Don't believe and don't ask: the atomization of people in Russia remains one of the highest in the world

It is well known that Russia is strikingly different from most civilized countries in a very high degree of atomization of citizens. According to sociologists, the level of trust in the country is about 20%, while, for example: in Sweden it is 60%; in New Zealand - 55%; in Germany - 45%. Below Russia is only African Rwanda with 17%.

This figure cannot but frighten, since the socio-economic well-being of the country largely depends on this parameter.

Even digitalization and massive use of the Internet, which seem to be helping to strengthen horizontal ties, do not help to overcome this scourge. But no, by

According to the comparative study of digital trust (Digital Society Index 2019), conducted by Oxford Economics and Dentsu Aegis Network (the survey was held in 24 countries of the world), Russia took the penultimate, 23rd place. Singapore, the United States and China have become the leaders of the online trust.

It turned out that only 37% of Russians believe that their basic digital needs (access to digital content and trust in information) are being adequately met; 52% of Russians believe that the digital world does not serve to improve society; only 31% of Russians believe that the digital world will provide them with career opportunities.

It turns out that the Internet does not "cure" the atomization of Russians either.

And here is what analysts think about this. Dutch sociologist Gert Hofstede http://hofstede-insights.com/ describes the differences between residents of different countries on the following grounds: power distance; masculinity-femininity; individualism-collectivism; intolerance to uncertainty; temporary orientation; open expression of emotions and feelings.

Here's what she got when comparing Russia and Sweden in three dimensions:

Distance of power.

Compared to Sweden, Russia has a high power distance. This means that inequality is very strong in Russia; society has a hierarchical structure. The higher the level of the hierarchy, the farther its inhabitants are from society and the more material resources are concentrated in their hands. At the same time, external manifestations of a high position in the hierarchy are very much appreciated: expensive watches, cars, personal planes.

Individualism-collectivism.

Here the situation is reversed. Russia turns out to be a more collectivist country than Sweden. How is it shown? In individualistic societies, people should only care about themselves and their immediate family. In collectivist societies, people belong to "groups" that care for them in exchange for loyalty.

Thus, for Russians, not only family is important, but also a close circle of friends who serve as a network of support and a source of information. In business communication, this manifests itself in the need to establish informal, trusting relationships before partners move on to work together.

In contrast, Sweden has high rates of individualism. This means that people take care of themselves and their families first and foremost. If a person commits an offense, this leads to a loss of self-esteem, a sense of guilt for what he did. The relationship between the employee and the employer is governed by a contract based on mutual benefit. Promotion is based on merit, not personal affection.

If in Russia going to a party they say “We are with friends”, in Sweden they will say “Me and my friends”.

Masculinity-Femininity

Masculine societies are driven by a competitive spirit, pursuit of achievement and luck. The predominance of femininity, on the contrary, emphasizes the relationship between people, personal and everyday comfort, respect for each other, the desire to seek compromises, smooth out contradictions.

In Russia, the indicators of masculinity are not very high, but they are high in comparison with Sweden. The relatively low level of masculinity for Russia is associated with a large power distance. It is common for residents of Russia to underestimate their achievements when dealing with strangers and in the workplace. Dominant behavior is appreciated when it comes from a boss, but discouraged when it comes from peers or members of the same social group.

Feminine countries like Sweden tend to strive for work-life balance. Conflicts are resolved through long negotiations.

It turns out that Russian “atomization” is based on collectivism and a long power distance, while Swedish “collectivism” is based on low masculinity and low power distance, concludes network analyst Pavel Grishel.

However, it seems that some progress in this situation has been outlined lately. This is a surge in volunteering and charity in Russia (moreover, personal participation in it, and not just money transfers) caused by the pandemic. Someone did this to compensate for the lack of social interaction during the quarantine period, but most acted deliberately. In fact, this is the first time we've seen a civic duty of this magnitude. Especially among the new generation, which is overcoming the social atomization and alienation of the post-Soviet society, says journalist Pavel Pryanikov, citing statistics on this score.

Thus, the All-Russian Mutual Aid Campaign "We Are Together" collected about 4.2 million calls to the hotline, more than 180 thousand volunteers joined the regional assistance headquarters (they provided assistance to 4.6 million people, that is, approximately 25 people per one volunteer - an impressive load). Almost 10 thousand companies and non-profit organizations participated in this movement. One way or another, up to 20 million Russians were involved in the events of the action, and it became the driver of the phenomenon of civic participation in the country.

Ordinary people transported doctors in their cars, delivered food and medicine to the apartments of elderly people, and organized the delivery of sanitary supplies to hard-to-reach places. Everything revolved mainly around the covid epidemic, but it is also known that many new volunteers have come to orphanages, zoo shelters, and environmental organizations. It would be good if this process of building a civil society only grew and further...