Hypernomie as a Phenomenon of Modern Society

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to clarify the essential characteristics of hypernomy as a social phenomenon. The comparative-historical, structural-functional and evaluative methods were used. Reference to the works of R. Dahrendorf, E. Gellner, K. Stenner, theorists of anomie, allowed us to identify several characteristic features of hypernomy. The first must include strict disciplinary control over the behaviour of citizens that affects bodily customs. There is another characteristic of hypernomy which is the identification of the functions of power and control over power. This is inherent not only in communist and post-communist countries, but also in traditional democracies that exert control over citizens through the Internet. The third characteristic of hypernomy is the predominance of production planning and control. Hypernomic societies impose a utilitarian understanding of good and evil, erasing traditional moral language. The fourth property of hypernomy is the ubiquitous spread of conformism, self-deception, and the cult of authoritarian personality. Two main conclusions are formulated: while hypernomics is the opposite of anomie, dialectically they complement each other and can pass from one to another.