Many people are prevented from moving to another country or entering into a marriage with a foreigner are one thing - the difference of mentalities. The difference is manifested in the details and in relation to life in general. What is mentality? How is it different from the mentality? And how does the mysterious Russian soul manifest itself? Someone is proud of his origin and mentality, someone is trying with all his might to eradicate its manifestations. It is important to distinguish between what is laid in genetics, and what can still be changed.
What is the mentality
Mentality is a historically and genetically established set of socio-psychological qualities of a people. Etymologically derived from the Greek word mentis - mind, thinking, soul, reason, way of thinking. That is, one word unites a multitude of phenomena and processes, which gives rise to a large number of interpretations. If you describe the mentality in ordinary words - this historical cultural experiencewhich is absorbed by a person brought up in this culture.
In the scientific literature often use two concepts: mentality and mentality. Some authors consider words as synonyms, others try to draw a line between these concepts. According to the second theory of differences mentality - is a historically and genetically developed spiritual constant, reflecting the deep values of the people, the ethnic group. BUT mentality - a dynamic, private, concrete manifestation, born of the era. There are as many types of mentalities as there are social groups. A mentality characterizes the people as a whole.
On the one hand, the mentality reflects the total characteristics of people living in a particular culture, on the other hand, it describes the psychological aspects of the differences of one nation from another. This allows you to separately consider the mentality of the Americans, French, Germans or British.
The evolution of the concept of "mentality"
The origins of the national mentality of the Russian people and representatives of other nations are at the dawn of humanity. Verbal evidence is often the subject of analysis of emerging national thinking: epics, tales, tales, legends, proverbs, myths. These ancient cultural monuments reflect all periods of the spiritual development of peoples and ethnic groups.
Reflections on the topic of generalized socio-psychological characteristics of people are found in the writings Herodotus, Pliny and many historians of antiquity. The most important cultural monuments that have survived are the Bible and the Koran. The Bible in the form of religious and artistic subjects contains a specific code of world outlook and attitude to reality. The Quran sets forth the main cultural and spiritual principles and values of the Muslim world.
But in scientific practice, this problem was first addressed in the XVIII century by a Swedish physician. Karl linney and the French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu. At the same time, a new science, ethnopsychology, was born. The object of the study of ethnopsychology became the "soul of the people", "national character", and the main attention was paid to Man in history, his emotions, world outlook, value system.
The English word Mentality came into use in the 17th century, but as a scientific term it was first used by the classic of French ethnology. Lucien Levy-Bruhl. In his book "Primitive Mentality" the author described the life of the indigenous people of Australia, New Guinea, and the term "mentality" described the temperament, personality traits, and values inherent in different tribes.
In the late 1920s, French scientists Mark Block and Lucien Fevre founded the "School of the Annals" - a scientific historical trend that placed man above the events of political history. Since that time, the concept of mentality has passed into the category of a scientific category that describes the mass consciousness of a people or ethnic group. In psychology, the mentality is represented by another concept - social or national character. The largest psychoanalysts of the 20th century were engaged in research in this area. Sigmund Freud, Erich Fromm, Carl Jung.
Today, the study of mentality involved in many sciences: philosophy, sociology, history, ethnology, social psychology, cultural studies. In addition to research on the mentality of cultural figures, politicians. There is a branch of historical science - the history of mentalities, which studies history not from the point of view of events and wars, but as a socio-cultural phenomenon. The field of study of the history of mentalities is a combination of the material conditions of life, life and attitude of the people.
The mentality of the Russian people
While studying the peculiarities of the Russian mentality, cultural studies and sociologists divide history into six historical periods: pagan, pre-Christian, pre-Peter the Great, imperial, Soviet, Novorossiysk. Each of these periods influenced the formation of the Russian mentality. But the influence of Orthodox Christianity was especially strong.
Throughout the history of the Russian people, the attitude towards the motive of suffering was especially reverent. Happiness was not perceived in and of itself, but as a reward for suffering and unhappiness. Initially, the connection is seen in proverbs and sayings: "there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped", "who did not know need, he does not know happiness"True folk songs are riddled with" longing ", and in fairy tales the main character has to overcome many trials in anticipation of the award. Stories about the plight of the Russian people are in the works of all Russian poets and writers.
In the XIX century, the ideologist of the official nationality, Count Sergei Uvarov, formulated the famous triad "Orthodoxy. Autocracy. Nationality." Later, Stalin reduced it to two components "Simplicity and narodnost". But in literature, philosophy, and culture, the debate about mentality has never subsided.. The most extensive research of national consciousness, Russian philosophy was conducted by the religious and political philosopher N. Berdyaev.
Modern studies show that the mentality of a Russian person is manifested by stereotypes of behavior regardless of his place of residence:
- Fear of what people will say.
- The desire to "live by the truth."
- Between mind and feeling choose feeling.
- To see more often in oneself flaws, not virtues.
- Argue for any reason.
- Smile only familiar people.
- Love in the freebie and waiting for a miracle.
- Conservatism and pity.
It doesn’t matter if the Russian mentality is bad or good. In any case, it prevails in the life of the whole nation, symbolizes the superiority of the spiritual over the material. It is very difficult to change the mentality even when it leads not to development, but to destruction.
But to exaggerate the power of mentality is also not worth it. On the one hand, the mentality moves a person to certain actions, on the other - makes him push away everything alien and unpleasant. But the word "mentality" comes from the word "thinking". So, a change of thinking, and learning new skills will help change your mentality.
The mentality of wealth: is it possible to restructure your thinking
Factors affecting the mentality can be divided into 2 groups:
- Objective: genetics, place of birth and residence, cultural environment, system of relations in society.
- Subjective: mental features, worldview, values, relationships.
Every year, Forbes magazine publishes "honest" lists of the rich who earned their wealth and did not inherit it. Many grew up in dysfunctional families or did not receive higher education. Scientists analyzed the success stories of millionaires who did themselves, and made up a series of exercises to change mentality. If genetics or a place of birth cannot be changed, then it is possible to adjust the mind to wealth if desired.
Successful people:
- Focus on quality, not quantity.
- Believe in your talent and your strength.
- Set clear short-term and realistic long-term goals.
- They know how to focus on the essentials, but regularly adjust their course.
- Take care of health and do not forget about creativity.
- Create a financial "airbag".
- Learn all my life.
But luck does not play such an important role in the life success of millionaires, as it seems. In the list of success factors, it ranks only 13th.
But most importantly, it is worth remembering: tuning the mind to the thinking of millionaires does not guarantee wealth. But they are worth it.
findings
- From the point of view of an individual, mentality is a way of perceiving reality that is influenced by the environment and the environment of the person.
- Mentality is a static "quantity" that changes very slowly. The mentality changes under the influence of the era.
- The Russian mentality is best described with the phrase: "the mysterious Russian soul."
- Copying the habits of millionaires will not bring wealth. But a change of mind will help you to succeed.
