through the media.

Changes at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries affected almost all spheres of public life in developed countries: politics, economics, and law. The transition to an information society, the processes of globalization and the policy of multiculturalism, the global economic crisis, the wave of revolutions and wars, international terrorism and the confrontation between the “West” and the Muslim world these and other trends in social development directly affect the spiritual sphere, it is not without reason that many scientists talk about a split social consciousness, a crisis of worldview, the destruction of the value system of society and the individual. The media also played an important role in these processes.

CHAPTER I . LACK OF WILL IN MODERN SOCIETY

The media today are actively creating a unified information space, participating in socialization processes, and serving as one of the main channels for obtaining information. The focus and nature of the materials determines what views, stereotypes, opinions and types of worldviews the population will develop. The media are one of the most influential institutions involved in shaping public consciousness. However, the mass media do not always have a positive impact on society: many researchers have paid attention to manipulation through the media, believing that their main role in modern conditions is not so much informational as ideological.

Today, the media use a fairly wide range of methods of influencing public consciousness, among which are means of emotional influence (media violence, intimidation), changing the content of information (distortion, concealment of information, manipulation of the time and place of its presentation, hoax).

One of the most effective methods of influencing consciousness is mythologization purposeful introduction of socio-political myths fictitious models of reality into the public consciousness. Sergei Georgievich Kara-Murza describes the principle of the action of myth in the public consciousness as follows: “Introduced into the consciousness of people and deeply entrenched there, a myth is capable of replacing reality for a long time (if certain prerequisites are present). As a result, the recipient perceives it in accordance with the interpretation of the myth and acts based on this perception. Myth relieves the recipient of the need to think hard and comprehend the world around him. A person no longer needs to understand the world; he takes a ready-made product, a myth about the world.”

Myth in modern society performs a number of functions. First of all, it complements the lack of knowledge when it is necessary to explain incomprehensible phenomena of socio-political life; in addition, it performs other functions: axiological (orientation towards values dictated by myth), integrating (unifying individuals into society), compensatory (the function of consolation), ideological (formation of worldview), normative and regulatory (influence on behavior). The implementation of these functions in society can be both positive and negative.

An important aspect of mythologization is the impact on the historical memory of society. Historical memory is the most important component of an individual, a social group and society. It includes historical symbols and prototypes that provide information about the past.

The introduction of myths into the consciousness of the masses and individuals is facilitated by the low educational level of the population, a pliable political environment, lack of knowledge about the socio-political system, information overload, trust in the media and authorities, and reluctance to comprehend the events of reality and the information received. In addition, modern society is quite fragmented, and this significantly impedes the restoration of historical memory, which interferes with the mythologization of mass consciousness.

An important fact is that the consciousness of the masses contains elements of both the conscious and the unconscious. Mass consciousness by its nature is predisposed to belief in myth.

The process of mythologizing consciousness is most effective when it is directed not at an individual, but at a mass - the consciousness of the masses does not have reason, therefore its management is based on knowledge of the structure of myths and the prototypes underlying them. When they can be quietly introduced into the consciousness of the masses, as the cultural-information apparatus does, myths acquire enormous power because most people are unaware of the manipulation that is taking place. In this case, the manipulator is the government, the political elite, while through the media the authorities try to impose certain meanings on society and the masses, induce them to take action, increase their authority or, conversely, reduce the political weight of their opponents.

This scheme is especially relevant during the election period: the media, in order to please a certain political force, create such an image, the image of a candidate, that can have the most positive impact on the population. The political struggle is won by those who managed to induce the majority of voters through various media channels to make a choice in their favor.

A socio-political myth can also be developed by various commercial organizations seeking to expand markets, increase their influence, win competition or maximize profits. In the case of the last goal maximizing profits we recall the myth of the new influenza A (H1N1), an epidemic, successfully implanted in the consciousness of the masses almost all over the world. In no time at all, the media spread this myth around the world, and pharmaceutical companies made huge profits.

One of the methods of information warfare is aimed at distorting historical memory: if people forget reality, then any problem can be presented using a myth.

Another myth aimed at weakening Russia is the myth of “Russian barbarism.” It is based on the idea that Russia is an uncivilized country in which tyranny has flourished and continues to flourish, that it remains medieval in the morals and spirit of the people, and that Russian people are wild by nature. This myth originated in Europe and still exists today, without changing the basic idea. The myth of “Russian barbarism” not only functions successfully in the minds of Western societies, but is also being introduced into Russian societies, causing great harm to them.

The political life of modern Russia depends entirely on the media. The art of forming obsessive images and manipulating public consciousness has reached such a level that it makes it possible to shape the views and political preferences of people. The activities of the media are almost completely controlled by the state. In a democratic society there are also elements of propaganda. For successful indoctrination, a number of methods are used that shape the political culture and political consciousness of society.

Today, Russian society can hardly be called democratic, because the principles of a democratic state are not observed in it. The population is little involved in the political process, political decisions are made by the state elite and public opinion is often used as a factor of pressure on the masses. Most members of society do not consider their opinion decisive and remain passive.

Various techniques used for manipulation purposes were developed in Germany during the First World War. For example, radio broadcasts used sound techniques that artificially enhanced the aggressive mood of the crowd. All Hitler's speeches were accompanied by music from operas. Heavy, complex music had an overwhelming effect on listeners. The technique of “infection effect” of people in the crowd with a special emotional state was also used. Radio broadcasts of parades, marches, and rallies were carried out to whip up mass psychosis. According to the mechanism of behavior in a crowd, a person, becoming part of the crowd, falls under the power of emotions.

Another example is the mechanism for creating an “enemy image”. The enemy must be different (of a different nationality), he must be aggressive, and he must be defended against. It is necessary to introduce only bad information about the enemy and create barriers to positive information.

CONCLUSION

Obtaining information today has become as necessary a human need as many natural needs. The average person is exposed to media for several hours a day, and this figure is only increasing every year. Unfortunately, most people perceive facts without thinking about their reliability. Today, the media and some other public institutions can turn any event into a show that can lead to significant political events. Numerous manipulations lead to the fact that it is not the most worthy who wins, but the most cunning one, who did not skimp on dirty and vile methods to achieve the goal.

Methods of political manipulation are constantly being improved, its role in modern society is becoming greater every year. If earlier manipulation was used mainly within the state, with the aim of seizing, implementing and maintaining power, today manipulation methods are actively used at the international level.

Thus, today the media are an important part of the political system, exerting a significant influence on the development of the political life of modern society.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

S.G. Kara-Murza “Manipulation of Consciousness.” M.: Eksmo, 2009.

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Recent research has revealed those mythical structures of images and behavior that the media use in their influence on society and groups. This phenomenon is especially typical for the USA. Comic book characters are modern versions of mythological or folkloric heroes. They embody the ideal of a significant part of the general public to such an extent that the various vicissitudes of their fate, and especially their death, cause real shocks among readers; they send thousands of telegrams and letters to the authors and editors of newspapers and magazines with protests. A fantastic character, a superman has become extremely popular thanks to the duality of his personality: having been transported to Earth from a planet that disappeared as a result of a catastrophe, the superman lives under the mask of a modest journalist Clark Kent. He is modest, inconspicuous, his colleague Loyse Lane is constantly ahead of him. In this mask of modesty of a hero with truly limitless possibilities, a well-known mythological theme is reproduced. If we talk about the essence, the myth of Superman satisfies the secret desires of modern man, who, aware of himself as disadvantaged and weak, dreams that one day he will become a “hero”, an exceptional person, a “superman”.

The same can be said about a police novel; on the one hand, we find ourselves here witnessing a struggle between good and evil, between a hero (detective) and a criminal (the modern incarnation of a demon). On the other hand, the reader is unconsciously involved in the process of identification, he participates in drama and mystery, he has a feeling of personal involvement in an action that turns out to be both dangerous and “heroic.”

It has also been proven how, with the help of the mass media, the mythologization of personalities occurs, their transformation into an image that serves as an example. “Lord Warner tells us in the 1st part of his book Life and Death about the origin of a character of this type. Biggie Muldoon, a policeman from Yankee City, becomes a national hero, as he turns out to be a spokesman for the bright opposition to the aristocrats from Hill Street, so much so that the press and radio make him a demigod. He appears as a crusader from the people, rushing to storm the fortress of wealth. Then, when the public grew tired of this image, the media helpfully turned Biggie into a scoundrel, a corrupt cop exploiting society's misfortunes to his advantage. Warner shows that the real Biggie differs significantly from one image and the other, but he is forced to change his behavior in accordance with one image and reject the other."

Mythological behavior is also revealed in the obsessive desire to achieve “success”, so characteristic of modern society and expressing a dark and unconscious desire to go beyond the limits of human capabilities. This is reflected in the exodus to the “suburbs,” which can be interpreted as nostalgia for the “original perfection” and in an extreme predilection for the “cult of the sacred chariot.” As Andrew Greeley notes, “You only have to visit the annual car show to understand that this is a real religious ritual. Flowers, lighting, music, respect from admiring visitors, the presence of temple priestesses (mannequins), glitter and luxury, extravagance, multitudes of people - all this in another culture could be called a real liturgical service (...). The cult of the sacred car has its followers and its initiates. The Gnostic did not wait any more impatiently for the revelation of the oracle than a car enthusiast awaits the first reports of new models. It is during this period of the annual seasonal cycle that the importance and role of clergy - car sellers - increases, and the restless crowd impatiently awaits a new savior."

Less attention has been paid to a kind of elite myths, in particular those associated with artistic creativity and its reflection in culture and society. Let us clarify first of all that myths have become entrenched in a narrow circle of initiates, mainly due to the inferiority complex of the public and official authorities in the field of art. The aggressive misunderstanding on the part of the public, critics and officials towards artists such as Rimbaud and Van Gogh, the negative consequences that the lack of attention to innovative movements from impressionism to cubism and surrealism had on collectors and museums, served as a harsh lesson for critics, the public, booksellers, collectors and museum administrators. Currently, they have only one fear: to miss out, not to notice a new genius, not to recognize a future masterpiece in a completely incomprehensible work. Never, it seems, has it been so clear that the more insolently and defiantly an artist presents himself, the more incomprehensible, absurd and inaccessible he is, the more he is recognized, treated kindly, and spoiled. In some countries, a kind of inside-out academicism, avant-garde academicism, has even emerged, so much so that an artist who does not take this new conformism into account risks going unnoticed or being pushed aside by competitors.

The myth of the damned artist, dominant in the 19th century, is now outdated. In the USA, first of all, but also in Western Europe, the artist is most benefited by arrogance, impudence and defiant behavior. He is required to be strange, unlike anything else, and to create only “completely new things.” A permanent revolution is currently taking place in art. It’s not even enough to say that everything is allowed: every innovation is proclaimed in advance and equated with the genius of Van Gogh or Picasso; anyway, we are talking about torn posters or a tin can signed by the artist.

The significance of this cultural phenomenon is all the more obvious because for the first time, perhaps in the history of art, there is no longer any tension between the artist, critics, collectors and the public. Complete and general agreement reigns, even before a new work appears, before an artist still unknown to anyone is discovered. Only one thing is important: in no case should we allow a situation to arise where we would have to admit one day that we did not understand the new artistic experience, that we missed the new genius.

Regarding this mythology of modern elites, we will limit ourselves to only a few comments. Let us first note the redemptive function of the concept of “inaccessibility” as it manifests itself in contemporary art. If the elite admire Finnegans Wake, atonal music or Tachisme, it is because these works represent closed worlds, hermetic universes, which can be penetrated only at the cost of enormous efforts, comparable to the tests that initiates go through in primitive societies. On the one hand, the feeling of “initiation” remains, which has almost disappeared in modern society. On the other hand, in the eyes of “others”, in the eyes of the “mass”, one advertises one’s belonging to some secret minority, not to the “aristocracy” (the modern elite gravitates towards left-wing parties), but to a gnosis that is at the same time eternal, permanent and spiritual, opposing both the official values and the traditional Church. Through a cult of extravagant and incomprehensible originality, the elite marked a break with the banal, bourgeois world of their parents, while simultaneously rebelling against modern philosophies of despair.

In essence, the hypnosis of the inaccessibility and incomprehensibility of a work of art betrays the desire to discover a new, secret, previously unknown meaning of the world and human existence. There is a desire for “initiation”, a desire to find the hidden meaning of this destruction of artistic language, of all these “original” experiences that at first glance have nothing to do with art. Torn posters, empty canvases, holes perforated by a knife or burnt “objects of art” exploding during the opening day, improvised performances where actors draw lots: who should give lines - all this should matter, as well as some incomprehensible words from “Finnegans Wake” for initiates acquire a variety of meanings and amazing beauty when it is discovered that they come from words of modern Greek or Swahili, which are enriched with hidden hints of possible puns if pronounced loudly and quickly.

Of course, all genuine revolutionary experiences of modern art reflect some aspects of a spiritual crisis or simply a crisis of knowledge and artistic creativity. But what is primarily of interest to us is the fact that the “elite” sees in the extravagance and incomprehensibility of modern works the possibility of a kind of knowledge of initiation. It is like a “new world” that is being reconstructed from debris and mysteries, a world that exists only for a narrow circle of initiates. But the prestige of difficulty in understanding and incomprehensibility is so great that the general public very soon becomes involved in this process and proclaims its complete agreement with the discoveries of the elite.

The destruction of artistic language was carried out by cubism, dadaism, surrealism, dodecaphonism and “concrete music”, Joyce, Beckett, Ionesco. Only epigones can carry out further destruction. As we said in the previous chapter, real artists do not want to create from rubble. Everything leads us to the conclusion that the reduction of the “artistic universe” to the original state of materia prima, the first matter, represents only a moment in a more complex process. As in the cyclical concepts of primitive societies, “Chaos”, the regression of all forms to the first forms of materia prima, is followed by a new creativity, similar to cosmogony.

The crisis of contemporary arts does not interest us in itself. It is worthwhile, however, to dwell on the role of literature, especially epic literature associated with mythology and mythological behavior. It is known that the epic and the novel, like other literary genres, continue, in a different way and for other purposes, the mythological narrative. In both cases, events are told that take place in a more or less fictitious past. This is not the place to describe the long and complex process that transformed the “mythological matter” into the “plot” of the epic narrative. Let us emphasize, however, that narrative prose and, in particular, the novel in modern societies have taken the place of mythological stories and fairy tales in primitive societies. Moreover, it is legitimate to talk about the “mythical” structure of some modern novels; it can be argued that many significant mythological themes and characters will receive new life in literary guise (this is especially true with regard to the theme of initiation, the theme of the trials to which the hero-redeemer is subjected, his battles with monsters, mythological themes of women and wealth). Taking all this into account, we can conclude that the modern predilection for the novel expresses a penchant for “mythological stories” that are desacralized or only hidden in secular forms.

Another significant fact: the need for “stories” and narratives that could be called paradigmatic, since they unfold according to the traditional model. No matter how serious the crisis of the modern novel, the need to plunge into “other” universes and follow the vicissitudes of “history” seems to be inherent in man and therefore ineradicable and ineradicable. Its essence is difficult to define; here the desire to communicate with “others”, “unknowns”, to share their dramas and hopes, and the need to know what could happen are expressed. It is difficult to imagine a person who would not succumb to the charm of a “story,” a narration about significant events that happened to people who have, as it were, a “double reality” of literary characters who simultaneously reflect the historical and psychological reality of members of modern society and have the magical power of creative fiction. But “going beyond Time”, carried out through reading - in particular novels - is what most closely brings together the functions of literature and mythology. Of course, the time that is “lived” when reading a novel is not the same time that in archaic societies is integrated, collected into one whole when listening to a myth. But in both cases there is an “exit” from historical and personal time and an immersion into fictitious, transhistorical time.

The reader enters the sphere of imaginary, alien time, the rhythms of which are changeable to infinity, since each story has its own time, specific and exclusive. The novel does not have access to the primordial, original time of myths, but to the extent that it narrates a plausible story, the novelist uses time, as it were, historical, but taken in an expanded or collapsed form, a time that, therefore, has all the freedom of imaginary worlds . In literature, more than in other arts, there is a noticeable rebellion against historical time, a desire to discover and find other temporal rhythms than those within which we are forced to live and work. One may ask whether this desire to go beyond one's own, historical and personal time and to immerse oneself in a time that is "alien", ecstatic or imaginary, will ever disappear. As long as this desire exists, we can say that modern man still has at least to some extent the rudiments of “mythological behavior.” The features of such mythological behavior are also found in the desire to find the intensity with which we experienced or are learning something for the first time: in the desire to find the distant past, the blissful time of the “beginnings.”

As one would expect, this is the same struggle against time, the same hopes of throwing off the weight of “dead time” that oppresses and kills.

The central media, as one of the most powerful tools for the unstructured management of social processes at the state level, can ultimately be oriented in two directions:

or strive to provide the audience with the most objective and relevant information, both necessary for life and ensuring the development of horizons and raising the moral level of society;
or create an information background that will contribute to the degradation of information consumers, as well as create a favorable environment for all kinds of deception and manipulation in various spheres of public life.

In the second case, the managerial essence of the media is hidden as much as possible and replaced with false goals of self-financing, the pursuit of ratings, mandatory pluralism, and so on.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the main methods of forming a chaotic (kaleidoscopic) worldview among a mass audience and established information myths, the dominance of which in the information field ensures the use of central media mainly in the second scenario.

Myths underlying manipulation

The myth of neutrality

To achieve the greatest success, manipulation should remain invisible. This requires a false reality where its presence will not be felt. It is important that people believe in the neutrality of basic social institutions:

Honesty and impartiality of government and its constituent parts. Corruption and deceit are justified by human weaknesses. The institutions themselves are beyond suspicion.
People must believe that the media only reports events and opinions, and does not shape them.
Science (which is closely related to economics) is also supposedly neutral and objective.
The education system from primary school to university level, according to the manipulators, is free from directed ideological influence.

All these myths are designed to convince the population that no private views can have a dominant influence on the decision-making processes in the country.

The Myth of Media Pluralism

The illusion of information choice is based on the fact that people are willing to mistake the abundance of media for a variety of content. Information monopolies offer only one version of reality - their own. But when similar opinions come from different sources, it creates the idea of uncontrolled, free and natural information. Choice is truly impossible without diversity, but if in fact there are no objects to choose from, then the choice is either meaningless or manipulative in nature (when the illusion is created that it makes sense). We squander our freedom of choice on a lot of meaningless decisions (what show to watch, what washing powder to buy - and they are all very similar), but the really important things remain hidden from our attention all the time.

The myth of the absence of social conflicts

Manipulators, while painting a picture of life within the country, deny the existence of social conflicts. All attention is diverted to other problems - the desire to climb up the middle class, the image of an external enemy, etc. The greatest success and support from the media are those films, television programs, books and public shows (Disneyland) that offer a significant portion of violence, but not affect social conflicts. Genuine works that recognize reality are lost in this stream of cliches.

The Myth of Individualism and Personal Choice

Choice and freedom are presented as something desirable and purely personal, individual rights are placed above group rights, and the desire for material wealth in an individual family is encouraged. Orientation towards an exclusively self-centered worldview, when ecological and environmental problems and social differences are ignored, but all attention is directed to increasing the rate of production and consumption. Private property in all spheres of life is considered the norm: no one is surprised by the fact that the healthcare sector, the education system, and cultural institutions are commercial and focused primarily on making a profit, and not on the benefit of the whole society.

The Myth of the Unchangeable Nature of Man

Theories are being promoted that point to the inherently aggressive side of human behavior and the immutability of human nature itself. It is argued that existing conflicts are inherent in a person, and not imposed by social conditions. A popular “scientific” approach is one that measures the evils of society in detail, but ignores important social parameters. Attention shifts to the physical side of life: living conditions, fashion, technical innovations, the possibility of gender reassignment, etc. If suddenly messages appear about favorable changes, possible ways out of the crisis, then they are criticized or ridiculed, people are quickly helped “correctly” interpret such information.

Myths are created to keep people in line. When they can be quietly introduced into the consciousness of the masses, myths gain enormous power, since most people are unaware of the manipulation that is taking place.

Methods of presenting information that form a kaleidoscopic worldview

Fragmentation as a form of communication

To effectively and quietly introduce myths, a special method is used to disseminate information, which can be called fragmentation. News on radio and television is fragmented into numerous unrelated messages; in newspapers and magazines, articles are deliberately broken up by advertising pages. Advertising interferes with equal indifference in all information and entertainment programs, regardless of what is being discussed, reducing all social phenomena to the level of insignificant incidents. People’s already low ability to critically analyze information is completely disabled. A common feature of most central media is the heterogeneity of the material presented and the denial of the relationship between events.

Even children's programs follow a similar commercial model and are interrupted by blocks of advertising. This is explained by the fact that children cannot focus their attention on anything for a long time and need rest. But in practice, gradually increasing the period of time when children concentrate on one thing is a factor in the development of their mental abilities. Discussion programs reduce the importance of the subject of controversy and, through fragmentation, focus attention on disparate points of view and minor details, missing the main point. Even if someone expresses a sensible thought, it will be lost in the subsequent stream of advertising, gossip, intimate scenes, and flat humor. The frankness of the presentation of information and the flow of various criticism create the illusion of freedom of opinion and access to information.

The fragmentation method is used not only by the media. Most of the cultural and educational system carries out atomization, specialization and microscopic division. Subjects and disciplines are arbitrarily and forcibly divided into narrower ones, interdisciplinary relationships are denied: “economics - for economists, politics - for scientists studying political sciences.” Although in reality these areas are inseparable from each other, scientifically this relationship is ignored. As a result, society produces specialists who perfectly understand their narrow topic, but do not have the knowledge to cover global processes in their entirety. Streams of unrelated information cause information overload, while the amount of meaningful information does not increase. Fragmentary information is offered as reliable “information”, which ultimately leads to misunderstanding, and then apathy and indifference.

Immediacy of information transfer

Immediacy is not only associated with the method of crushing, but is also a necessary element for its implementation. Speed of information transfer is not always an advantage. The competition-based system has made information a commodity like everything else. The benefit is to obtain and quickly sell such a perishable product as news. When crises arise, an unfounded atmosphere of hysteria is created. Information flashes and reports from the scene create a feeling of extreme importance, which just as quickly dissipates.

Constantly alternating reports of disasters, military operations, strikes and natural disasters make it difficult to differentiate information by degree of importance and leave no time for analysis and balanced judgments. All attention is focused on current events, and the necessary connection with the past is destroyed. In this case, we are not talking about the technical capabilities of quickly transmitting information, which can play a positive role, but rather about the technique of manipulation, using these capabilities to disperse and deprive of meaning. We simply do not have time to comprehend the events taking place, because this takes time.

An important goal of the manipulative scenario for using the media is the passivity of society

When successfully applied, manipulation inevitably leads to the individual's passivity, to a state of inertia that prevents action. Both the content (myths) and the methods of presenting information have a stultifying effect.

Physical activity decreases: a person is content with watching TV and no longer wants to be a participant in events. He is content with the role of observer. There will be no opposition if necessary. Creators have been replaced by consumers.
An even more dangerous consequence is a decrease in intellectual activity and increased passivity. Feelings that can force you to take active action are lulled to sleep. The viewer knows much more about the lives of fictional characters on the screen than about the fate of real historical heroes and their parents. Knowledge is lost.

Such an effect resembles lulling, does not irritate you, does not force you to react, and frees you from the need to show at least some activity. All means are good: radio, television, cinema, mass entertainment, all kinds of shows. Yes, occasionally there are programs or films that awaken awareness and draw attention to problems of great importance. But there are not many of them, because the goal of manipulators is not to awaken, but to lull concerns about economic and social reality. All events are told as if people have nothing to do with them, cannot change anything, but simply need to be aware of all kinds of events. The line between news with real events and fictional movie plots is blurring: for a passive viewer there is no longer any difference.

Efforts are needed to overcome or at least create a counterbalance to this system that causes passivity and degradation.

1) The primary task is to understand the management function of information media in all its manifestations. Development of analytical and critical abilities among a wide audience, the ability to identify public and unpublicized goals of the media, and evaluate the impact comprehensively.

2) Creativity as a way to awaken awareness. The transition from consumption to creation, the creation and distribution of information content that motivates ideological and moral development.

The article was prepared on the basis of materials from G. Schiller’s book “Manipulators of Consciousness” (Moscow, 1980). The book is a little rethought, because 30 years ago what we are faced with today did not exist. But the prerequisites were already there.

The media, of course, play a significant role in the formation and dissemination of myths. They, transmitting large volumes of information to a huge audience, participate in the formation of public opinion, creating the image of the modern social world and influence both individuals and entire groups, including the masses. Thus, the media “create a favorable environment for the functioning of myths in the mass consciousness” Vasiliev S.S. Mechanisms and levels of introduction of myth into mass consciousness: mass media as an instrument of social myth-making / S.S. Vasiliev // Historical and socio-educational thought. 2009. No. 2. - P.38-47., especially considering that due to its specific nature, the media do not have demographic, social and national boundaries of action.

The principle of how the media works with myths is the same, however, television has long been the main “factory” of myths in Russia, so it should be given more attention. Today, TV, with the help of one of its main political products - television news - has created a virtual, mythological reality that daily influences the mood, actions, and behavior of millions of viewers. News forms a picture of the day, modern reality, and makes viewers believe that only those events that appear on television are happening in the world. At the same time, the selection and presentation of news shape the attitude of society and set assessments of events. This selection and classification of facts allows television news to manipulate the audience and makes it "an effective tool for political and economic influence." Tsuladze A.M. Political mythology. - M., ESKMO. 2003. - 383 p.

Tsuladze even concludes that “television news is myths,” while, in his opinion, “the mythological interpretation of real events is carried out by television so plausibly that the viewer mistakes the myth for reality.” “Television takes over with a surge, pressure, countless repetitions and a change of bright “pictures” Tsuladze A.M. Political mythology. - M., ESKMO. 2003. - 383 p. and, like a kaleidoscope, captivates the viewer. Such hypnosis, Tsuladze believes, makes a person more suggestible, turns off consciousness, removes barriers to the perception of information and imposes its agenda. A person, turning into a consumer of television news, “becomes politically passive and inert, which is what is required to successfully manipulate the consciousness of the audience.” Ibid. And the faster the “kaleidoscope” spins, the more suggestible the TV viewer will become, Tsuladze is sure.

At the same time, having such significant power, Russian television does not allow the viewer to feel good and often creates a gloomy picture of the modern world. Thus, TV carries out a kind of “vaccination” of society: whipping up a negative atmosphere through news leads to depression and passivity of viewers. “Television, splashing streams of “chernukha” onto the audience, suppresses people’s will to resist and critically assess reality. Besides, after watching horror films on television, real life begins to seem not so scary.” Ibid. However, such methods of influence over the course of several years, writes Tsuladze, led to the opposite effect - a dulling of the population’s perception of even truly tragic events.

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