Religion and “mass culture”

“Mass culture” is the body of cultural products meant for a wide audience and spread quickly through the media and the market (music, film, fashion, games, content on social networks). It has positive sides: it is open to many people and offers entertainment, communication and access to new ideas. Problematic sides are also mentioned: low-quality content or content glorifying violence produced for commercial gain, consumerism, young people’s susceptibility to peer influence and a superficial knowledge of national and religious traditions. Religions hold different views here: many traditions stress modesty, family values, moderation and care for relatives; some communities use modern media actively for their own purposes, others are cautious. Subcultures (groups united around a style of music or dress) are a natural part of youth culture, and disrespect or discrimination towards their members is not acceptable; a person is responsible for his own choices, and the law prohibits harming others. Safety aspect: tattooing or piercing with needles carries a risk of infections such as hepatitis B, C or HIV if done in poor conditions; do not do this yourself at home, there are legal and parental-consent requirements for minors, and any decision should be discussed with adults and a doctor. The most important skill is critical thinking: assessing the source, purpose and verification of information. In literature the figure of the “mankurt” (from a work by Chingiz Aitmatov) denotes a person cut off from roots and memory.