THE SPECIFICITY OF MODERN PROTEST MOVEMENTS: FROM SOCIO-CULTURAL DESTRUCTION TO THE DEVALUATION OF MORALITY (ON THE EXAMPLE OF BLM PROTESTS)

N. I. Petev
Vladimir State University, Vladimir, Russia
e-mail: cyanideemo@mail.ru

Abstract. The article is devoted to the analysis of the internal content of the rhetoric and the main features of the construction of protest movements. For this study, the «Black Lives Matter» movement was used as a subject, as a phenomenon in which the desired components are most clearly traced. Due to the correlation of the spontaneous and irrational aspects and the speculative-radical, pragmatic component, the studied specifics and content are successfully identified. This study uses a combination of methods (dialectical, analytical, content analysis, etc.), as well as approaches (ethical, social, political, etc.). As a result, the author comes to the following conclusions and results: 1. Protests of this kind are characterized by targeted damage to cultural and historical heritage in order to initiate its devaluation. 2. One of the characteristics is «reverse racism», which is directed not only against a certain category of people, but mostly by teleological primacy has the acquisition of special advantages and quotas. 3. In the rhetoric of such organizations, there is an immanent speculative tendency to deny the rights of the individual, to «average» the individual before being elevated to the masses, as well as the formation of a new stereotyping. 4. The repressive cult of violence and cruelty is draped with the ideas of «noble struggle». 5. Special conscious radicalism (both ideological and expressed in specific intentional acts), which excludes the possibility of dialogue. 6. The eradication of history and tradition presupposes the formation of a new socio-political system, and morality and religion are tools for achieving such goals. 7. Escalation within the framework of moral consciousness, attitudes, behavior and value system of the «tolerance» fetish, which becomes a total system for controlling / suppressing freedom (opinions, attitudes, etc.), creating an alibi of responsibility and conditions for the degeneration of individuality.

Key words: reverse racism, tolerance, pragmatism, speculation, mass movement, personality and mass character, violence, counterculture and vandalism.

Cite as: Petev, N. I. (2023) [The specificity of modern protest movements: from socio-cultural destruction to the devaluation of morality (on the example of BLM protests)]. Intellekt. Innovacii. Investicii [Intellect. Innovations. Investments]. Vol. 2, pp. 142–155, https://doi.org/10.25198/2077-7175-2023-2-142.