Neototalitarianism as an ideological phenomenon: cultural discourse

Abstract

Our research is devoted to analysis of neototalitarianism. We base our study on the new non-classic culturological methodology. When we say about "new totalitarianism" we mean radicalization of postmodern society through wars and ideologies. Classic totalitarianism is a phenomenon that is sufficiently studied in classical humanities. The main features of totalitarianism are already defined. These are: cult leader and one-party political system. These features are not inherent in the new totalitarianism. Researchers difficult to diagnose it because of its diffuse nature. The new totalitarianism investigates specific to global culture and processes of informatization. We interpret it as cultural sense that formed the collective unconscious. We refer discourse Real, which is protected under the Symbolic - a system of ideological narratives. We need a new methodology to study the new totalitarianism. This methodology must be differed from classical social philosophy and psychology. This methodology can provide Cultural science. We mean: cultural studies (Birmingham and the Montreal school), structural and cultural psychoanalysis of the pathography of movie by J. Lacan and S. Zizek, post-structuralism, media theory and post-industrial society, known as the "alter-globalization", "glokalizm" "antiglobalization". These concepts help to show: a new totalitarian mentality formed in a conflict of cultures as virtual manipulation strategy.

The aim of our study is the semantic diagnosing of classical and non-classical philosophical symptoms of a new totalitarianism (neototalitarianism) in interdisciplinary cultural discourse, which includes non-classical ideas of psychoanalysis and social philosophy. Implementation objective defines the following research objectives: to identify the classic signs of a new totalitarianism, which brings him to the totalitarian tendencies of past eras based on previous cultural reflection of the totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century; to identify and disclose non-classical features of the neototalitarianism through our own experience based on postmodern culture; to demonstrate, how the semantic identifying aspects of classical and non-classical features of neo-totalitarian ideology do in the radical rightwing version of the new totalitarianism (nationalist, chauvinist, Nazi).

Based on the synthesis of these concepts, we have solved the traditional and new ideological lines of new totalitarianism as an expression of the desire for domination. Traditional characteristics: integrity, binary, xenophobia, Quasi-religiosity, humor negation / knowledge and paternalism. The newest features: fetishization of power as spectacle within the absolute transparency of private life (Synoptykon); terrorism virtual global village, and self-censorship "internal topics"; ideological kitsch and elitist populism. A clear manifestation of right radical nationalism is based on the romantic concept of gestalt. Inherent to it reduction identities, homogenization and isolationism contrary semiosfery global society.