Our whole world is a society, which, as we know, is divided into certain segments. The greatest races are, they, in turn, are divided into states, the same are divided into cities, then there are communities (or companies) and families. The study of the phenomenon of society and its division is one of the most difficult areas in philosophy and science, and spiritual production occupies an important niche in this matter. What is it and how to understand this term?
Small introduction
Nobody yet knows what a person is, how he appeared and what function he performs in the universe. However, some of the properties of these creatures, of which we are all, are known. We have a biological shell, practically thoroughly studied, and something spiritual inside. Energy, strength, soul, mind - that is imperceptible and invisible, which makes us not just a physical body equipped with reflexes, but a conscious being with its own worldview, views, tastes, interests, etc. Our entire so-called inner world is filled for due to interaction with the society in which we exist from the moment of birth, and due to the memory that fixes all the events that happen to us throughout life.
The fact that people living in various states and even cities have their own individual mentality is obvious. Have you ever wondered why this is so? The fact is that this very mentality forms spiritual production, that is, those values and religious views (or their absence) that have surrounded a person since his birth.
What we were, what we became ...
Such a phenomenon as spiritual production has had various, so to speak, powers over the centuries. In each separate corner of the planet it is individual, aimed at one degree or another of the development of the population. In other words, the production of spiritual values determines the level of intellectual and moral development of the people. Thus, one race can be made more educated and cultural, and the other can be lowered to the lowest level of development. Previously, people did not have the opportunity to travel, so spiritual production, which was defined in a particular region, limited their internal potential. Now we notice that a person who travels is much more spiritually developed and nourished than someone who sits in place in his comfort zone. This means that the traveler literally collects the spirituality and values of other nations, becoming a more perfect and unique person.
Clear definition of the term
It is time to give a clear definition of spiritual production and activity, as well as to consider all the nuances associated with this complex socio-philosophical issue. So, this term means the creation of certain ideas, views, moral standards, theories and values that are generally accepted in a particular society. Each individual sphere of spiritual production develops historically, along its own separate path. It is shaped by events taking place within society, as well as interactions with other communities (wars, peace agreements, unions, etc.).
In the early stages of the existence of the state, we see that spiritual production is aimed at satisfying material needs, and already, emerging from this factor, moral principles and values are formed. Nowadays, a person’s life is as harmonious as possible, therefore the spiritual sphere of his activity can exist autonomously from material wealth and needs.
Modern contact of the spiritual and material principles
In the modern world, all the same, material and spiritual production intersect, but in a slightly different context than before. The fact is that it is impossible to convey this or that moral position, dogma or value to the people without something tangible that can be seen, read, recognized or heard. Therefore, here the material aspects of our being come into action. In fact, we are well acquainted with them and there is nothing complicated in this concept. Spiritual values are conveyed to people through books that are written and sold, paintings that are painted, and subsequently sold or put on public display. The same can be said about sculptures, architectural monuments, music, and even a science such as history (the presentation of which largely depends on the political structure of the state).
It turns out that the authors who are responsible for the spiritual formation of society take a direct part in shaping the economy of their country, and also enrich their own pockets and become universal favorites.
Generally accepted spiritual values
The production of spiritual values, as it turned out, has not only local significance. There is a certain general code of rules, dogmas and laws, uniting not only, of course, but most of humanity. We are talking about the Bible - a single book for all Christians, and it does not matter if they are Catholics, Protestants or Orthodox. It should be noted that it was the Christian alphabet that gave impetus to the formation of laws and moral standards in the states of Europe, Asia and America over the centuries. For example, the simplest is killing, which is considered a sin according to the Bible, in all countries of the world is criminally punished.
Yes, we know that Christianity has not subjugated to itself all the people of the globe. There are still Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc. But the theologians and religious scholars are well aware that the sources of any belief are identical. That is, the Koran is the same Bible, painted with different colors (figuratively).
Important components
To date, researchers distinguish certain types of spiritual production, or rather - the components of this issue. They allow us to understand how our "out-of-body" consciousness and understanding of everything that is, so to speak, above this world is being formed. So, what forms of spiritual production can be distinguished?
- Consumption. In this case, it is about satisfying a person’s spiritual needs, which were formed during his life in the framework of a particular society. Consumption can be spontaneous, that is willful. In this case, people themselves choose the values and worship them. It can also be purposeful, that is, imposed by the ruling or spiritual elite through advertising and propaganda.
- Spiritual distribution. We talked about this above - this is the division of humanity into groups (states), each of which has its own history, traditions, way of life, values and religion.
- Exchange. This process is the most interesting in spiritual production, since it gives rise to something new. On a small scale, the exchange can be described as a person who traveled a lot and absorbed the mentality, views, values and even the speech accent of all the peoples in whose territories he visited. This personality becomes unique and diversified. On a large scale, spiritual exchange is the merging of two countries or cultures, during which something new is formed.
- Relations. They differ from the exchange in that they do not come in direct contact. That is, the spiritual values of one people are accepted by another people, but they do not assimilate among themselves.
Vicious circle
We found out that some cultural monuments, for example, literature, architecture, musical works, paintings are the sources of the spiritual sphere of the people's life. They, even without propaganda, form in a person a sense of beauty, the concept of what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly, etc., since they affect the brain at a subconscious level (for example, people living in Venice are used to seeing it’s not a city around it, but an architectural museum, so any Russian province will be inconspicuous and gray for them). But at the same time, humanity is able to change its ideals and begin to love something different, new, different from the former. Again, a striking example is modern architecture. Creators of the past would be at a loss if they saw the creations of Santiago Calatrava, and we, the people of the 21st century, enjoy his work. He created a new ideal, which transformed not only the city, but also the mass consciousness of its inhabitants.
To summarize
Spiritual production is a complex system that affects simultaneously two types of consciousness - collective and individual. Moreover, one complements the other, and these two concepts cannot be separated. Consciousness is influenced by factors such as religion, order of values, traditions and legal norms. But at the same time, humanity invents and modernizes them, independently determining for itself the scope and limits of what is permitted.