Abstract

One of the most important modes of formation of identity are the relationships I­Other. In collaboration with Other I acquires social recognition and affirmation of their identity. The relationship I­Other largely defined the boundaries of self. But in an age of mass culture, these boundaries are defined externally: mass media form the man, internal space of which is devoid of value­meaning centre, blurred. Thus man is deprived of individual person and turns into a mass media stereotype. In this situation, the protection of borders of self becomes one of the urgent problems in the process of formation of personal identity. The formation of identity requires internal dialogue, reflection and introspection. Mass culture tends to eliminate the drama of the inner life of the individual, to free the person from the need to find an answer to complex questions. It offers simple and clear explanations of the problems of existence and thus deprives the individual possibilities of self­knowledge, self­correction. This trend, which is defined as interpassivity, manifested in the unwillingness and inability to make decisions, to make an informed choice, put it into action. Its consequence is also a deformation of the self­identification of the individual. Identity is formed and through the mechanism of self­identification with the standard, sample, an ideal. The image of the ideal I, to which the person is a vector indicating the direction of its development, the building of «future me». Such a standard in culture have traditionally been the «existential Other» – person that by its uniqueness serves the guide for self­development of the individual. Characteristic of popular culture the substitution the ideal of «Idol» deprives the individual of the required vector of self­development. The loss of the completeness relations I­Other, typical for the era of mass culture, turns into a crisis of personal identity. The desire and ability to build meaningful relationships with Others allow a person to receive the value orientations of their existence in «liquid modernity».