The expansion of the humanist ideology as the way to prevent addictions

Olga Kolina

Let’s first consider the causes of drug addiction in the modern world and the way the humanist ideology is able to protect us from it. And then I’ll tell you about our experiment with the drug-prevention program, which was to the good of schoolchildren and students.

The causes of the problem
We are living in epoch of the global crisis. The epidemic of drug diseases is one of its manifestations. We think that the global crisis and its particular cases are caused by the crisis of the present civilization. Our civilization is commercial. It is aimed at producing goods for enrichment. Due to this a man is built up not as an individual, but as a goods consumer. But normal human needs are limited. That’s why, firstly, they are overexploited, secondly, they are deformed for the sake of commodity producers, and thirdly, new needs, not really human ones, are formed – a need to smoke, to drink alcohol, to take drugs.

But what a bargain should a producer strike with his conscience, if his goods are knowingly ruinous for a user? Such a person is to take an individualistic stand. He asserts that “everyone is one’s own master”. This view is sometimes even legally fixed. For example, at the beginning of March, the American Congress adopted “The Law of personal liability for foodstuff consumption”. This document secures fast-food snackbars from the suits of consumers suffering from obesity.

Unfortunately, individualism is the dominant ideology of the modern society. A consumer individualism inevitably leads to the spreading of drug diseases. This ideology gives the right to producers and salesmen to poison others with tobacco, alcohol and drugs. It allows the consumers of these potions not to care about the example they show for children, teenagers, their followers and fans. It doesn’t also lay any responsibility upon the shoulders of culture-makers for the consequences of their creative work. Here is an example: I’ve visited three popular theatres in St.Petersburg recently. In all of them actors did actually smoke on the stage, in two of them they depicted drinking vodka and in one of the theatres they imitated cocaine snuffing… Some art workers don’t hesitate to announce that they “create” under cocaine inebriation.

The overwhelming majority of people living in the consumer society find themselves in the state of chronic neurosis. Where does it come from? First, their claims are too high. The top levels of material needs satisfaction are set as an ideal, but frequently people can not afford it. Second, the individualistic position is incompatible with spirituality, so the eternal question of the life sense is solved in such way that the life has no sense and getting pleasure is the only thing that matters. Third, generative feelings of today’s man are strongly perverted. But the generic function is the central feature of organism. Its impairment leads to diseases and a strong emotional discomfort.
Now in the situation of a constant discomfort anyone is inclined to search for something to optimize one’s mental and physical state. Without psychic culture in our society, i.e. without translatable set of knowledge and experience of self-understanding, self-perfection, optimal self-realization, people can only use the way of relieving stress that is generally offered, namely a loud rhythmic music, gambling games, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

The humanist ideology and the preventive experience
The humanist ideology suggests that another stand should be taken. It is contrasted to that of an insatiable consumer. We think that psychic abilities of a man, thanks to the evolution, are getting more and more developed. This is true-human way of development. That’s why the humanist stand suggests giving up insatiable consumption. Instead, a humanist should master psychic culture, develop his/her consciousness, his/her innate abilities. Feelings that unite people and consoilidate humanity are to be cultivated, these are the feelings of love, devotion, duty and responsibility.

The Humanist Youth Union has a wealth of experience in organizing Studios of Psychic Culture. Each of our activists has gone through such classes. And our experience serves as the true evidence of the fact that a person involved in self-perfection would not complicate his/her life with cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs. And having gained the experience of relieving stress through psychophysical exercises, one will never turn to psychoactive substances. You know, to relieve stress with the help of the latters is just as to break open the door when you have a key to it.

“Omega” and “Uventa”, the programs of narcological deseases prevention, are based on the said statements. And we are taking an active part in their realization. Psychic and physical education helps teenagers in their self-actualization, thus making psychoactive substances unneeded. The programs save young people from taking them. Instead of inebriation they get pleasure from developing and using their abilities. Instead of blindly imitating smoking and drinking, they come to understand the psychological mechanisms of getting addicted to them.

It is known that teenagers are not inclined to trust their family people. That’s why the talks of parents and teachers have no real effect on them. But strangers, on the contrary, can easily inveigle them into smoking, alcohol, drugs taking. This situation is explained in the film for schoolchildren. We questioned them about the most important points they singled out. The phrase “We should trust our parents not strangers” appeared to be new for them.

Schoolchildren leave the classroom inspired. They realize that they have got true knowledge that can help them to be healthy and happy. In fact, the programs resolve the contradiction between true human values and the anticultural standards of today. Schoolchildren recieve confirmation to the moral values which are inborn in them, and can rely upon them later on.

We, i.e. the Humanist Youth Union, are spreading the psychic culture and real human values among young people. We’ll never stop doing it. We are also open to cooperate and share our experience with all the interested.

Let’s combine our forces in the fight against addiction epidemic, in the fight for our Future!