SYMPTOMS OF CULTURAL DEGRADATION IN THE CONTEXT OF WAR

This article presents a philosophical and anthropological analysis of cultural degradation and cultural stabilization under wartime conditions. The study has revealed that symptoms of cultural degradation manifest themselves on both the material and spiritual levels of culture. The following indicators have been identified: the destruction of cultural heritage through the ruin of museums, architectural monuments, and cultural symbols; due to the country’s economic challenges, support for arts and culture becomes secondary; there is also a certain informational and communicative simplification of cultural meanings, as superficial patriotic messages often replace the reflective depth of the cultural process. Furthermore, reality is distorted, and genuine meanings are substituted by mythologems. It has been proven that in a situation of cultural vacuum, narratives become a powerful instrument for shaping human consciousness. This underscores the relevance of the topic and the necessity of identifying symptoms of cultural degradation to develop an effective program of cultural resistance. As a result of a comprehensive analysis of the symptoms of cultural degradation, its causes, risks, and pathological consequences in contemporary society have been uncovered. It has been shown that manifestations of cultural degradation are multidimensional in nature and reflect involutionary processes within society. The phenomenon of creating a new culture centered on wartime themes is examined; this culture often acquires degrading characteristics due to propagandistic aims. It has been found that the most vulnerable and open domains for the penetration and dissemination of hostile narratives are the media space, which is overloaded with low-quality content. This leads to informational oversimplification, resulting in the suppression of critical thinking, which in turn renders individuals incapable of distinguishing genuine meanings from their surrogates. The article explores the causal relationships that contribute to the emergence of these phenomena, allowing for the identification of optimal methods and strategies to preserve cultural integrity under extremely challenging conditions, as well as to reveal destabilizing factors. It has been demonstrated that, alongside degradation, the opposite process also takes place – the emergence of new cultural forms reflecting the philosophy of nonviolent resistance. The study highlights the capacity of modern society to ensure information security and protection. The findings may be used to develop cultural protection strategies aimed at minimizing the risk of cultural losses in the future.