MASS MILITARY PSYCHOSIS IN CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA: THE PERFORMATIVE DIMENSION OF COUNTERMEASURES

Abstract

The article examines how to counteract the mass militaristic psychosis (MMP) in modern Russia that is unfolded in discourses and narratives of the hostile media and is consistent with societal psyche intentions. The study’s purpose is to substantiate the methods (collective and individual) counteracting causes, manifestations and consequences of MMP in the aggressor country in the context of the performative approach in psychotherapy. Research methods: analysis of everyday discourse and media content to identify leading intentions of ideological influence, including observation and comparative analysis of the effectiveness of various psychotherapeutic methods, and axiopsychological reinterpretation of some psychotherapeutic practices. The results. The study revealed limited possibilities for implementing psychological education and encouraging critical thinking of the militaristic propaganda recipients. Instead, in the era of dominance of performance, when contemplation has been replaced with actions, the techniques of “emotional judo” become useful that introducing careful counterarguments to remove leaders – demagogues and dictators – from power and to apply real changes in life circumstances (primarily, to achieve Ukraine’s victory in the war). The forms of individual resistance to MMP, the imperial “rashism” ideology are derived from M. Seligman's PERMA formula. This is an axio-psychological interpretation of its emotional, intellectual, communicative and physical (acts) components. The article considers types of shaming used by political bloggers due to the total influence of Internet communications and widely spread invective practices in media content. The features of limited shaming in counter-propaganda are described. Conclusions. The antidote to MMP in the latest era of Meta-modernism means the performative exposition of its causes, manifestations and consequences to achieve real value transformation in the population affected by the imperial ideology. Axiopsychological reinterpretation of the positive psychological formula PERMA consists of the following steps: emotional rejection, reflexive criticism, value-orientation unity, reliance on a sense of dignity, defense of universal values and the will to defeat an existential enemy.