Offer the Simpsons TV show to Russians, followed by apartments to rescue Russia.
"Casting a Light on the State of Modern Society"
Hey there! Let's talk about Metropolitan Eugene of Ekaterinburge and Verhotury. This man, straight to the point, spoke at a women's forum about the importance of families in today's media and society.
He thinks we've veered off course, focusing on singles, adult troubles, and unrequited love instead of families. To drive his point home, he brought up "The Simpsons," an American series that's been on air for nearly 40 years, and "Smeshariki" and "Masha and the Bear" - our own shows. He noticed that although these shows have heartwarming themes, they often feature solitary heroes, and it's unclear if Masha even has parents in "Masha and the Bear."
So, what's his take on "The Simpsons"? He argues that our media should highlight families instead of focusing on culture problems with legislation. To illustrate this, he points out that "The Simpsons" has managed to engage audiences for four decades with a family at its core.
Now, I'm curious, has Eugene actually seen "The Simpsons"? Of course, he has! He believes that shows like these, done skillfully, can be engaging for the right audience. He struggled to recall recent shows featuring families, only able to think of "Daddy's Girls."
But Eugene isn't just interested in TV shows. He wants to see parents as heroes, just like they were in Soviet films like "Diamond Arm" and "Long Road to the Dunas." These films focus on family, love, and perseverance amidst difficult circumstances.
Of course, it's not just about entertainment. The economic situation plays a significant role in shaping people's decisions regarding family size. From Eugene's perspective, the state should offer support, including housing, to families to encourage their growth.
He envisions a world where cities cater to young families, offering amenities like kindergartens, schools, palaces of creativity, sports sections, vocational schools, and universities. By fostering a "culture of life" in small, provincial cities, young people might be encouraged to stay and create new opportunities rather than leaving for the city life.
Finally, Eugene wants to promote a different image of success in contemporary media. He believes that spiritual values, worth, honesty, kindness, bravery, and faith should be central to this image. In his opinion, this is the kind of person people would want to spend their lives with, create families, and raise responsible children.
Eugene has suggested a "value reprogramming" of the contemporary cultural and public space – a task he's already working on in the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechesis. With the help of films like "Girl and Robot" and the "Film Lessons in Russian Schools" project, Eugene and his team are creating short, engaging films to instill traditional values in children.
It's a big task, but with time and dedication, Eugene is hopeful that a cultural shift can occur, leading to stronger families and a more cohesive society in Russia.
Bonus Fact: Eugene's team has created a series called "Girl and Robot," which won the Runet Prize in 2024 and features father, mother, and daughter characters. They're also working on a project called "Film lessons in Russian schools," developing 99 short films for students to reinforce values like friendship, nobility, gratitude, and respect for traditions and historical memory.
According to Metropolitan Eugene, the focus on singles, adult troubles, and unrequited love in modern media should be replaced with an emphasis on family dynamics, particularly in popular shows like "The Simpsons." He also believes that our society, including relationships and education, should be reprogrammed with traditional values to foster a "culture of life" and strengthen families, ultimately leading to a more cohesive society. To achieve this, he is working on projects such as "Girl and Robot" and "Film Lessons in Russian Schools," which instill values like kindness, bravery, and faith in children and young people.
