Abstract: The focus of the research attention is on the dynamics of the popularity of the person-centric and socio-centric symbols of success, expressed by the content of popular films of USA film distribution. On the example of analysis of the corpus of popular feature films from 1980 to 2019, presented in the Top-10 leaders of box-office sales revenue according to Box Office Mojo statistics, the attempt of typology of motivations of activity developed by mass culture of the USA on the basis of a disposition of symbols of success of autonomous activity (personocentrism) and collective interaction (sociocentrism) is made. Marking the personocentrism and sociocentrism (two different strategies of achieving success) in the artistic reality of a movie assumes the determination of stereotypes of behavior, broadcasted by means of movie communication. The research is based on the method of a typology of movies as person-centric and socio-centric symbols of success, implying a set of non-interrogative methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the plot content. The novelty of the research is due to both the innovative author's approach to the analysis of sociocultural processes and interpretation of publicly available empirical data of box office film distribution. The obtained results suggest that the marking of the popularity of socio-centric or person-centric content of films in contrast to the ideal image of a cultural hero (in the national tradition - a collectivist, in the American - an individualist) reflects the value dynamics of the symbols of the success of collective interaction or autonomous activity of the individual in the mass culture of the United States.

Keywords: cultural dynamics, american values, collectivism, individualism, sociocultural processes, success symbols, movie communication, movie, sociocentrism, personocentrism

Abstract: The article is devoted to the variety of death symbols in European and Japanese painting of the XVth - XXIst centuries. The subject of the research is the flowers viewed as symbolic, mystical and conceptual framework of different kinds of death in European and Japanese painting. The researcher focuses on the symbolic language of flowers in interpretation of death and different kinds of death in fine arts. Simple, delicate and sophisticated nature of Japanese painting conveys the message of uncertainty and focus on the moment which is reflected in the painting of flowers, too. In her research Belova has used iconological and comparative research methods using philosophical, culturological and historical research data. The rationale of the research is caused by the growing interest in the culture and national features of Japan. The researcher makes an attempt to compare symbolism of flowers used to describe an act of death and different attitude of European and Japanese culture to different kinds of death. Belova concludes that that for both European and Japanese painting national traditions and specific symbolic content of images of flowers used in the decoration of an act of death are very important. Flower symbols demonstrate the beauty and aesthetics of death. Modern European society has lost the old traditions of death perception while Japanese artists has discovered the essence of human life and death in the image of flower. 

Keywords: beauty, image, Shinto, Buddhism, Japanese and European painting, pre-Raphaelites, death, flower, symbolism, perfection

Abstract: In his article based on the analysis of the history of culture and ontogenesis, Rozin offers his methodological and cultural-psychological concept of consciousness. The researcher analyzes the gnoseological situation of the new time that has led to the creation of the term and consciousness scheme. Rozin studies two approaches, phenomenological and physiological, to consciousness in European science. He offers his own approach that is based on methodology of cultural research and psychology within which new structures of consciousness are developed as response and solutions of cultural issues which implies creation of scheme as a specific form of reflection. This approach is fortified by the analysis of proto-consciousness formation and consciousness itself in philo- and ontogenesis. In his research Rozin applies the following research methods: problem statement, comparative and situational analysis, reconstruction of protoconsciousness and consciousness formation, composition of definitions. As a result of research, Rozin has developed the main ideas of the methodological and cultural-psychological concept of consciousness and illustrated them based on the examples of the history of culture and ontogenesis. rozin has also created the interdisciplinary discourse that has used definitions of methodology, cultural research and psychology in a new light. 

Keywords: concept, reflection, individual, personality, mind, culture, awareness, consciousness, scheme, future

Abstract: The subject of the research is the status of philosophy in the culture of am odern technogenic society, in particular, its importance for people in the era when technical rationality prevails. In her research Popkova examines peculiarities of technical rationality and its difference from philosophical rationality. She demonstrates the difference of worldviews developed by these types of rationality and signs of expansion of technical rationality into the sphere of philosophy. Popkova also desribes the main views regarding the aim and functions of philosophy and makes a conclusion about the conflict between philosophical and technological activity goals. The research methodology involves problem statement and discussion, comparative and situational analysis, historical cultural comparison, composition of definitions, typological constructs and generalisations. The researcher also describes the main postulates of technical mind, i.e. principles that arose during the technical activity and extended to other activities as a result of expansion of technical rationality. At the end of the article the author concludes that philosophy is also attacked by technical mind which to a great extend explains its crisis in modern society. Nevertheless, this is philosophy that can develop new forms of thinking and become the basis for new humanitarian activities.  

Keywords: science, humanization, technogenic society, modernity, rationality, man, technique, philosophy, culture, activity

Abstract: The article is devoted to the development of the image of Lenin in cinemaleniniana of Sergei Yutkevich and Yevgeny Gabrilovich. In his article Shelest analyzes the period since 1937 till 1987, from when the personality cult of Stalin was first created till the moment when it was dispelled and the cult of Lenin was revived for short time. The researcher focuses on the films 'Lenin in Poland' and 'Lenin in Paris'. He also touches upon the history of the creation of film 'Light Over Russia' as an example of the pressure that official ideology had on directors. The aim of this research is to describe the main stages of the development of Lenin's image in cinemalenianana of Yutkevich from the point of view of cultural and historical environment of the Soviet era. As a result of his research, Shelest has defined peculiarity of the structure and composition of films as well as their genre attribution. The researcher also traces back how the historical, mythological and subjective (director's) time correlate and what influence different periods of the Soviet reality had on the image of Lenin. The novelty of the research is caused by the author's attempt to take a loot at Yutkevich's films without ideological blinkers. The research results can be used as the basis for further research of Post-Soviet Leniniana. At the end of the article the author concludes that the artistic image of Lenin was formed at the crossing of two ideological waves, 'from the bottom', i.e. people's mind, as a religious archetype, and 'from above', as a political order. All that resulted in weakening of Lenin's cult in the long run.  

Keywords: cinema of the Soviet Union, myth, counterpoint, alienation effect, defamiliarization, Yevgeny Gabrilovich, Sergei Yutkevich, leniniana, Lenin, composition

Abstract: The matter under research is two operas of a German opera genius George Handel, Florindo and Daphne. Due to the fact that there is no music for these two operas left, the researcher focuses on the analysis of libretto texts. Kosheleva makes an attempt to bring together bits of information about the creation and first performances as well as what happened to the operas later. In addition, the researcher also provides a brief review of the narration in order to describe specific features and represent two operas as one whole. The researcher primarily uses the historical method to research and describe historical events. To analyze specific features of the narration, Kosheleva applies a variety of theoretical methods, most of all,l analysis, comparision and inductive-deductive method. As part of the overall inerest in Baroque musical art, this article represents a new page in Russian music studies of George Handel's early opera composition and The Hamburg theatre's traditions in early XVIIIth century. Florindo and Daphne represent Handel's first appeal to the opera pastoral genre and are a bright example of opera dilogy, performances that were put on on Gänsemarkt stage. 

Keywords: opera seria, librettology, The Hamburg theater, double opera, history of the opera, plot formation, Heinrich Hinsch, George Handel, baroque opera, Florindo and Daphne