In the modern world, large and even. Global problems of mankind and ways to solve them. The main global problems of our time

We present to your attention a video tutorial on the topic “The essence of global problems. Interrelation and interdependence ". In the course of the development of civilization, complex problems constantly arose before humanity. In this lesson we will discuss what contributed to the exacerbation of problems in the 20th century and consider their essence, affecting the planetary scale. We will learn about the classification of global problems of mankind, about their interconnection and interdependence.

Topic: Global problems of humanity

Lesson: The essence of global problems. Relationship and interdependence

In the course of the development of civilization, global problems began to arise before humanity. Nowadays humanity is faced with the most acute global problems that threaten the very existence of civilization and even life itself on our planet.

The term "global" itself derives from the Latin word "globe", that is, the Earth, the globe, and since the late 60s of the XX century it has become widespread to denote the most important and urgent planetary problems of the modern era affecting humanity as a whole ...

Global problems of our timeis a set of socio-natural problems, on the solution of which the social progress of mankind and the preservation of civilization depend. These problems are characterized by dynamism, arise as an objective factor in the development of society, and for their solution require the united efforts of all mankind. Global problems are interconnected, cover all aspects of human life and affect all countries of the world.

Global, or worldwide (universal) problems, as a result of the contradictions of social development, did not arise suddenly and only today. Some of them, for example, the problems of war and peace, health, existed before, were relevant at all times. Other global problems, for example, environmental ones, appear later due to the intense impact of society on the natural environment. Initially, these problems could only be private (isolated) issues for a particular country, people, then they became regional and global, i.e. problems of vital importance to all of humanity.

Main features of global problems:

1. Problems that affect the interests of not only individuals, but can affect the fate of all mankind

2. They lead to significant economic and social losses, and in the event of their aggravation can threaten the very existence of human civilization.

3. Global problems are not solved by themselves or even by the efforts of individual countries. They require purposeful and organized efforts by the entire world community.

4. Global problems are closely related to one another.

The main problems of humanity:

1. The problem of peace and disarmament, prevention of a new world war.

2. Environmental.

3. Demographic.

4. Energy.

5. Raw materials.

6. Food.

7. Use of the World Ocean.

8. Peaceful space exploration.

9. Overcoming the backwardness of developing countries.

Figure: 1. Poverty and poverty in Africa ()

The development of a classification of global problems was the result of long-term research and generalization of the experience of several decades of studying them.

In modern scientific literature, attempts are made to comprehensively consider the entire variety of global problems. Since all these problems are of a socio-natural nature, since they simultaneously fix the contradictions between man and society, and the contradictions between man and the natural environment, they are usually divided into three main groups. Researchers have proposed many classification options.

Classification of global problems:

1. Problems that are associated with relations between the main social communities of mankind, i.e. between groups of states with similar political, economic and other interests: "East - West", rich and poor countries, etc. These include the problem of preventing war, international terrorism and ensuring peace, as well as establishing a just international economic order.

2. Problems associated with relations in the "person - society" system: development of culture, effective use of scientific and technological revolution achievements, development of education and health care

3. Problems that are generated by the interaction of society and nature. They are associated with the limited ability of the environment to endure anthropogenic loads. These are such problems as the provision of energy, fuel, raw materials, fresh water, etc. The ecological problem also belongs to this group, i.e. the problem of nature protection from irreversible negative changes, as well as the problem of the rational development of the World Ocean and outer space.

Figure: 2. Lack of drinking water in Africa ()

Global problems are interconnected.

Figure: 3. Diagram of interconnection of problems of a global nature

Currently, humanity and the leading countries are actively fighting the proliferation of nuclear weapons and their use. The UN General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. In addition, treaties were signed between the main nuclear powers (for example, START-1, START-2, ABM).

The largest countries in terms of the number of armed forces:

5. Russia.

The problem of arms proliferation and disarmament remains urgent. Military bases of the United States and NATO members on the territory of many countries pose a particular potential threat.

Figure: 4. US military base in Turkey ()

Homework

Topic 11, P. 1

1. What global problems of humanity do you know?

List of references

Main

1. Geography. A basic level of. 10-11 grades: Textbook for educational institutions / A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim. - 3rd ed., Stereotype. - M .: Bustard, 2012 .-- 367 p.

2. Economic and social geography of the world: Textbook. for 10 cl. educational institutions / V.P. Maksakovsky. - 13th ed. - M .: Education, JSC "Moscow textbooks", 2005. - 400 p.

3. Atlas with a set of contour maps for grade 10. Economic and social geography of the world. - Omsk: FSUE "Omsk Cartographic Factory", 2012. - 76 p.

Additional

1. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M .: Bustard, 2001 .-- 672 p .: ill., Maps .: color. incl.

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

1. Geography: a reference book for high school students and those entering universities. - 2nd ed., Rev. and finished. - M .: AST-PRESS SHKOLA, 2008 .-- 656 p.

2. Africa // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb., 1890-1907.

Literature for preparing for the State Examination and the Unified State Exam

1. Thematic control in geography. Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.M. Ambartsumov. - M .: Intellect-Center, 2009 .-- 80 p.

2. The most complete edition of typical options for real tasks of the exam: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M .: Astrel, 2010 .-- 221 p.

3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified State Exam 2012. Geography: Textbook / Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M .: Intellect-Center, 2012 .-- 256 p.

4. The most complete edition of typical options for real assignments of the exam: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M .: AST: Astrel, 2010 .-- 223 p.

5. Geography. Diagnostic work in the format of the Unified State Examination 2011. - M .: MCNMO, 2011. - 72 p.

6. USE 2010. Geography. Collection of tasks / Yu.A. Solovyov. - M .: Eksmo, 2009 .-- 272 p.

7. Tests in geography: grade 10: to the textbook of V.P. Maksakovsky “Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 "/ E.V. Baranchikov. - 2nd ed., Stereotype. - M .: Publishing house "Exam", 2009. - 94 p.

8. Unified State Exam 2009. Geography. Universal materials for the training of students / FIPI - M .: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 240 p.

9. Geography. Answers on questions. Oral exam, theory and practice / V.P. Bondarev. - M .: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 160 p.

10. USE 2010. Geography: thematic training tasks / O.V. Chicherina, Yu.A. Solovyov. - M .: Eksmo, 2009 .-- 144 p.

11. USE 2012. Geography: Typical examination options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M .: National education, 2011 .-- 288 p.

12. USE 2011. Geography: Typical examination options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M .: National Education, 2010 .-- 280 p.

Materials on the Internet

1. Federal Institute for Pedagogical Measurements ( ).

2. Federal portal Russian Education ().

Poverty and misery of billions of people remains one of the global problems of humanity in the 21st century. In 1992, according to the decision of the UN General Assembly, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was established, which since 1993 has been regularly celebrated on 17 October. This date was not chosen by chance. Five years before the decision of the UN General Assembly, on October 17, 1987, in Paris, on the Trocadero square, a rally for the observance of human rights and the elimination of poverty was held, which gathered about 100 thousand people. Its participants linked violations of human rights in the modern world with the fact that millions of people are still forced to live in poverty. First of all, this applies to the countries of the third and fourth world - the least economically developed states.

Despite the colossal scientific and technological progress that accompanied the world in the twentieth century, social inequality in the modern world is only growing. Moreover, social differentiation is aggravated in all countries of the world, including developed countries. In simpler terms, the poor are getting poorer and the rich richer. Thus, according to research, by the beginning of 2016, 62 of the richest people in the world possessed the same number of assets as 3.6 billion people - representatives of the poorest half of the world's population. Over the past six years, since 2010, the wealth of 3.6 billion of the world's poor has decreased by $ 1 trillion. At the same time, the assets of the 62 richest inhabitants of the planet doubled and amounted to 1.76 trillion. US dollars. While multibillionaires do not know where to invest their extra funds, billions of the world's inhabitants live in poverty, hundreds of millions - in terrible poverty, on the brink of survival.

The food problem is still very acute in the world. Hunger is not something from the distant past, but a terrible component of the present. A large amount of both scientific and journalistic literature has been written about the scale of hunger in the modern world, but the persistence of this problem makes politicians, public figures, sociologists and journalists return to it again and again. People continue to die of hunger even in our time, including small children - in Africa, some countries of Asia and Latin America.

The total number of regularly undernourished people in the modern world is estimated at almost a billion people. According to a UN report, at least 852 million people suffer from hunger. In the modern world, over 1.2 billion people, or about a fifth of the world's population, live on less than one US dollar a day. Malnutrition is to blame for 54% of child deaths in the world today. Such conclusions were made by experts of the World Health Organization. The main reason for hunger is not only the fact that in the countries of the third and fourth world people do not receive the required amount of money to eat at a normal level, but also in natural conditions that do not allow them to effectively engage in agriculture and provide themselves with food due to constant droughts , the advance of the sands on the savannah. Numerous military-political conflicts also play an important role, contributing to the destruction of a normal economy, even an underdeveloped one.

Most of the malnourished and hungry are in Tropical Africa. It is this region that is considered the epicenter of hunger in the modern world. Moreover, the number of hungry people in Africa has a pronounced tendency to increase, which is directly related to the increase in the birth rate. The highest birth rates in the world are in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and several other African states. It is clear that all these countries belong not even to the third, but to the fourth world, in which researchers include the least economically developed and poorest states. The food problem is very serious in Northeast Africa, primarily in Somalia. Here, constant droughts put millions of people on the brink of survival.

But not only Africa can be seen as a “hungry continent”. Millions of people are regularly malnourished and hungry in the countries of South and Southeast Asia - in Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan. It also has a very high birth rate, coupled with progressive poverty and deepening social polarization. The same India, despite the fact that it is considered a regional power and a relatively economically developed country, is unable to solve the problem of the hungry. The reasons for this are a very high population, high unemployment rate, combined with the presence of hundreds of millions of people without education and any professional qualifications.

The total number of undernourished people in Latin America is somewhat lower. Here the "hunger belt" passes, first of all, through the Andean countries, primarily Bolivia and Peru, as well as through the countries of the "isthmus", first of all - Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala. In the Caribbean, Haiti is the "island of hunger". As for the countries of Europe and North America, the problem of hunger for them is relevant to the least extent, in comparison with the rest of the world. Here, chronic malnutrition is characteristic only of representatives of certain social groups who have "dropped out" from society - homeless people, street children. In the post-Soviet space, the problem of malnutrition is acute in the countries of Central Asia - in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. However, in Russia, too, many citizens of the poor are chronically malnourished. Lonely disabled people and pensioners with low pensions, large families with low spouses' income, as well as citizens leading an asocial lifestyle - homeless, vagabonds, chronic alcoholics - are in the least advantageous position.

The problem of malnutrition is closely related to the problem of low incomes of the population. In the countries of the third and fourth world, most people, even having found a job, are forced to subsist on very little money, incomparable with the salaries of even unskilled workers in developed countries. In developed countries, the concept of poverty in recent decades is increasingly associated with the ability of citizens to realize access to the basic consumer basket, which includes not only food, but also, for example, medical services. In some Western European countries, the criterion for poverty is already the absence of a bank account with savings. On the other hand, in the Russian Federation, the poor are understood as citizens with incomes on the verge and below the subsistence level, which, by the way, is established by the state. In society, disputes about how much the established subsistence minimum corresponds to the real consumer basket, which a Russian citizen needs for a full life, does not stop.

Low incomes of the population remain an acute problem for modern Russia. The first decade of the XXI century in the Russian Federation has seen a gradual decrease in the number of citizens of the country with incomes below the subsistence level. Thus, if in 2000 42.3 million people had incomes below the subsistence level, i.e. 29% of the population is actually every third Russian, then in 2012 it was possible to reach the lowest indicator - 15.4 million people, which at that time amounted to 10.7% of the country's population. However, then the growth in the number of low-income citizens began again. So, in 2016, 21.4 million people, which amounted to 14.6% of the population, were classified as citizens with incomes below the subsistence level. It should also be noted that the share of social payments made by the state in the incomes of Russians is growing.

The housing problem is acute in Russia. The overwhelming majority of citizens cannot afford to purchase housing, including mortgages. So, in 2012, even before currency inflation, 81% of the population of Russia did not have sufficient funds to purchase housing on a mortgage. The housing problem is closely related to a number of negative phenomena for the country. For example, it directly affects the birth rate in the country, since young families who do not have their own homes or are constrained in housing conditions often for this very reason refuse to have a child for a while or completely. A significant part of the country's population, unable to purchase modern housing that meets the necessary requirements, is forced to live in dilapidated and dilapidated housing, putting their lives and health in danger. Even in some large cities, there are streets and areas devoid of basic amenities, for example, gas and central sewerage, what to say about rural areas and small settlements. The service life of the so-called. "Khrushchevs", built for the prompt resettlement of people from the barracks. But so far it has not been possible to renew the housing stock in the proper volume, especially since the majority of citizens cannot acquire new housing under construction.

The solution to the housing problem lies in the spectrum of revising the role of the Russian state in the construction and distribution of housing. In the 1990s, the state actually withdrew itself from housing construction, which led to the total commercialization of the housing market. The scale of construction and distribution of social housing cannot be called anything significant. In Russia, the system of non-commercial renting of residential premises is completely undeveloped, which could partially solve the housing problems not only of the poor, but also of prosperous citizens. The state could contribute to solving the housing problem by regulating prices for economy-class housing, preventing speculative activities in this area. Finally, the state should also use resources to create a state (municipal) housing rental market, the prices of which would allow low-income groups of the population to rent residential premises for a long time.

The high level of poverty in Russia is associated with colossal social polarization, which began to grow in the 1990s and is now reaching such proportions that Russia is ranked among the world leaders in terms of social inequality of the population. For more than twenty years of the existence of post-Soviet Russian statehood, social inequality in Russia has quadrupled. According to the RAS report published in 2013 under the editorship of academicians S.Yu. Glazieva, V.V. Ivanter and A.D. Nekipelov, the level of social stratification between the richest and the poorest Russians reached 16: 1, while the critical value of stratification is 10: 1 and even 8: 1. However, solving the problem of poverty and social inequality is impossible without appropriate regulatory measures from the state.

Academicians S.Yu. Glazyev, A.D. Nekipelov and V.V. Ivanter in his report proposes as one of the most important measures against social stratification, the introduction of a progressive scale of taxation. Progressive taxation exists in many developed countries of the world and provides impressive revenues to the state budget, at the expense of which, among other things, the social sphere is financed. In their report, scientists note that it is possible to reduce the number of the poor in Russia and reduce social inequality if the subsistence minimum is raised to the level of the real cost of the basic consumer basket, which makes it possible to fulfill human needs in food, clothing, medical care, etc.

Secondly, an increase in the minimum wage is proposed. A situation unique for developed countries has developed in Russia when working citizens, including specialists with higher education, can be below the poverty line. It turns out that a citizen who honestly works and fulfills his professional duties, which often require higher education and high qualifications, is not able to provide even the realization of his basic needs at the expense of his wages. Many workers in the fields of education, culture, health care, housing and communal services are still among the working poor in Russia. This is a paradoxical situation when a worker of culture, education or health care with a higher education and impressive work experience in his specialty receives a salary that is below the subsistence level for working Russians.

Is the problem of poverty, poverty and inequality eradicated in the modern world and in Russia in particular? With regard to the modern world as a whole, even hopes for the elimination of poverty and poverty in the countries of the third and fourth world can be immediately dismissed. Economic underdevelopment, natural conditions, high birth rates, political instability - all these factors minimize hopes for solving the problem of social inequality in African countries, many countries of Asia and Latin America.

At the same time, modern Russia has the necessary political, economic and cultural potential in order to actively solve the problems of poverty and inequality. However, this requires an appropriate policy of the Russian state in the economy and in the social sphere. Much in the country's economic and social policy should be revised. In the meantime, the economic problems experienced by the country do not allow not only to increase the volume of social assistance, but also to maintain it at the same level. In particular, in 2016 and 2017. maternity capital will no longer be indexed, which previously increased by 5.5% every year. But, at the same time, the state does not yet risk changing fiscal policy by introducing progressive taxation, diligently avoids raising the topic of revising the results of privatization, refuses to introduce taxes on luxury, that is, it does not want to infringe on the interests of the richest Russians to the detriment of the interests of the millions of people living on the brink and below the poverty line.

Geopolitical rivalry, economic inequality, climate change and the rollback of democracy - these problems, despite their heterogeneity, will be the main ones for humanity next year, more than 1.5 thousand experts of the World Economic Forum have come to this conclusion. The results of their analysis are presented in the annual report "Outlook on the Global Agenda" for 2015.

The first such study was conducted by WEF in 2008. In 2015, the impact of the economic consequences of the global financial crisis, which for several years remained key for many countries, will somewhat decrease, says the founder of the Davos Forum, Klaus Schwab. Now stability is threatened by political challenges - the growth of the terrorist threat and the aggravation of geopolitical conflicts, and this, in turn, prevents the countries from jointly solving pressing problems.

Growing inequality

The problem of income inequality in 2015 will come to the fore (a year ago the WEF put it in second place). At the moment, the less well-off half of the population owns no more than 10% of total wealth, and this problem extends to both developed and developing countries, the authors of the report note. According to a WEF survey, the situation is most likely to worsen over the next year in Asia, as well as in North and Latin America.

To effectively combat economic inequality, countries must approach the solution of this problem in a comprehensive manner - to increase the availability of education, health care and other resources. Most people assume that the main responsibility lies with the government, but corporations can share that responsibility as business itself benefits from rising incomes for the poor. This is how the number of consumers and the market for goods and services are growing.

Continuous rise in unemployment

Economic growth without employment growth (jobless growth) is a phenomenon in which the employment rate does not change (and even decreases) in combination with GDP growth. The authors say that the main reason for this problem is the too rapid transformation of the labor market due to the development of technology.

Even China is familiar with the problem: the country has experienced unprecedented growth in production and exports and increased the competitiveness of its products, but the number of people employed in industry has declined significantly over the past 20 years due to high rates of industrialization and automation. This is a long-term trend that will be observed around the world, the WEF indicates.

Lack of leaders

According to the WEF survey, 86% of respondents believe that the modern world lacks leaders, 58% do not trust political leaders, and almost the same number (56%) are suspicious of religious leaders.

Corruption, banal dishonesty of the authorities and inability to cope with modern problems are the main reasons for this mistrust, according to Pew Research Center polls conducted in China, Brazil and India. On the other hand, society is increasingly inclined to trust the figures of non-governmental organizations and, oddly enough, business leaders who have achieved success through their skills, education and drive for innovation.

In today's world, leaders can grow out of "ordinary people," says Shiza Shahid, one of the co-founders of the Malala Yusufzai Foundation, referring to her friend Malala, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year for her educational and human rights work. "We must foster a society in which honesty and empathy are key, where talents can develop., - explains Shahid. - This will allow ordinary people to gain strength. "

Growing geopolitical competition

After the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world temporarily came to a liberal consensus, but today geopolitics is again coming to the fore, the WEF notes. The growing geopolitical competition is not limited to events in Ukraine; similar processes are unfolding in Asia and the Middle East.

As a result of the Ukrainian crisis, the West may economically and politically distance itself from Russia, which until recently was considered the guarantor of regional stability and peace, the authors of the report point out. And the situation in the Asian region - the growing influence of China and its territorial claims - could potentially have more serious global consequences, writes the WEF. About a third of the Pew Research Center survey participants believe that in the foreseeable future, China will seize the palm of the leading world power from the United States.

In addition to the threat of geopolitical conflicts, the weakening of established ties between states will prevent them from jointly solving global problems, such as climate change or infectious epidemics. The rise of nationalist sentiments and the destruction of the system of multilateral relations between countries should be one of the most important lessons of 2014, experts of the WEF believe.

Weakening of representative democracy

Belief in democratic institutions has been declining since 2008: the economic crisis has eroded confidence in both businesses and governments that failed to prevent it. This provoked popular unrest, for example, in Greece and Spain, and political protests in recent years have become firmly established on the global agenda. The Arab Spring affected almost all countries in North Africa and the Middle East, dissatisfaction with political regimes exacerbated the situation in Ukraine and Hong Kong, in Brazil, protests over excessive government spending accompanied preparations for the World Cup this year and for the Olympic Games, which will be held in 2016.

Despite the fact that the development of information technology can significantly improve democratic procedures, there is discord between citizens and their elected officials around the world. Governments are still nineteenth-century institutions with twentieth-century thinking that do not keep up with the needs of civil society. To change the current situation, officials must use modern means of communication to include broader segments of the population in the decision-making process, according to WEF experts.

More frequent natural disasters

Extreme weather conditions are a direct consequence of climate change, the WEF experts note, and lately they have manifested themselves more and more intensively and are increasingly destructive. Floods in the UK, Brazil and Indonesia, droughts in the United States and Australia, heavy rains in Pakistan and snowstorms in Japan are changing public perceptions of climate change.

Ironically, people in the poorest countries experience the greatest destruction, and the global community tends to try to help them deal with past disasters, rather than investing in preventing damage from future disasters. These are significant costs, the effect of which will only be visible in the long term. However, they will benefit both economies and businesses, and, undoubtedly, the poorest and most vulnerable nations, the authors of the report explain.

Aggravation of nationalism

Since the industrial revolution, people have turned to political nationalism to defend traditional values \u200b\u200band identities. Catalonia in Spain, Belgium, Lombardy, Scotland in the UK - everywhere people demand protection from economic shocks and social conflicts and globalization, which threaten to violate long-standing traditions, values \u200b\u200band lifestyles.

However, the Scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Perhaps this rejection of separatism will demonstrate that in the new global world, nations can combine strong and vivid personality traits with a desire for closer cooperation with the rest of the world, the WEF experts hope, because we are talking not only about the coexistence of nations within one state, but also functioning as part of an integrated global economy.

Worsening access to drinking water

Difficulties with access to drinking water in various countries can be a consequence of both financial and resource factors, says one of the WEF experts, actor Matt Damon, who is one of the founders of the Water.org charity. In India, millions of people are separated from clean drinking water by only a few dollars, the actor explains, while in Africa and Asia it simply does not exist. For more than 750 million people in the world, the lack of drinking water is an urgent problem today, Damon laments, and, according to OECD experts, by 2030, almost 1.5 billion people will experience "water stress".

Meanwhile, according to a World Bank report, about 50% of the current gap between economic growth rates in developing and developed countries consists precisely of health problems and low life expectancy. States should spend more on maintaining the health of their citizens, and subsequently this will certainly affect the economic well-being of the country, the WEF experts point out. As an example, they cite the ever-increasing spending on healthcare in China, including biomedical research, which is increasing by 20-25% annually. Soon enough, China will spend more on this direction than the USA (in absolute terms). The Chinese believe that this investment is contributing to the country's economy, and the WEF agrees.

Environmental pollution in developing countries

The industrialization of the developing world remains a source of uncontrolled environmental pollution, WEF experts say. If on a global scale this problem ranks sixth in importance, then for Asia this challenge is one of the three most serious. China became the main source of greenhouse gas in 2005 and continues to be, followed by the United States and the European Union, according to the World Resources Institute. Brazil and India come next in the list of the largest pollutants.

While the main responsibility for reducing emissions lies with the developing countries themselves, the developed economies must also have a responsibility to overcome this problem. On the one hand, they must invest in the creation of new technologies with a low level of hydrocarbon use, on the other, they must provide developing countries with financing that will ensure the transition to greener energy sources.

Dunbar returned to anthropology to correlate his findings for Homo Sapiens communities. The researcher found out that the number of people in rural traditional settlements fluctuates within the limits suggested by him - up to two hundred people. In his work, the scientist suggested that the number of neurocortical neurons is electrically excitable brain cells that process, store and transmit information using electrical and chemical signals - limits the body's ability to process information, which in turn limits the number of relationships that a person can simultaneously maintain. When the group size exceeds this number, it becomes difficult for the individual to maintain the number of contacts.

Modern communication looks like this

And indeed, if you ask the representatives of the older generation how they met and learned any news, they will answer that they met at the holidays with friends, went for walks together, said goodbye to each other, meaning the next meeting, and when the hostess I wanted to cook an unusual dish, then I asked my friends for the recipe. And the number of these acquaintances on average did not exceed 150 people. All of the above examples indicate that in the past, people interacted with each other much more often. They had to personally communicate both with a familiar circle of people and meet new people, which, undoubtedly, perfectly developed their social skills. It is possible that it was this experience of our parents and grandmothers that affected the mutual understanding of generations - today communication of young people is increasingly happening online, and this applies to both friendship and love relationships.

Today, the ability to get all the necessary information at any time by simply googling it has significantly reduced the need for live communication between people. Why call acquaintances or meet a friend who has the information you need when you have the Internet? Gradually, this led to the fact that people began to communicate less live and more and more online. Thus, it is more difficult for modern adolescents to get to know strangers and socialize in general than for representatives of previous generations.

Dopamine networks and true friends

Social networks and the profiles that we create in them play a huge role in the modern world. Some psychologists call social media pages creating an improved version of oneself, since each person strives to make a good impression on others and often provides false information about himself. It turns out that communication itself has changed today, it has become more superficial. There was also a kind of disunity of interests - if in the past the whole country watched “The meeting place cannot be changed” and common topics for conversation could be found with almost everyone, today the picture is completely different. The emergence of the Internet and streaming services such as, on the one hand, gave us an imaginary freedom of choice, and on the other, made it more difficult to meet a person with similar interests in real life.

Instagram has begun testing "opt-out" in some regions of the United States. According to the new company policy, likes will be available only to the author of publications, but not to his subscribers

Moreover, based on Dunbar's work, it can be falsely concluded that the number on social networks should not exceed 150 people. But in fact, we add a large number of people as friends, and half of them have never met or will not see each other at all. The numbers in the friends tab today are a source of dopamine, but not real happiness.

According to recent research, a person is able to maintain only five truly close contacts throughout their life. That is why the first five people are highlighted in your social media feed. But communication with the rest of the conventional 145 friends is a bit strange - about once a year or six months we congratulate each other with messages, for example, “happy birthday”, as if letting another person know that we remember his existence. But such “zombing” on social networks cannot be called full-fledged communication. It turns out that our ancestors communicated with each other much more, more often and more productively than us, and this communication was often a key factor in their life well-being.

Zombing is a like or a holiday greeting from a person with whom you do not keep in touch, both online and in real life.

I would like to note that the Internet and the information age have not only enriched the Russian language with the latest borrowings, but also changed etiquette. So, in the modern world, the ability to put off your smartphone in time and not take too many photos in the presence of others is very much appreciated.

The series "Black Mirror" is no longer a series

Social science fiction fans have probably watched at least one episode of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. The first episode of the third season talked about how likes on social networks affect social status and determine the position in. And if the relationship between people in the world shown in this episode looks like an exaggeration, then the reality actually did not go so far - a taxi driver today can really lose his job if a client gives him just one star out of five a couple of times. And the way almost all interactions between people in modern China take place seems to make one think: “Is this not the world of the“ black mirror ”?

Shot from the series "Black Mirror" (3 season 1 episode)

Of course, the advent of the Internet and modern technology has changed more than just friendships and relationships. Today, the internet influences almost every aspect of our lifestyle, from basic needs to the most luxurious things. And as we move into the future, it is logical to assume that dependence on the Internet and its role in our lives will only increase. The modern world erases borders, resembling a global city that exists thanks to the Internet. Indeed, despite the fact that communication today is more and more superficial, we can now communicate with anyone, anytime, anywhere. has become a kind of guide to all information and inquiries about beauty, health, fashion, lifestyle, personal hygiene and more. Moreover, we can not only work without leaving home, but also get an education while sitting in our comfortable armchair. The Internet has become a huge platform for the free exchange of knowledge. Yes, we rarely see each other's faces, but we have Wikipedia.

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In concluding this article, I cannot help but note that along with the endless possibilities that have appeared thanks to the Internet, there are no less reasons for concern. Our society is rapidly transforming and the “okay boomer” meme, which has recently swept over the world social networks, is a vivid example of this. The generation of baby boomers - people who were born between 1943 and 1963 - don't really understand millennials, much less Gen Z. The fact is that the social environment in which boomers grew up was completely different from the environment that surrounds modern children and adolescents - and they, among other things, are surrounded by the screens of smartphones, tablets, TVs and endless streams of information.

Cast of the series "Friends" is almost in full force. The inscription at the top - "boomers"

The changes concern worldviews and even jokes. What was considered funny 20 years ago and what was joked about in the TV series "Friends" today is causing the outrage of young people. The values \u200b\u200bthat the boomer generation conveyed are becoming obsolete at an incredible rate, which only intensifies misunderstandings between people. But no less dangerous I see the inability and sometimes unwillingness of netizens. It's no secret that pseudoscientific and dangerous ideas, for example, about the dangers of vaccination, are spreading with incredible speed and success in.

No matter how our society has changed with the development of technology and the advent of the Internet, we still remain people, with our inherent errors of thinking, the need for communication and closeness with others. Perhaps the best thing each of us can do today is to stop for a moment and think about which direction and where we are going.