The solution to the demographic problem of Russia
Alexander Shokhov
A solution to the demographic problem of Russia.
This text was written by the author as a response to the work “DEMOGRAPHIC DOCTRINE OF RUSSIA. Project for Discussion ”, published in the International Scientific-Practical Interdisciplinary Journal“ REFLEXIVE PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT ”no. 2, t. 5, 2005. p. 5-14.
Probably, any text written by a group of authors cannot but contain contradictions. The “Demographic Doctrine of Russia” is an excellent illustration of this thesis. So on page 5, the authors state:
“It is impossible to overcome the demographic catastrophe by ordinary measures, based on stereotypical ideas about the causes of the unprecedented decline in the birth rate and the increase in mortality.
First of all, it should be assumed that the number of children in a family is not determined by low material support (income, housing size, etc.). ”
At the same time, after three pages, the authors write:
“Starting from the birth of the third child, each family should be allocated to a special category of persons of strategic state importance, and each member of a large family should be assigned a personal allowance in the amount of the average wage, and mothers should have a spacious house or other optimal housing and personal salary the amount associated with the number of children (for example, three children - 30 thousand rubles, four children - 40 thousand rubles, etc.). "(ibid, p. 8)
“Overcoming the demographic catastrophe requires compulsory and guaranteed state provision of every young family with high-grade housing for raising children” (ibid., P. 8)
However, the page earlier part of the group of authors, which has not lost the original thesis, states that “The basis of the project and theory can be the hypothesis that Wilhelm Abel and Michael Postan exist in the history of the demographic cycles. They not only described, using the history of Europe and China as an example, a paradoxical increase in population in certain epochs, but also put forward the idea that a seemingly unexpected and amazingly rapid population growth is associated with culture and is determined by so-called great or fundamental discoveries. ” (ibid p. 7)
However, not at all with the aim of finding contradictions in a foreign text, I began to write my own text. The solution of the demographic problem of Russia, from my point of view, follows from simple and obvious considerations, as obvious as the process of making children.
For this, it is not at all necessary to transfer the capital of Russia to the Far East (as suggested by the authors of the above document on p.11) or to pay each woman for the birth of her second child 250 thousand rubles, mentioned by V.Putin in the message to the Duma of 2006 and since become a kind of "talk of the town".
For this, it is not even necessary to make a fairy tale come true that “The special vocation and mission of Russia is to cultivate the principle of personality. It is this principle that is the fundamental discovery that allows a civilizational shift of universal significance in Russia and the organization of a demographic “explosion” or demographic “wave” in the next half century.
This principle establishes that the highest reality of each person is his personality, whose dignity and status are autonomous and cannot be violated by any state or social institution, another person ”(ibid., P.9).
I would like to ask the respected authors, they generally write about Russia here? When in Russia could the personality and dignity of a person not be violated by a state or social institution? Long time in the queues did not stand in bureaucratic offices? Haven't you collected demeaning packages of documents for any reason? Or did they not show a passport for a long time to valiant police officers on Moscow street, risking to appear in a monkeyhouse at the slightest suspicion of disloyalty to petty, but not knowing the limitations of the power of carriers of uniforms?
ESSENCE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM IN PART OF THE GROWTH OF GROWTH
It is completely obvious to us that financially having children is not profitable. And no state subsidies and promises can change this. Not a single respectable and self-respecting person will start a child just because he receives financial support from the state.
Moreover, the Russian state must also manage to get any kind of real financial assistance (not illusory and not miserable, but real and concrete, in the form, for example, of banknotes).
At the same time, women decide to have an abortion or do not decide to get pregnant at all, based very often on financial considerations.
Consequently, there is a simple, albeit paradoxical, logical construction:
FINANCIAL BIRTH OF CHILDREN - ALWAYS LOSS.
IF CHILDREN ARE BORN, THEN IN A SUPPORTING MOST OF CASES, THIS IS HAPPENING NOT FOR FINANCIAL REASONS.
At the same time, the rejection of the birth of children is very frequent for financial reasons.
The question that we have to answer to solve the demographic problem in terms of the growth of the birth rate, therefore, does not lie at all in the plane of financial considerations or reasons. On the contrary, it lies in the plane of considerations of fundamentally non-financial.
In the area of financial considerations lies the question of rejecting children.
Thus, by developing a solution to the demographic problem, based solely on the promise of material benefits and financial bonuses to young families and women in labor, the state does not solve the problem of BIRTHING children, but only partially alleviates the financial problems that prevent children from being born.
Strictly speaking, reducing the influence of the reasons for which they refuse to give birth to children only reduces the number of birth failures among couples who already want to have children. However, these measures do not increase the number of couples who want to have children.
From our point of view, it is necessary to fully increase the influence of precisely those factors that contribute to the emergence of the desire to have children from as many loving couples as possible.
The question is, under what conditions will young families start having children, forgetting about the inevitable financial difficulties? What circumstances can push the financial reasons for not giving birth to children to the second plan and to the forefront to put forward non-financial reasons for the birth of children?
This is the formulation of the problem, having solved which, we solve the demographic problem of Russia.
CONCEPT OF SOCIAL MOTIVATIONAL FIELD
Imagine the consciousness of the participants in the process of childbirth (men and women who love each other and want to start a family and have children) as consisting of four subsystems.
1. Logical arguments (including financial calculations).
2. Emotional states, feelings and affections.
3. Social patterns of behavior enshrined in upbringing and culture, and endorsed by the social environment.
4. Biological and biosocial programs that determine the motives for the actions and decisions of men and women.
At the level of logic, the birth of children looks like a troublesome and expensive matter, like the emergence of responsibility for the health, well-being, material support, upbringing and education of children. All this at a time when you can enjoy life, while you are young and full of energy and spend the money you earned only for your own pleasure.
Of course, it is possible to soften these arguments by the size of state social payments, however, as we see, logical arguments concern not only and not so much the financial side of the issue. Logically, children are not needed by young people.
What can convince them to act contrary to the logic just described? From our point of view, three other subsystems can work on this in the model of consciousness of men and women: emotions and feelings, social patterns of behavior, biological and biosocial programs.
People make serious life decisions based on the motives that exist in their consciousness or in the unconscious. If a person has a motive, he builds the appropriate logic, experiences the corresponding emotions, finds social patterns of behavior confirming the motivation of his motivation. Motives are the driving force through which a person begins to make decisions and act. In turn, motives do not arise without a reason. There are conditions and incentives that contribute to the emergence of motives. To the internal conditions, of course, include the biological and social programs of man. External conditions will be considered as a holistic impact on the human personality. We will call this complex of influences a social motivational field.
The social motivational field configures the motives that have arisen as a result of a person’s biological and social programs, after which logic, emotions and cultural patterns become the content of human life.
Let us consider how the social motivational field functions on the example of mass culture works, for example, feature films.
How do you think that films such as “True Lies”, “Home Alone”, “Beethoven”, “Addams Family” unite? It is not difficult to catch a resemblance: these are films about family values, about how important a family is to a person. Their heroes are family people.
In American cinema, there are plenty of other famous films in which the characters are lonely: “A Letter to You,” “Cards, Money, Two Barrels”, “The Matrix”, “Harry Potter”, “Terminator”. However, in all these films (except “Cards, money, two trunks”), the characters want to have a family and in one form or another find it.
Of course, there are such heroes as James Bond, who will never have a family, there are Tarantino heroes who, to put it mildly, are far from family ideals. And these films are no less popular than those listed above. However, films in which the idea of the value of a family is unobtrusively presented are numerous and loved by many viewers.
In this way, through popular culture, the social motivational field pushes people to implement their social and biological programs, to achieve what they want, teaches people to be happy and tells them what true happiness is.
Remember, when was the last time a cash film was shot in Russia, the characters of which are family people or people who are looking for and eager to find family happiness? Neither the “Boomers”, nor “Dozory”, nor the life of Mr. Fandorin described in detail evoke thoughts about family and family values. On the contrary, the idea is being held that the family is rather dull and ordinary. But real life is far from the hearth.
Of course, the reader can challenge the opinion of the author. And who in our time can convince examples? But take a look at your own heart, reader.
IF YOU ARE UP TO 35 YEARS OLD, READ THE FOLLOWING SET OF APPROVALS AND RATE ON A 100-SCALE SCALE, IN ANY DEGREE YOU AGREE.
A man is happy when he is free. When he can, at his own discretion, manage his time and money earned, when he can buy a good car, computer equipment, not deny himself little weaknesses, and at the same time be an authoritative and respected person. A woman takes away freedom and all its advantages, giving in return a heap of duties and a minimum of pleasure. Of course, a woman can give birth to children, but children are even more trouble ... Of course, they are needed ... But it is better that they appear later.
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Of course, when a man becomes over 35, he begins to argue differently. More and more often, thoughts of a lonely old age appear, envy of comrades who have got families in time, the desire to have children ... However, by this age a man is already experienced enough to build relationships with a woman and not to restrict her freedom, even if her partner doesn't know about it . That is, the family for a man after 35 is often not valuable in itself: it is only a compromise, to which he deliberately and prudently goes.
IF YOU ARE A WOMAN, READ THE FOLLOWING SET OF APPROVALS, AND RATE ON A 100-SCALE SCALE, HOW MUCH YOU AGREE.
I need a man whom I can love and from whom I want to give birth to children. And we need him to earn enough to provide for our family and children. I want him to be attentive, gentle that he confessed his love every day, that he treat my parents well, appreciate me and love the way I am. I want him to be faithful to me, and that all my friends and all my acquaintances envy me.
===
If you, without being distrustful, agree to 70% or more with a set of statements describing your motivational attitudes, then let me summarize: the formulas for the happiness of men and women differ significantly. This distinction easily explains the statistics of divorces that occur during the first year of joint marriage.
Let me also note that such “formulas of happiness” are formed by the very virtual substance that we called the social motivational field. Everyone knows that women love to watch TV shows, family sagas and read "women's" stories in magazines. Men, on the other hand, assimilate other attitudes from the surrounding social motivational field: and these attitudes concern freedom, independence, wealth, respect for others, and ... loneliness.
CONCLUSION. The social motivational field in modern Russia is not properly configured, so it does not awaken in people those biological and social programs that lead them to marriage and childbirth. And this is the true demographic problem of Russia.
THE DECISION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM OF RUSSIA IN PART OF THE GROWTH OF FERTILITY
First of all, it is necessary to destroy in the mass consciousness the already formed notion that on the issue of the birth of children the leading role belongs to financial factors. This requires the demonetization of the consciousness of Russian citizens in terms of the relationship between a man and a woman and issues related to the creation of a family.
For the past twenty years, the stereotype of prioritizing financial criteria in making vital decisions has been firmly established in the public mind of Russians. In other words, if a certain decision does not entail immediate, quick and tangible financial gain, it is better to postpone it “for later”. This particular consequence of the wild “market” relations introduced into society in the era of restructuring and dismantling the remnants of the Soviet economy, “taught” Russian citizens to count money in the first place.
Of course, having children is a vital decision. Like marriage. As the official registration of marriage. The stereotype that prioritizes financial considerations encourages young people to abandon these steps.
The task of demonetization of thinking is solved by the installation in the mass consciousness of plots, stories and characters that make decisions and act not on the basis of financial considerations, but because they are prompted by love, conscience or devotion to some idea.
The installation of new stereotypes of this kind in the mass consciousness is a task solved through cinema, modern music of all styles, through literary works, video clips, talk shows and publications in youth magazines.
Actually, through the same means of mass communication, one can install any other ideas, in particular, concerning the priority of the emotional (sensual) sphere in the life of an individual as opposed to the idea of material well-being, power and position in society, which consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally, installed by the owners and authors of these media today.
Love as a romantic experience that can dramatically change a person's life, faded. In today's reality, love, if it exists in the mass consciousness, then only as a feeling inherent in the young and carefree. However, is love exhausted by it? But what about love inside the family, love that changes a person already at a quite mature age? But what about the love of children, which often encourages a person to change his life?
The charm of family life is not at all an accent of today's mass culture. All stories about love in the cinema and in the novels, as a rule, end with a wedding, and what happens after the wedding usually remains outside the framework of the narratives.
The image of a beautiful and attractive woman in the mass consciousness is primarily the image of a young and unmarried woman. And the beauty of married or pregnant women is again left out of the mass culture. Raising children and the joys of motherhood and fatherhood also remain, mainly, beyond its framework.
Accordingly, young people do not form priorities related to family life and raising children. They sincerely do not understand (and they have nowhere to get this understanding), what do they get by going for financial sacrifices and burdening themselves with family and parental responsibilities.
Materialism has recently become the main priority of the mass consciousness. We understand by this that for the most part people will not do anything if they do not have a very specific material motive for action.For the sake of ideas, spiritual values, abstract beliefs, ethical or moral principles, very few actions are being performed today. For some reason, it is believed that spirituality and religiosity are synonymous. And this leads to the fact that in everyday life there is no longer any place for ideas, spiritual values and beliefs. As, however, often ethics and morality. It turns out that ethics, morality and spirituality are in the temple. And in everyday life materialism and sober reign reign. Meanwhile, without the installation in the mass consciousness of the idea of the priority of spirit over matter, it will be difficult to count on the demonetization of the thinking of Russian citizens, on the fact that they perform actions for love, for children, for family, and not for money or career.
It has already reached the point that young people need to be taught family life. Up to the opening of the network of schools for young men, young wives, brides and grooms. In these schools, you can teach men and women to deliver each other, including wonderful erotic pleasures, and to form in their minds a system of concepts and logic that will allow them to better understand their partner and accept it for what it is. This can greatly reduce the number of divorces and reduce the number of single people simply because people will begin to understand each other better. Erotica should not be banned in Russia. How can you count on love between a man and a woman, on the birth of children in a society where the young are taught to be afraid and shy of their own bodies, where a beautiful naked body is considered obscenity? Full of life, beautiful, young body of a pregnant woman,the desire to “become the same as she” spread by women's magazines, which is provocative for all women of childbearing age, can work to solve the problem of fertility much better than any government programs. Please note that today's women's magazines overwhelmingly contain beautiful images of naked and half-naked women who are not pregnant. Accordingly, beauty and pregnancy are fixed in the mind as things unrelated to each other. A man who loves a pregnant woman, showing tenderness and care for her ... When did you last see such a hero from TV screens and from the pages of magazines? Or maybe books are written about such men? No, no and NO! Men and women are surrounded by images, video frames and advertising slogans, texts and speeches that prepare them for the fact that life is a miracle,it is a process of pleasure and pleasure. However, this is a miracle, these pleasures and pleasures are associated with love and sex, but not with pregnancy, childbirth and the joys of family life.
The social motivational field thus configured generates a social reality in which Russia loses its indigenous population.
So, solving a demographic problem is trivial: it is necessary to configure the social motivational field so that people want to have a family and children. This can be done, and this is also obvious, only through popular culture. However, it is extremely difficult to convince Russian government officials that these ways and methods, apparently not related to the demographic problem and its solution, are in fact more effective than any financial payments to young families. As is almost always, it is much easier to find a solution than to explain the essence of the solution to people on whom its implementation depends. In addition, this solution to the demographic problem runs into quite specific material interests of the heads of departments. After all, if substantial sums are allocated for solving the demographic problem, the question will arisewhat ministries will they be accustomed to? Therefore, any discussion about the methods of solving the demographic problem in Russia is easily transformed into a game of chance “we share budget money,” and the content of the problem being solved is often completely ignored.
THE DECISION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM OF RUSSIA IN PART OF REDUCING MORTALITY AMONG THE ELDERLY AND OLD PEOPLE
It is no secret that people in Russia do not live as long as they could. It can be assumed that early mortality is associated with the lack of an older generation of a healthy and full lifestyle. Sport and physical education among retirees is now perceived more as a mockery of old people, but not at all as a necessity or a means to prolong life.
In the social motivational field today there are simply no old people. They are not in the box office films, they are almost not in popular books. Young shyly look away when they see a helpless old man on the street. Old people themselves often do not live, but survive, because their incomes are very low.
However, early death is not only due to low incomes. Killing is not poverty, killing hopelessness, killing the lack of hope and purpose, the meaning of life. People at any age should be helped to find the meaning of their life, and in fact, this is the purpose of mass culture and art. Do you remember the book of Boethius "Consolation of Philosophy"? Popular culture also acts as a unique means of comforting a person when he loses the purpose and meaning of life. And in particular this is required by the elderly. Of course, only movies and books are not enough.
Of course, there is a religion that attracts the minds and souls of old people. However, does she prepare them for an active and long life? Not!Religion helps them accept the inevitability of death and accept the fact that life is lived.
It is necessary to provide older people with the possibility of social self-realization in such areas that they can do, and offer them concepts of the meaning of life that will give them strength and allow them to motivate themselves for a long and active life. Now the old men are beginning to prepare in advance for death. And they often devote more than one decade of life to this process — precious time that could have been lived very differently.
Not only propaganda capacities, through which mass culture is transmitted today, but also new forms of social organization of the elderly, which will allow them to feel their own significance and value for Russia and for their peers, can play a big role in this. It is not so expensive for the Russian budget to allocate funds to create sports, chess clubs, theater studios, choirs and other forms of social organization for the elderly. Within the state budget, it is necessary to allocate very little money to create centers throughout the country where older people can do yoga, qigong, master massage techniques, do embroidery, knitting, aeromodelling, programming, wood carving,the study of ancient philosophy - yes, anything ... After all, it will allow the elderly and old people to regain their goals and the meaning of life, expand their world, which with age only narrows and becomes impoverished. But the main thing is that the configuration of the social motivational field will begin to change, accommodating the elderly and old people. This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.
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Thus, the solution to the demographic problem exists and is easily detected even with a brief reflection. However, the author is more than confident that the concept of a social motivational field proposed here will not be accepted in Russia by those who decide on the allocation of budgetary funds. The concept of a social motivational field solves a problem as a whole, and in Russia there are features of a management culture that prescribe solving a problem “piece by piece” step by step. These features are partly explained by the caution with which senior officials make decisions (it is important not to substitute yourself in the event that something goes wrong). Partly, these peculiarities of thinking of the highest Russian officials are connected with the established stereotype of solving problems “head on” and necessarily “simple methods”.
In a rough and simplified (almost comic-like) form in relation to the demographic problem, these features of the Russian management culture lead to the following activity algorithm.
1. The population is falling, the nation is aging. Realized the problem.
2. Order to multiply? Will not work.So you have to bribe!
3. Yes, to bribe. But to bribe in such a way as to make it look like a very attractive reward, but not to incur any significant expenses.
4. No effect? We must explain to the people again! Let the media do their best!
5. No effect? What to do? Maybe who is to blame?
6. The guilty are found, convicted and punished. There is no effect. What to do?
7. It is necessary to report on the work done to avoid becoming guilty.
As a matter of fact, all this fuss around the marital bed does not solve the problem, but it creates the appearance of its solution. The listed features of the management culture in Russia make it thoroughly postmodern - when the content is unimportant, the form and the play of forms that flow into each other are important.
If sooner or later someone asks the question “Why did the demographic problem arise in Russia at all?”, Then, after a short thought, he receives a certain answer, and then, naturally, he discovers that this answer, generally speaking, doesn’t Russia does not need.
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Most likely, the Russian government will need several unsuccessful attempts to solve the demographic problem without recourse to the concept of a social motivational field, before this “trial and error” method will still be discovered and implemented. But this may take many years, and the current demographic trends during this time will become irreversible.
November 2006
Literature
1. “DEMOGRAPHIC DOCTRINE OF RUSSIA. Project for Discussion ”, published in the International Scientific-Practical Interdisciplinary Journal“ REFLEXIVE PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT ”no. 2, t. 5, 2005. p. 5-14.
A solution to the demographic problem of Russia.
This text was written by the author as a response to the work “DEMOGRAPHIC DOCTRINE OF RUSSIA. Project for Discussion ”, published in the International Scientific-Practical Interdisciplinary Journal“ REFLEXIVE PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT ”no. 2, t. 5, 2005. p. 5-14.
Probably, any text written by a group of authors cannot but contain contradictions. The “Demographic Doctrine of Russia” is an excellent illustration of this thesis. So on page 5, the authors state:
“It is impossible to overcome the demographic catastrophe by ordinary measures, based on stereotypical ideas about the causes of the unprecedented decline in the birth rate and the increase in mortality.
First of all, it should be assumed that the number of children in a family is not determined by low material support (income, housing size, etc.). ”
At the same time, after three pages, the authors write:
“Starting from the birth of the third child, each family should be allocated to a special category of persons of strategic state importance, and each member of a large family should be assigned a personal allowance in the amount of the average wage, and mothers should have a spacious house or other optimal housing and personal salary the amount associated with the number of children (for example, three children - 30 thousand rubles, four children - 40 thousand rubles, etc.). "(ibid, p. 8)
“Overcoming the demographic catastrophe requires compulsory and guaranteed state provision of every young family with high-grade housing for raising children” (ibid., P. 8)
However, the page earlier part of the group of authors, which has not lost the original thesis, states that “The basis of the project and theory can be the hypothesis that Wilhelm Abel and Michael Postan exist in the history of the demographic cycles. They not only described, using the history of Europe and China as an example, a paradoxical increase in population in certain epochs, but also put forward the idea that a seemingly unexpected and amazingly rapid population growth is associated with culture and is determined by so-called great or fundamental discoveries. ” (ibid p. 7)
However, not at all with the aim of finding contradictions in a foreign text, I began to write my own text. The solution of the demographic problem of Russia, from my point of view, follows from simple and obvious considerations, as obvious as the process of making children.
For this, it is not at all necessary to transfer the capital of Russia to the Far East (as suggested by the authors of the above document on p.11) or to pay each woman for the birth of her second child 250 thousand rubles, mentioned by V.Putin in the message to the Duma of 2006 and since become a kind of "talk of the town".
For this, it is not even necessary to make a fairy tale come true that “The special vocation and mission of Russia is to cultivate the principle of personality. It is this principle that is the fundamental discovery that allows a civilizational shift of universal significance in Russia and the organization of a demographic “explosion” or demographic “wave” in the next half century.
This principle establishes that the highest reality of each person is his personality, whose dignity and status are autonomous and cannot be violated by any state or social institution, another person ”(ibid., P.9).
I would like to ask the respected authors, they generally write about Russia here? When in Russia could the personality and dignity of a person not be violated by a state or social institution? Long time in the queues did not stand in bureaucratic offices? Haven't you collected demeaning packages of documents for any reason? Or did they not show a passport for a long time to valiant police officers on Moscow street, risking to appear in a monkeyhouse at the slightest suspicion of disloyalty to petty, but not knowing the limitations of the power of carriers of uniforms?
ESSENCE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM IN PART OF THE GROWTH OF GROWTH
It is completely obvious to us that financially having children is not profitable. And no state subsidies and promises can change this. Not a single respectable and self-respecting person will start a child just because he receives financial support from the state.
Moreover, the Russian state must also manage to get any kind of real financial assistance (not illusory and not miserable, but real and concrete, in the form, for example, of banknotes).
At the same time, women decide to have an abortion or do not decide to get pregnant at all, based very often on financial considerations.
Consequently, there is a simple, albeit paradoxical, logical construction:
FINANCIAL BIRTH OF CHILDREN - ALWAYS LOSS.
IF CHILDREN ARE BORN, THEN IN A SUPPORTING MOST OF CASES, THIS IS HAPPENING NOT FOR FINANCIAL REASONS.
At the same time, the rejection of the birth of children is very frequent for financial reasons.
The question that we have to answer to solve the demographic problem in terms of the growth of the birth rate, therefore, does not lie at all in the plane of financial considerations or reasons. On the contrary, it lies in the plane of considerations of fundamentally non-financial.
In the area of financial considerations lies the question of rejecting children.
Thus, by developing a solution to the demographic problem, based solely on the promise of material benefits and financial bonuses to young families and women in labor, the state does not solve the problem of BIRTHING children, but only partially alleviates the financial problems that prevent children from being born.
Strictly speaking, reducing the influence of the reasons for which they refuse to give birth to children only reduces the number of birth failures among couples who already want to have children. However, these measures do not increase the number of couples who want to have children.
From our point of view, it is necessary to fully increase the influence of precisely those factors that contribute to the emergence of the desire to have children from as many loving couples as possible.
The question is, under what conditions will young families start having children, forgetting about the inevitable financial difficulties? What circumstances can push the financial reasons for not giving birth to children to the second plan and to the forefront to put forward non-financial reasons for the birth of children?
This is the formulation of the problem, having solved which, we solve the demographic problem of Russia.
CONCEPT OF SOCIAL MOTIVATIONAL FIELD
Imagine the consciousness of the participants in the process of childbirth (men and women who love each other and want to start a family and have children) as consisting of four subsystems.
1. Logical arguments (including financial calculations).
2. Emotional states, feelings and affections.
3. Social patterns of behavior enshrined in upbringing and culture, and endorsed by the social environment.
4. Biological and biosocial programs that determine the motives for the actions and decisions of men and women.
At the level of logic, the birth of children looks like a troublesome and expensive matter, like the emergence of responsibility for the health, well-being, material support, upbringing and education of children. All this at a time when you can enjoy life, while you are young and full of energy and spend the money you earned only for your own pleasure.
Of course, it is possible to soften these arguments by the size of state social payments, however, as we see, logical arguments concern not only and not so much the financial side of the issue. Logically, children are not needed by young people.
What can convince them to act contrary to the logic just described? From our point of view, three other subsystems can work on this in the model of consciousness of men and women: emotions and feelings, social patterns of behavior, biological and biosocial programs.
People make serious life decisions based on the motives that exist in their consciousness or in the unconscious. If a person has a motive, he builds the appropriate logic, experiences the corresponding emotions, finds social patterns of behavior confirming the motivation of his motivation. Motives are the driving force through which a person begins to make decisions and act. In turn, motives do not arise without a reason. There are conditions and incentives that contribute to the emergence of motives. To the internal conditions, of course, include the biological and social programs of man. External conditions will be considered as a holistic impact on the human personality. We will call this complex of influences a social motivational field.
The social motivational field configures the motives that have arisen as a result of a person’s biological and social programs, after which logic, emotions and cultural patterns become the content of human life.
Let us consider how the social motivational field functions on the example of mass culture works, for example, feature films.
How do you think that films such as “True Lies”, “Home Alone”, “Beethoven”, “Addams Family” unite? It is not difficult to catch a resemblance: these are films about family values, about how important a family is to a person. Their heroes are family people.
In American cinema, there are plenty of other famous films in which the characters are lonely: “A Letter to You,” “Cards, Money, Two Barrels”, “The Matrix”, “Harry Potter”, “Terminator”. However, in all these films (except “Cards, money, two trunks”), the characters want to have a family and in one form or another find it.
Of course, there are such heroes as James Bond, who will never have a family, there are Tarantino heroes who, to put it mildly, are far from family ideals. And these films are no less popular than those listed above. However, films in which the idea of the value of a family is unobtrusively presented are numerous and loved by many viewers.
In this way, through popular culture, the social motivational field pushes people to implement their social and biological programs, to achieve what they want, teaches people to be happy and tells them what true happiness is.
Remember, when was the last time a cash film was shot in Russia, the characters of which are family people or people who are looking for and eager to find family happiness? Neither the “Boomers”, nor “Dozory”, nor the life of Mr. Fandorin described in detail evoke thoughts about family and family values. On the contrary, the idea is being held that the family is rather dull and ordinary. But real life is far from the hearth.
Of course, the reader can challenge the opinion of the author. And who in our time can convince examples? But take a look at your own heart, reader.
IF YOU ARE UP TO 35 YEARS OLD, READ THE FOLLOWING SET OF APPROVALS AND RATE ON A 100-SCALE SCALE, IN ANY DEGREE YOU AGREE.
A man is happy when he is free. When he can, at his own discretion, manage his time and money earned, when he can buy a good car, computer equipment, not deny himself little weaknesses, and at the same time be an authoritative and respected person. A woman takes away freedom and all its advantages, giving in return a heap of duties and a minimum of pleasure. Of course, a woman can give birth to children, but children are even more trouble ... Of course, they are needed ... But it is better that they appear later.
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Of course, when a man becomes over 35, he begins to argue differently. More and more often, thoughts of a lonely old age appear, envy of comrades who have got families in time, the desire to have children ... However, by this age a man is already experienced enough to build relationships with a woman and not to restrict her freedom, even if her partner doesn't know about it . That is, the family for a man after 35 is often not valuable in itself: it is only a compromise, to which he deliberately and prudently goes.
IF YOU ARE A WOMAN, READ THE FOLLOWING SET OF APPROVALS, AND RATE ON A 100-SCALE SCALE, HOW MUCH YOU AGREE.
I need a man whom I can love and from whom I want to give birth to children. And we need him to earn enough to provide for our family and children. I want him to be attentive, gentle that he confessed his love every day, that he treat my parents well, appreciate me and love the way I am. I want him to be faithful to me, and that all my friends and all my acquaintances envy me.
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If you, without being distrustful, agree to 70% or more with a set of statements describing your motivational attitudes, then let me summarize: the formulas for the happiness of men and women differ significantly. This distinction easily explains the statistics of divorces that occur during the first year of joint marriage.
Let me also note that such “formulas of happiness” are formed by the very virtual substance that we called the social motivational field. Everyone knows that women love to watch TV shows, family sagas and read "women's" stories in magazines. Men, on the other hand, assimilate other attitudes from the surrounding social motivational field: and these attitudes concern freedom, independence, wealth, respect for others, and ... loneliness.
CONCLUSION. The social motivational field in modern Russia is not properly configured, so it does not awaken in people those biological and social programs that lead them to marriage and childbirth. And this is the true demographic problem of Russia.
THE DECISION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM OF RUSSIA IN PART OF THE GROWTH OF FERTILITY
First of all, it is necessary to destroy in the mass consciousness the already formed notion that on the issue of the birth of children the leading role belongs to financial factors. This requires the demonetization of the consciousness of Russian citizens in terms of the relationship between a man and a woman and issues related to the creation of a family.
For the past twenty years, the stereotype of prioritizing financial criteria in making vital decisions has been firmly established in the public mind of Russians. In other words, if a certain decision does not entail immediate, quick and tangible financial gain, it is better to postpone it “for later”. This particular consequence of the wild “market” relations introduced into society in the era of restructuring and dismantling the remnants of the Soviet economy, “taught” Russian citizens to count money in the first place.
Of course, having children is a vital decision. Like marriage. As the official registration of marriage. The stereotype that prioritizes financial considerations encourages young people to abandon these steps.
The task of demonetization of thinking is solved by the installation in the mass consciousness of plots, stories and characters that make decisions and act not on the basis of financial considerations, but because they are prompted by love, conscience or devotion to some idea.
The installation of new stereotypes of this kind in the mass consciousness is a task solved through cinema, modern music of all styles, through literary works, video clips, talk shows and publications in youth magazines.
Actually, through the same means of mass communication, one can install any other ideas, in particular, concerning the priority of the emotional (sensual) sphere in the life of an individual as opposed to the idea of material well-being, power and position in society, which consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally, installed by the owners and authors of these media today.
Love as a romantic experience that can dramatically change a person's life, faded. In today's reality, love, if it exists in the mass consciousness, then only as a feeling inherent in the young and carefree. However, is love exhausted by it? But what about love inside the family, love that changes a person already at a quite mature age? But what about the love of children, which often encourages a person to change his life?
The charm of family life is not at all an accent of today's mass culture. All stories about love in the cinema and in the novels, as a rule, end with a wedding, and what happens after the wedding usually remains outside the framework of the narratives.
The image of a beautiful and attractive woman in the mass consciousness is primarily the image of a young and unmarried woman. And the beauty of married or pregnant women is again left out of the mass culture. Raising children and the joys of motherhood and fatherhood also remain, mainly, beyond its framework.
Accordingly, young people do not form priorities related to family life and raising children. They sincerely do not understand (and they have nowhere to get this understanding), what do they get by going for financial sacrifices and burdening themselves with family and parental responsibilities.
Materialism has recently become the main priority of the mass consciousness. We understand by this that for the most part people will not do anything if they do not have a very specific material motive for action.For the sake of ideas, spiritual values, abstract beliefs, ethical or moral principles, very few actions are being performed today. For some reason, it is believed that spirituality and religiosity are synonymous. And this leads to the fact that in everyday life there is no longer any place for ideas, spiritual values and beliefs. As, however, often ethics and morality. It turns out that ethics, morality and spirituality are in the temple. And in everyday life materialism and sober reign reign. Meanwhile, without the installation in the mass consciousness of the idea of the priority of spirit over matter, it will be difficult to count on the demonetization of the thinking of Russian citizens, on the fact that they perform actions for love, for children, for family, and not for money or career.
It has already reached the point that young people need to be taught family life. Up to the opening of the network of schools for young men, young wives, brides and grooms. In these schools, you can teach men and women to deliver each other, including wonderful erotic pleasures, and to form in their minds a system of concepts and logic that will allow them to better understand their partner and accept it for what it is. This can greatly reduce the number of divorces and reduce the number of single people simply because people will begin to understand each other better. Erotica should not be banned in Russia. How can you count on love between a man and a woman, on the birth of children in a society where the young are taught to be afraid and shy of their own bodies, where a beautiful naked body is considered obscenity? Full of life, beautiful, young body of a pregnant woman,the desire to “become the same as she” spread by women's magazines, which is provocative for all women of childbearing age, can work to solve the problem of fertility much better than any government programs. Please note that today's women's magazines overwhelmingly contain beautiful images of naked and half-naked women who are not pregnant. Accordingly, beauty and pregnancy are fixed in the mind as things unrelated to each other. A man who loves a pregnant woman, showing tenderness and care for her ... When did you last see such a hero from TV screens and from the pages of magazines? Or maybe books are written about such men? No, no and NO! Men and women are surrounded by images, video frames and advertising slogans, texts and speeches that prepare them for the fact that life is a miracle,it is a process of pleasure and pleasure. However, this is a miracle, these pleasures and pleasures are associated with love and sex, but not with pregnancy, childbirth and the joys of family life.
The social motivational field thus configured generates a social reality in which Russia loses its indigenous population.
So, solving a demographic problem is trivial: it is necessary to configure the social motivational field so that people want to have a family and children. This can be done, and this is also obvious, only through popular culture. However, it is extremely difficult to convince Russian government officials that these ways and methods, apparently not related to the demographic problem and its solution, are in fact more effective than any financial payments to young families. As is almost always, it is much easier to find a solution than to explain the essence of the solution to people on whom its implementation depends. In addition, this solution to the demographic problem runs into quite specific material interests of the heads of departments. After all, if substantial sums are allocated for solving the demographic problem, the question will arisewhat ministries will they be accustomed to? Therefore, any discussion about the methods of solving the demographic problem in Russia is easily transformed into a game of chance “we share budget money,” and the content of the problem being solved is often completely ignored.
THE DECISION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROBLEM OF RUSSIA IN PART OF REDUCING MORTALITY AMONG THE ELDERLY AND OLD PEOPLE
It is no secret that people in Russia do not live as long as they could. It can be assumed that early mortality is associated with the lack of an older generation of a healthy and full lifestyle. Sport and physical education among retirees is now perceived more as a mockery of old people, but not at all as a necessity or a means to prolong life.
In the social motivational field today there are simply no old people. They are not in the box office films, they are almost not in popular books. Young shyly look away when they see a helpless old man on the street. Old people themselves often do not live, but survive, because their incomes are very low.
However, early death is not only due to low incomes. Killing is not poverty, killing hopelessness, killing the lack of hope and purpose, the meaning of life. People at any age should be helped to find the meaning of their life, and in fact, this is the purpose of mass culture and art. Do you remember the book of Boethius "Consolation of Philosophy"? Popular culture also acts as a unique means of comforting a person when he loses the purpose and meaning of life. And in particular this is required by the elderly. Of course, only movies and books are not enough.
Of course, there is a religion that attracts the minds and souls of old people. However, does she prepare them for an active and long life? Not!Religion helps them accept the inevitability of death and accept the fact that life is lived.
It is necessary to provide older people with the possibility of social self-realization in such areas that they can do, and offer them concepts of the meaning of life that will give them strength and allow them to motivate themselves for a long and active life. Now the old men are beginning to prepare in advance for death. And they often devote more than one decade of life to this process — precious time that could have been lived very differently.
Not only propaganda capacities, through which mass culture is transmitted today, but also new forms of social organization of the elderly, which will allow them to feel their own significance and value for Russia and for their peers, can play a big role in this. It is not so expensive for the Russian budget to allocate funds to create sports, chess clubs, theater studios, choirs and other forms of social organization for the elderly. Within the state budget, it is necessary to allocate very little money to create centers throughout the country where older people can do yoga, qigong, master massage techniques, do embroidery, knitting, aeromodelling, programming, wood carving,the study of ancient philosophy - yes, anything ... After all, it will allow the elderly and old people to regain their goals and the meaning of life, expand their world, which with age only narrows and becomes impoverished. But the main thing is that the configuration of the social motivational field will begin to change, accommodating the elderly and old people. This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.This means that the values of a large patriarchal family in which grandparents and grandparents are not stupid marazmatiks, who are in principle uninteresting to their children and grandchildren, and active members of society who have their own affairs and who can learn with pleasure can begin to be recreated to some extent. their grandchildren what they can do themselves.
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Thus, the solution to the demographic problem exists and is easily detected even with a brief reflection. However, the author is more than confident that the concept of a social motivational field proposed here will not be accepted in Russia by those who decide on the allocation of budgetary funds. The concept of a social motivational field solves a problem as a whole, and in Russia there are features of a management culture that prescribe solving a problem “piece by piece” step by step. These features are partly explained by the caution with which senior officials make decisions (it is important not to substitute yourself in the event that something goes wrong). Partly, these peculiarities of thinking of the highest Russian officials are connected with the established stereotype of solving problems “head on” and necessarily “simple methods”.
In a rough and simplified (almost comic-like) form in relation to the demographic problem, these features of the Russian management culture lead to the following activity algorithm.
1. The population is falling, the nation is aging. Realized the problem.
2. Order to multiply? Will not work.So you have to bribe!
3. Yes, to bribe. But to bribe in such a way as to make it look like a very attractive reward, but not to incur any significant expenses.
4. No effect? We must explain to the people again! Let the media do their best!
5. No effect? What to do? Maybe who is to blame?
6. The guilty are found, convicted and punished. There is no effect. What to do?
7. It is necessary to report on the work done to avoid becoming guilty.
As a matter of fact, all this fuss around the marital bed does not solve the problem, but it creates the appearance of its solution. The listed features of the management culture in Russia make it thoroughly postmodern - when the content is unimportant, the form and the play of forms that flow into each other are important.
If sooner or later someone asks the question “Why did the demographic problem arise in Russia at all?”, Then, after a short thought, he receives a certain answer, and then, naturally, he discovers that this answer, generally speaking, doesn’t Russia does not need.
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Most likely, the Russian government will need several unsuccessful attempts to solve the demographic problem without recourse to the concept of a social motivational field, before this “trial and error” method will still be discovered and implemented. But this may take many years, and the current demographic trends during this time will become irreversible.
November 2006
Literature
1. “DEMOGRAPHIC DOCTRINE OF RUSSIA. Project for Discussion ”, published in the International Scientific-Practical Interdisciplinary Journal“ REFLEXIVE PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT ”no. 2, t. 5, 2005. p. 5-14.
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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/7477/
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