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The main attitudes of young Russians when choosing a job are higher wages and unwillingness to take responsibility. This is, in fact, the idea of a stable life, characteristic of the Soviet era. Why “Generation Y” chooses money, and not the possibility of self-realization – in an interview with sociologist Natalya Zorka.
“Millenials”, “Generation Y”, “Generation Me” are the names of those who are 20-30 years old today. No one knows yet how they will manifest themselves. In Russia, many pin their hopes for change on them. Are they justified? Natalya Zorkaya, a sociologist and a leading researcher at the Levada Center, reflects on this.
In 2014, Hays published a major study on the career aspirations and values of the 1990s-2000s professional generation. A survey in Europe and America showed that a career and a stable income are not as important for them as the desire to live a full life and enjoy work. The very concept of “career” leaves their lexicon. Work is more of a vital necessity than a means of earning.
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The results for Russia were noticeably different. For Russian representatives of the “Y generation”, material rewards (64%) and the possibility of rapid career growth (40%) are more important in their work. For 58%, the ideal manager is a task manager, a boss who is ready to take responsibility. Only 7% would like to solve problems in a team where there is no clear leader. At the same time, for 72% it is important that the work is interesting. And 76% dream of starting their own business*.
Psychologies: Where do these differences come from, how can they be explained?
N. Z .: In the first place among the “generation” I “in Russia is material security. This is clear. We always want what we miss the most. These people grew up in difficult conditions. The standard of living in the country as a whole is quite low. In 2006 we had a survey: 40% of young people were already working as students. Many are forced to provide for their families. But gradually it develops into a desire to have their own money, to be independent. Life is concentrated in cities, and there is expensive life, expensive leisure. Therefore, salary, salary is a very strong incentive. Career growth and the opportunity to do something important and interesting fade into the background. Our research shows that the desire to find a job you like is most often declarative. This can be seen in the areas in which young people would like to work: banking, lawyers, recently a little more doctors. A young man aspires to enter the Faculty of Economics or Law, but this does not mean that he is interested in law and economics. Many graduates go to work not in their specialty, often change jobs. In general, the quality of education, the importance of obtaining skills is valued very low. As a result, the values of professionalism are eroded.
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N. Z .: That is, young people do not strive for self-realization?
Professional self-awareness recedes into the background when success is measured mainly by material components. Education is perceived as a way to “go out to the people”. In this sense, of course, the generation of 18-30-year-olds is very selfish. The consciousness that they can benefit society is very poorly developed among them. This is the merit of the parents. They invested in surviving, pulling out children, while losing some higher goals and ideas. The value ceiling has dropped to the level of “survive and earn more.” This model was laid down in the family. In such an environment, both education and professional skills become not an end in themselves, but a tool for achieving prosperity. Therefore, the quality of education is also low. It is very characteristic that the main attitudes when choosing a job are income and unwillingness to take responsibility. Better to be a bank clerk than a manager.
*Study data published on the Hays website, hays.com
But what about the desire to start your own business? Is this not an indicator of initiative, willingness to take risks?
N. Z .: Talk about business is also declarative. A very large proportion of young people say they would like to have their own business. So it was ten years ago. But when we start looking at the real picture, we take the same respondents already at the age of 30-40, it turns out that the share of businessmen is not growing. It remains at the level of those 11% who already have their own business. While they are young, they believe that they will be able to change something. But then they are built into the system and repeat those models that they see around, in the behavior of others. This is, in fact, the idea of a stable life, characteristic of the Soviet era. This is the current phase of society.
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How does this affect society as a whole?
N. Z .: It turns out an interesting picture. Personal well-being seems to be on the rise. There is even something similar to the middle class, which acts as the main consumer and sets the tone in society. But this class has no face, no idea, no active position. But there is dissatisfaction with their position. They are oriented to Western standards of life, but are forced to live here. For example, according to our data, 40% of these people would like to emigrate, but only 2% actually do something in this direction. The discrepancy between words and deeds is a very characteristic feature of this layer. They live with a strong sense of instability: now they are fine, but what will happen next? They are afraid of activity because they know that they can easily lose their well-being. It is easier for them to adapt to the system than to try to change it. Therefore, when we conduct surveys on the topic of what traits are inherent in Russian people, one of the most popular definitions is always “patient”. This is the willingness to adapt. But patience always carries a shade of hidden aggression. We endure with gritted teeth.
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Are there any changes possible?
N. Z .: Perhaps the main shift will occur when these people realize their role in society. And above all, your responsibility. Attitude towards the weak is an indicator of the level of solidarity in society. Now there are some social initiatives, projects. This already suggests that a new idea of society is being born. But while these changes are going very slowly, our society is very fragmented. In sociology, there is the concept of “anomie” – a situation of a gap between the needs of people and the ability to satisfy them. The state of anomie is dangerous because it entails the collapse of the system of values and norms that provide some kind of guarantee. This is exactly what we are facing right now.