Abstract

In this article the author reveals and analyzes the relationship between the destructive nature of man and the emergence of mass culture society. The methodology of the research is the concept of the collective unconscious C. Jung. The author actualizes the archetype “Shadow”, which embodies the basic instincts and seeks a way to discharge in various forms of social destruction. This enabled the author of the article to define violence as the result of an ignored unconscious. As one of the main characteristics of mass society was defined as a loss of harmony of consciousness with the unconscious, which resulted in massivization of consciousness and human behavior, the dissolution of the individual in the crowd, the feeling of inner disharmony. The cause of impaired mental balance is the total rationalization and formalization of social relations. The disregard and suppression of the unconscious requires compensation: the desire to remove neurosis due to both identification of individual consciousness with the collective, and through sublimation of the irrational appetites. The result of this compensation acts as a pseudopolitical activity that does not involve a reasonable choice and conscious action. This leads to neurotization, which can turn into a mental epidemic. Because of this, any event that unbalances the social system can turn into destructive behavior of the masses. The danger of such detente is increasing in the modern information society. As a conclusion, it is noted that “Shadow” acts as a moral problem that challenges the “I” and is unconscious without moral effort. Therefore, the first step towards its realization is recognition of the reality of its dark sides.