Šiuolaikinė asmens statuso transformacija: sisteminės krizės paradigma ir atsako paieška
Contemporary transformation of personal status: paradigm of systemic crisis and the quest for solution

Summary/Abstract: Current article deals with the social status theories and analyses the shifting concept of personal status. Social conversions directly affect the understanding and definition of personal status. Part of contemporary authors considers this multiple process to be a result of modern crisis both in the Western democracies as well as in the post-Soviet countries. They criticize the devastating effect that secularization has on the conventional way of life and interpersonal relationship without positive alternative. Cultural and social deviations as a forthcoming norm, fragmentation or even collapse of the traditional communities, decline of the family institute, alienation and estrangement of an individual are the social phenomena that were identified and widely analyzed in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Consequently, social status was started to identify with welfare, power and good/profitable position and vice versa – unsatisfactory status or status publicly recognized as “mean” is perceived as a social stigma. The conception that treated personal status as the whole of multisided obligations and responsibility among individuals was rejected as inadmissible. Subversion against the established authority, tradition and status system probably has had the greatest impact on the societies of post-Soviet countries. The former social system(s) and routine of everyday-life were brutally annihilated. Higher status and/or position became the only source of acceptable standard of living or even physical survival, even though the politics of social equality and impersonality was formally proclaimed. After totalitarian soviet system collapsed the strife for the better social status gained drastic and long-term expressions. High personal (social) status is demonstrated and proved by means of financial power, human manipulation or even coercion as a regular result of the Soviet rule. Individualism is probably one of the most important elements forming social and cultural background for the personal status. Originally, the tradition of Western individualism traces back to the Judo-Christian origins. On the other hand, dislodge of Christianity or its gradual extrusion of from public and even private spheres of life could be imminent for the existing Western conventions on personal status. Contemporary transformation of personal status is marked with emphasising the selective amplification of individual rights and at the same time with avoiding to accept internecine obligations. These should be taken into account as very turbulent tendencies that can lead to the introduction of new totalitarian rules in the future.

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