Increased significance correlates with heightened accountability.
In a striking turn of events at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, a heated discussion arose about instilling "worldviews and values" in Russian citizens, particularly focusing on family and childhood. The conversation began when TASS Director General Andrei Kondrashov questioned if anyone knew what a "labu" was. Marina Kim, a TV host and State Duma deputy, responded and admitted to purchasing these objects, priced at around 80,000 each, for her children.
Kondrashov expressed concerns about the depth of Russian citizens' entanglement in foreign trends, but quickly reassured the audience that "traditional values" still unite them without trendy gadgets like the "labu." He went on to argue that the need for interpretation in news and media is evident, citing Vladimir Solovyov's popular following as an example.
As the conversation continued, Central Federal District Presidential Envoy Igor Shegolev suggested promoting family patterns through advertising, Artemiy Lebedev advocated for showcasing fertility rather than material wealth, and Grigory Gurov proposed packaging meaningful content in popular formats, including toys.
Nikolai Lishin, the head of the committee on the problems of protecting traditional values in the Russian scientific-expert council, then took the stage. He stressed the importance of setting the right values, particularly in the realm of family planning: "We cannot allow people to think: 'I can't, I can't afford it?' So, there are no children." Lishin highlighted that settings are formed through "information interaction with the environment" and that the question of forming an image is a matter of "information we provide."
Lishin voiced concerns about the inappropriate content shown to children and stressed that morality cannot be abolished after a certain age: "All films for any age should carry value, a person forms themselves throughout their life, and we cannot allow them to see these things." He emphasized that a solid foundation of values unites people of all classes and property status, making the country whole.
In a more emotive tone, Lishin likened the theft of one's spiritual and moral values to the theft of material possessions. He argued that if someone dares to take moral values, they should be considered a thief and isolated from society.
This call for defending traditional values and the implications of Lishin's statements highlight the ongoing debate about shaping worldviews and human values in Russia. While further research is needed to fully understand Lishin's stance on the connection between material property and spiritual/moral values, and the specific measures he advocates, his emphasis on the importance of establishing a strong value foundation for national unity is clear.
The ongoing debate in Russia involves policy-and-legislation surrounding worldviews and values, as highlighted by Nikolai Lishin's call for defending traditional values. His statements at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum emphasized the importance of setting the right values, particularly in family planning, and the need to package meaningful content in popular formats to prevent children from seeing inappropriate content.
