Leisure as universum of culture: theoretical measurings of contemporaneity

Abstract

The article examined problem of a leisure within the context of controversial modern tendencies such as globalization and privacy of individual life, freedom – compulsion, creative work – manipulation, convergences of mass and elite cultures. The study stressed that it’s almost impossible in our days to separate high art and its commercial variations embodied in mass production. Diversity of cultural production isn’t at variance with it’s standardization and typification, instead setting mechanism of status consummation in motion it amplifies individual’ dependency and unselfsufficiency, accompanied by its irresponsibility and moral degradation. Leisure practices in society where leisure became goods or commercial services are on the border between "permitted" and "moral" or even cross this border, bringing to nothing possibility for one to become "highly individualized personality" (E.Toffler).

The researchers’ idea that the real problem of mankind is not biological but cultural revolution as well as inefficiency to develop global responsibility and critical analysis of own actions (A.Peccei) is grounded. As a result processes of deepening of spiritual crisis and creation of healthier culture are in dialectical union.

On theatrical scene of "the society of the spectacle" (G.Debord) leisure is a mean to unite personality and general public, individual autonomy and group identification, private and social life. Symbolical, interactive ideology of sight is dominated in such society while "bread and circuses" ideology as a social attribute of influent part of mankind transforms leisure to attribute of "capital intensity", or unified good consisted of certain number of goods and services. The way from "theater of performers" to "the society of the spectacle" is via sights, entertainments, interactive shows, gaining suitable meaning.

Another focus is positive points reasoned by society’ massovization, technologization and informatization. Such points are availability of cultural gains for public, "explosion" of cultural life of unprivileged strata; ability to solve the whole complex of social problems (like cultural maladjustment and establishing mutual understanding in society), resurgence of depressive territories and strengthening of local economics. Attention to mass leisure is reasonably necessary from the point of cultural development. Problem of active demand in local places couldn’t be solved just through increasing of cultural institutions’ number and local companies but thanks to new forms and possibilities of leisure industry.

Fields of leisure studies are characterized: interconnection of leisure practices and life style, "social world" of leisure, "leisure individualism" within consumer society, dualism of transformation within the system "labor – leisure", etc. Reception of leisure as spiritual, existential phenomenon is impossible without the conscience change of ideas about essence and meaning of life, about "the highest and conscious activity which is worth to gain freedom for" (H.Arendt). Economical motivation for activity natural for a man of labor should be replaced with postmaterial orientation presupposes disengaging from economical interest, so "theory and ideology of hired slavery" would be replaced with creative work and enlightenment. Quality of life in such a society would be defined by productiveness, conscious and effectiveness one’s leisure, who is free from labor duties because freedom is a privilege and one has to know how to use it. Human being of future won’t "come" if his/her leisure will be just for entertaining and wasting time. It will mean society’ degradation, not it’s progress.

Radical changes in understanding of importance of leisure in nowadays are reasoned by widening of culture functions, which are out of usual education and entertaining activity which are necessary in industrial model of world perception and determined by special kinds of activity and certain markets consists from industrial, enterprise, art parts.

Openness for changes, ability for alternative and polyphonic development transform human’social motivation and consumer activity in cultural area. Audience of new type is interested in epic, world, popular, and classic, traditional, modern culture. People of the XXI century go to opera, rock concert, traditional museum or popular variety show, modern painters’ exhibition or local folk fest if all mentioned can give them pleasure.

The study’ conclusion is that late XX – beginning XXI century notion of leisure is clear and effective within the context of the positive values which are socially important; not utilitarian usefulness but intellectual contemplation; not transforming of nature but its’ protection; not limiting human’ world but its’ opening, right not only to work but to have a leisure.