The consulting division of PwC, Strategy&, released a report on the personnel situation among senior executives of companies. Experts found that in 2018, the proportion of managers removed from their posts for violating moral and ethical standards increased significantly - by 50%, compared to an increase of 26% a year earlier.

The report by Strategy&, PwC's strategic consulting arm, focuses on the turnover and succession of senior executives in companies (CEO Success Study). Experts note that at the end of 2018, staff turnover among heads of companies around the world reached a record level of 17.5%. At the same time, there remains a group of managers who maintain stable positions in their companies. As part of the study, an analysis was carried out of the change in leadership of the 2,500 largest public companies in the world over the past 19 years. According to the results, 19% of respondents remained in their position for 10 years or more, although the average tenure of a manager is five years.

In 2018, executive turnover increased markedly in all regions except China.

Turnover was highest in countries classified as “other advanced economies” (such as Australia, Chile and Poland), at 21.9%, almost the same as Brazil, Russia and India (21 .6%).

Slightly lower rates were found in Western Europe (19.8%), and the lowest turnover rate remains in North America (14.7%). When analyzed by industry, experts found that the highest turnover of executive personnel in 2018 was characteristic of telecommunications companies (24.5%), followed by the materials (22.3%) and fuel and energy sectors (19.7%).

The lowest turnover of management personnel in 2018 was observed in the healthcare sector (11.6%). The report states that “despite the emergence of new disruptive technologies, intense competition and investor activity, the average tenure of this group of senior executives is 14 years, they are more effective, and they are less likely to be forced to retire than among managers with less experience.”

When it comes to regional differences, the researchers point to a higher likelihood of long-term executives in North America (30%), slightly less in Western Europe (19%), followed by Japan, Brazil, Russia and India (9% each), and in China The position of top management is one of the most unstable (7%).

In 2018 for the first time throughout the history of this study number of executives fired due to ethical violations, it turned out to be more (39% share of all layoffs) than due to dissatisfaction with financial performance or disagreements in the board of directors - the most common reasons in the past. The number of top managers fired for unethical behavior in 2018 increased by 50%, a year earlier the increase in the number of such dismissals was 26%.

Another trend was a decrease in the share of women among new managers in 2018 to 4.9%.

In 2017, there were 6% of new female managers. However, the report clarifies that compared to the lowest level of 1% in 2008, the upward trend continues. Irina Gaida, partner at Strategy& in Russia, believes that “only coordinated efforts of business, academia, government and public organizations will allow the full potential of women and men to be realized in business and in leadership positions.”

Unlike 2017, when the share of women among new CEOs jumped sharply to 9.3% in the US and Canada, in 2018 the highest percentage was in the group of countries Brazil, Russia and India (8.8%). , China and other developing countries. The largest number of female executives appeared in the utilities, trade and other service sectors (9.5%), followed by the communications services and financial services sectors (7.5% and 7.4%, respectively).

Content

A person's personality traits become apparent after late adolescence and either remain unchanged throughout life or change slightly or fade with age. The diagnosis of personality disorder (ICD-10 code) is several types of mental pathologies. This disease affects all areas of a person’s life, the symptoms of which lead to severe distress and disruption of the normal functioning of all systems and organs.

What is a personality disorder

Pathology is characterized by a person’s behavioral tendency, which differs significantly from the accepted cultural norms in society. A patient suffering from this mental illness experiences social disintegration and severe discomfort when communicating with other people. As practice shows, specific signs of a personality disorder arise in adolescence, so an accurate diagnosis can only be made at the age of 15-16. Before this, mental disorders are associated with physiological changes in the human body.

Reasons

Mental personality disorders arise for various reasons - from genetic predispositions and birth trauma to violence suffered in different life situations. Often the disease occurs against the background of parental neglect of the child, intimate abuse, or the child living in a family of alcoholics. Scientific research shows that men are more susceptible to pathology than women. Risk factors that provoke the disease:

• suicidal tendencies;
• alcohol or drug addiction;
• depressive states;
• obsessive-compulsive disorder;
• schizophrenia.

Symptoms

People who have a personality disorder are characterized by an antisocial or inappropriate attitude towards all problems. This provokes difficulties in relationships with other people. Patients do not notice their inadequacy in behavioral patterns and thoughts, so they very rarely seek help from professionals on their own. Most individuals with personality pathologies are dissatisfied with their lives and suffer from constant increased anxiety, bad mood, and eating disorders. The main symptoms of the disease include:

• periods of loss of reality
• difficulty in relationships with marriage partners, children and/or parents;
• feeling of devastation;
• avoidance of social contacts
• inability to cope with negative emotions;
• the presence of feelings such as uselessness, anxiety, resentment, anger.

Classification

To make a diagnosis of a personal disorder according to one of the ICD-10, the pathology must satisfy three or more of the following criteria:

• the disorder is accompanied by deterioration in professional productivity;
• mental conditions lead to personal distress;
• abnormal behavior is pervasive;
• the chronic nature of stress is not limited to episodes;
• noticeable disharmony in behavior and personal positions.

The disease is also classified according to DSM-IV and DSM-5, which group the entire disorder into 3 clusters:

1. Cluster A (eccentric or unusual disorders). They are divided into schizotypal (301.22), schizoid (301.20), paranoid (301.0).
2. Cluster B (fluctuating, emotional or theatrical disorders). They are divided into antisocial (301.7), narcissistic (301.81), hysterical (201.50), borderline (301.83), unspecified (60.9), disinhibited (60.5).
3. Cluster C (panic and anxiety disorders). They are dependent (301.6), obsessive-compulsive (301.4), avoidant (301.82).

In Russia, before the adoption of the ICD classification, there was its own orientation of personality psychopathies according to P. B. Gannushkin. The system of a famous Russian psychiatrist, developed by a doctor at the beginning of the 20th century, was used. The classification includes several types of pathologies:

• unstable (weak-willed);
• affective;
• hysterical;
• excitable;
• paranoid;
• schizoid;
• psychasthenic;
• asthenic.

Types of Personality Disorders

The prevalence of the disease reaches up to 23% of all mental disorders of the human population. Personality pathology has several types, which differ in the causes and symptoms of the disease, the method of intensity and classification. Different forms of the disorder require an individual approach to treatment, so the diagnosis should be treated with special care in order to avoid dangerous consequences.

Transitional

This personality disorder is a partial disorder that occurs after severe stress or moral shock. The pathology does not lead to a chronic manifestation of the disease and is not a severe mental illness. Transistor disorder can last from 1 month to 1 day. Prolonged stress is provoked by the following life situations:

• regular overstrain due to conflicts at work, nervous conditions in the family;
• tedious journey;
• going through divorce proceedings;
• forced separation from loved ones;
• being in prison;
• domestic violence.

Associative

Characterized by the rapid flow of associative processes. The patient's thoughts change so quickly to his friend that he does not have time to pronounce them. Associative disorder manifests itself in the fact that the patient's thinking becomes superficial. The patient is prone to switching attention every second, so it is very difficult to grasp the meaning of his speech. The pathological picture of the disease also manifests itself in a slowdown in thinking, when it is very difficult for the patient to switch to another topic and it is impossible to highlight the main idea.

Cognitive

This is a violation in the cognitive sphere of life. Psychiatry points to such an important symptom of cognitive personality disorder as a decrease in the quality of brain performance. With the help of the central part of the nervous system, a person comprehends, interconnects and interacts with the outside world. The causes of cognitive impairment can be many pathologies, differing in the condition and mechanism of occurrence. Among them are a decrease in brain mass or organ atrophy, circulatory failure and others. Main symptoms of the disease:

• memory impairment;
• difficulty expressing thoughts;
• deterioration in concentration;
• difficulty in counting.

Destructive

Translated from Latin, the word “destructiveness” means destruction of structure. The psychological term destructive disorder indicates an individual's negative attitude towards external and internal objects. The personality blocks the release of fruitful energy due to failures in self-realization, remaining unhappy even after achieving the goal. Examples of destructive behavior of a metapsychopath:

• destruction of the natural environment (ecocide, environmental terrorism);
• damage to works of art, monuments, valuable items (vandalism);
• undermining public relations, society (terrorist attacks, military actions);
• purposeful decomposition of another person’s personality;
• destruction (murder) of another person.

Mixed

This type of personality disorder is the least studied by scientists. The patient exhibits one or another type of psychological disorder that is not persistent. For this reason, mixed personality disorder is also called mosaic psychopathy. The patient's instability of character appears due to the development of certain types of addiction: gambling, drug addiction, alcoholism. Psychopathic personalities often combine paranoid and schizoid symptoms. Patients suffer from increased suspicion and are prone to threats, scandals, and complaints.

Infantile

Unlike other types of psychopathy, infantile disorder is characterized by social immaturity. A person cannot resist stress and does not know how to relieve tension. In difficult situations, the individual does not control emotions and behaves like a child. Infantile disorders first appear in adolescence, progressing as they grow older. Even with age, the patient does not learn to control fear, aggression, and anxiety, so they are denied group work and are not accepted into military service or the police.

Histrionic

Dissocial behavior in histrionic disorder manifests itself in the search for attention and increased excessive emotionality. Patients constantly demand from those around them confirmation of the correctness of their qualities, actions, and approval. This manifests itself in louder conversation, louder laughter, and inadequate reaction in order to concentrate the attention of others on oneself at any cost. Men and women with histrionic personality disorder display inappropriately sexual clothing and eccentric passive-aggressive behavior, which is a challenge to society.

Psychoneurotic

The difference between psychoneurosis is that the patient does not lose contact with reality, being fully aware of his problem. Psychiatrists distinguish three types of psychoneurotic disorders: phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and conversion hysteria. Psychoneurosis can be provoked by great mental or physical stress. First-graders often face such stress. In adults, psychoneurological shocks are caused by the following life situations:

• marriage or divorce;
• job change or dismissal;
• death of a loved one;
• career failures;
• lack of money and others.

Diagnosis of personality disorder

The main criteria for the differential diagnosis of a personality disorder are poor subjective well-being, loss of social adaptation and performance, and disturbances in other areas of life. To make a correct diagnosis, it is important for the doctor to determine the stability of the pathology, take into account the cultural characteristics of the patient, and compare it with other types of mental disorders. Basic diagnostic tools:

• checklists;
• self-esteem questionnaires;
• structured and standardized patient interviews.

Treatment for Personality Disorder

Depending on the attribution, comorbidity and severity of the disease, treatment is prescribed. Drug therapy includes taking serotonin antidepressants (Paroxetine), atypical antipsychotics (Olanzapine) and lithium salts. Psychotherapy is carried out in attempts to change behavior, make up for educational gaps, and search for motivation.

Video: Personality Disorders

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Types of mental personality disorders - signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

A Christian is a completely free master, not subject to anything. A Christian is a completely obedient servant, subordinate to everything.

Martin Luther

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6).

Sensuality

“Okay,” they will tell us. – Perhaps the evidence “from psychology” is exaggerated. But it is clear that non-Christian rock concerts breed violence. Sensuous rhythms undoubtedly excite passions that would otherwise lie dormant, and it is unwise to use such music for Christian purposes.”

Some claim that the American Medical Association recently linked "rock beat" to debauchery and drug abuse. As evidence, they cite newspaper reports about an article published in the Association's journal. But in this article, the authors do not establish a direct causal relationship between the style of music and bad behavior.

This message most likely warned about the possible influence of non-Christian rock bands that instilled an incorrect and unhealthy view of the world. It expresses concern about young people who have become immersed in the "heavy metal" subculture with the bands Slayer or Metallica. The bottom line is: “The available data are anecdotal, but generally suggest that these teens may be at risk for drug abuse or even involvement in satanic activities.”

Right! Right! I wholeheartedly agree and will repeat these warnings in Chapter 12 when talking about the bad things that many popular musicians have done. However, the article does not say anything about the fact that musical rhythms and styles are harmful in themselves, by their nature. They don't even consider Christian rock. Talking about the negative impacts of Slayer and Metallica and then concluding that Petra is also harmful is like taking a study of the effects of over-17 movies and concluding that "Bambi" also causes harm.

The only study I know of that compared teens who listened to contemporary Christian music with teens who preferred mainstream music found that the former tended to have higher average scores.

The expectations of the audience, provoking the behavior of the performers, and the atmosphere of the concert

I found no research linking sensuality to a particular musical style or to drum rhythm itself. Apparently, the atmosphere of unbridled excitement that occurs at some non-Christian rock concerts suggests to some critics that the musical style is to blame. Or maybe the frantic reaction is caused mainly by a combination of sensual lyrics, audience expectations and the lifestyle of the performers?

People go to a Rolling Stones concert not only for the music, but also for the atmosphere of unbridled excitement. When they get there, they are already determined to spend the evening accordingly. They enter the concert hall, and there are thousands of people who came with the same expectations. The performers support and “warm up” the atmosphere with their words and actions. Prince seduces and captivates the public with his hedonistic philosophy and sexually explicit antics. Cher dresses to impress the public. The group "Doors" indulges the spirit of protest and rebellion. It seems to me that a musical style in itself no more causes an ugly reaction from the public than "country" music causes people to drink and dance in a "country" night club. The audience's reaction is determined more by the aspirations of the people who are "turned on" by the performers than by the style of the music.

Many anthropological studies confirm this. For people of one culture of a certain type, music in a special situation evokes strong emotions, some even lose consciousness, while for people of another culture the same music may not have any effect. To confirm this hypothesis, let us compare the reaction to the music of the Beatles at the time they performed with the reaction today. Opponents drew attention to the fact that the Beatles confuse, excite, excite, which means that rock excites the sensual nature. Watching how calmly the Beatles listen now, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. If it’s a matter of style, then people would still react to it the same way they did in the 60s. We see again that the problem is not what kind of music is, but how people treat it and what they expect. Of course it has to do with how the band performs. I admit that most rock music does excite, but arousal in itself is not evil. We have already said that the worship of God in the Old Testament is often accompanied by an unrestrained but healthy excess of feelings. Excitation is neutral; and a rock musician has the opportunity to direct it in a positive or negative direction.

The spoken word has great power. According to the Book Proverbs (18:22), “death and life are in the power of the tongue,” and Hitler channeled the excitement generated by his charismatic speeches to push his terrible cause forward. The medium (captivating speech) is not to blame. Blame the content. Most people present at the concert of the group “Carmen” (“Sagtap” - “Driver”) cannot sit still. The atmosphere is electric, but the emotions are directed towards what should cause excitement: the fight for the cause of Christ with "principalities" and "powers" (Eph. 6:12) and solemn chanting of the coming victory.

Syncopated rhythm and sensuality

The syncopated drum rhythm is often considered to be the crux of the problem. In fact, syncopation can be found in many types of music, including classical (choral works) and established hymn books (“When Jesus Came into My Heart”). Are critics willing to throw all such music overboard? We found no studies linking syncopation to negative affect. In addition, the drum beat of rock music often matches the drum beat of softer music played in doctors' waiting rooms or department stores. For the most part, drums are accepted by our society. Many of those who deplore the percussion rhythm of rock music may accept a gentler form of the same rhythm in easy-listening music that is readily listened to. In fact, many church music pieces incorporate this rhythm. It is inconsistent to acknowledge the drum beat in one style of music and condemn it in another when it is essentially the same rhythm. It is interesting to note that soft and pleasant music stimulates sensuality more than heavy music. Filmmakers are good at pairing suitable music with a scene from a film. Soft and pleasant music usually accompanies love scenes so that the audience feels united with what is happening on the screen.

In the third part of the book we will see that the combination of popular musical styles with secular (non-Christian) activities has often led Christian leaders to mistakenly assume that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the two. There was a period in the history of the Church when certain musical intervals were considered sensual. The Babylonian Talmud believes that a woman's voice arouses lust. The early Church forbade men and women from singing together, seeing it as a symbol of sexual union. Karlstatt said: “Send organs, pipes and flutes to the theater. One deeply felt prayer is better than a thousand cantatas based on the words of psalms. The voluptuous sounds of the organ awaken worldly thoughts.” He felt that way, but he was wrong. Others, for the same reason, condemned Martin Luther's lute, the violin (it was directly called the devil's) and other musical instruments. Let's be more careful in our assessments so as not to repeat the same mistake forever.

Demonic influences

They will also tell us: “Do you know about the children of missionaries who brought modern Christian music to where their parents work? When people from the primitive tribes that have survived to this day heard it, they wondered why children summoned demons.” Al Menconi, an author, workshop leader and expert on contemporary music, tracked down the album of music that offended Aboriginal people and discovered that its musical style was far from what would be called rock today. It was recorded in the early 70s and includes songs such as “Roll Call” and “He is everything to me.” Performers: Cliff Barrows and Ralph Carmichael. Speaking about the song "He's My Everything," Menconi said, "If this song is demonic, then almost every Christian choir in America is in danger."

But other evidence has emerged in favor of the theory of a demonic drum rhythm, and therefore a more reasoned answer is needed. Stephen Maphosah grew up in Zimbabwe, Africa. During cult rituals, he played drums to summon evil spirits. After converting to Christianity, he selected ten of the most popular contemporary Christian music albums and called them "inappropriate, disgusting and offensive." Let's assume he's right. After all, he grew up in a tribe that used a special drumming rhythm to summon demons. Does this prove that drumming is demonic in nature and evokes evil spirits regardless of situation or culture? To confirm such a hypothesis, it must be shown that the same rhythm is used in many isolated cultures for the same purpose. If so, the theory would be credible. To reach this conclusion, it would be necessary to seek the opinion of someone familiar with the music of many cultures to determine whether the "demonic drum rhythm" is indeed repeated from one tribe to another.

J. William Supplee, associate professor of music at Columbia Bible College and Seminary, grew up in India; he has taught and studied music from over 50 different cultures. Exploring the theory of "demonic rhythm", he isolated the drumming rhythm used to worship demons in one tribe, and discovered that, in addition to the rhythms that were used to summon demons, melodies, chants, and even colors played a role in this ritual. When he compared these additional elements with those used by other tribes, he discovered that, for example, one tribe living just below the slope of the mountain range used the same chant in the game that that first tribe used to summon demons.

What did he deduce from here?

Having studied many cultures, carefully and painstakingly recording and comparing drum rhythm structures and styles, Supplee could not find any cross-cultural drum rhythm used specifically for summoning demons. In fact, this evocation is associated with various rituals. In one culture, a certain sequence of notes may be used for it. There is simply no such thing as a “demonic drum beat” that is the same across different cultures. Gilbert Rouget, head of the ethnomusicology department at the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, has extensively explored the connection between obsession and music. His work would be a good read for anyone who believes in the “demonic drum rhythm.” In the book "Music and Trance" Rouget, carefully selecting documentary evidence, shows that in the world there are a variety of types of music associated with trance and possession, and offers several important insights.

First, Rouget agrees with Supplee - there is no "demonic drum rhythm" that is found across cultures. The drum rhythms associated with the infusion of spirit into a person vary greatly from culture to culture. Secondly, in many cultures, other musical instruments besides drums are associated with spirit possession. Some use a sacred bell, others use a violin, others use a rattle made from a dried bottle gourd, others use quiet singing with a zither, others use a flute, others use an oboe, others use a lute, and others use a rattle. Some rituals are accompanied by singing alone, without any instruments. Rouget comes to the following conclusion: “There are many different types of music associated with the possession of spirits in humans, just as there are various cults associated with spirit possession.”

Apparently, Maphosah used a drum rhythm for his pagan cult that was reminiscent of the rhythms of some rock songs. From childhood he had learned the connection of the corresponding rhythm with a certain cult, and when he discovered the same rhythm in some Christian songs, he was obviously surprised and embarrassed. If a member of the Wandau tribe in Mozambique heard a flute used in Christian music, he might well say, “Why do you please and appease the spirits?” - after all, in his tribe the flute is used precisely for this. If Maphosah reacts negatively to a drum rhythm simply because his tribe uses that rhythm in demonic rituals, one cannot assume that it is the rhythm itself that attracts demons.

Stumbling blocks

At first glance, if we take into account the problem of “stumbling blocks,” disputes about music are resolved very simply. First premise: The Bible states that it is a sin to offend and provoke fellow believers. Second premise: Believers testify that contemporary Christian music offends and confuses them. Therefore: it is sinful to use contemporary Christian music. To properly appreciate this view, we must take a closer look at what Scripture says about the relationship between “weak brethren” who consider some neutral action to be sinful and “stronger brethren” who understand that some actions are morally neutral and one can participate in them with a clear conscience (cf. Rome. 14:1-15:7 and 1 Cor. 8-10). Let's say that modern Christian music in itself is not evil, but it is a stumbling block for some who consider it evil.

The "weak" brother spoken of in Chapter 14 of Romans, believed that eating meat was a sin, but the fact that he was wrong does not give the stronger brother the right to treat him with contempt (see. Art. 3-10) or insult him (see. Art. 13-15). Rather, the stronger brother needs to be careful, attentive, and take care that what is good for him does not become a spiritual obstacle for the weaker. In other words, a person can listen to modern Christian music before God, but there are situations in which he must renounce this right. The whole point is whether he will harm the weaker brother, who will be offended or forced to listen to music that he considers sinful. This raises the question: Should the stronger brother give up any activity that hurts others or offends believers? As we read the Bible carefully, we will discover some limitations that must be taken into account.

1. Geographical or social distance limits liability. Paul advised the Corinthian community to “eat whatever is for sale” ( 1 Cor. 10:25). However, he knew that there were people in Rome who did not eat everything ( Rome. 14:2). Obviously, their temptations and doubts should concern only those with whom they come into contact, and not all believers in general. Believers living in Cuba do not play dominoes. Members of the Amish sect do not wear ties. Many people strongly and firmly claim that the King James Version of the Bible is the only true English Bible. But none of these groups are bothered by the fact that I disagree with them and do not follow their rules in my own local context; I don't have to limit my freedom like they do. Likewise, if contemporary Christian music is listened to by those who have no problem with it, there is no stumbling block.

2. If the problem is only a difference of tastes, this should not limit our freedom. Some people who condemn Christian rock aren't really bothered by the theoretical debate. They just don't like "offensive and disgusting" music. No church can please every member. Some enjoy a more formal liturgical service; others want more praise choirs; still others are more traditional hymns or “good old gospel music.” Although people's preferences must be taken into account when planning a church service, we must recognize that this is not an issue of strong and weak brothers. A truly weak brother believes that some activity is not only impractical or inappropriate, but sinful.

3. Sometimes, for the spiritual strengthening and growth of an overly scrupulous person, adapting to him is not the best way. As a general rule, we should not “offend either the Jews or the Greeks, or the church of God” ( 1 Cor. 10:32), but the basic principle is to seek “the benefit of many, that they may be saved” ( 1 Cor. 10:33). Sometimes our desire to adapt does not benefit the person. Jesus deliberately offended and irritated (a Greek word meaning "to cause a stumbling block" in another context) the Pharisees by saying that all food was clean ( Matt. 15:12). Although He knew that someone would be hurt and offended, it was obviously more important in this case to correct the false theology. If Jesus had submitted to the dietary rules of the Pharisees, He would have reinforced a tradition that emphasized outward cleanliness at the expense of inward holiness (cf. Matt. 15:17-18).

Jesus shocked the spiritual elite of his time by associating with sinners, dealing with Samaritans, and “breaking” the Sabbath. Sometimes our concessions may distort the truth from the point of view of outside observers. In such cases the weaker brethren need to grow up, and it is our duty to train and train them and argue with them mercifully, rather than to accommodate their whims and whims, which are sometimes caused by immaturity. Our main principles are to instruct and teach believers, to persuade and convince those who are mistaken. Many who worship today testify to the positive impact contemporary Christian music has had on their lives. Al Menconi had received more than 3,500 such testimonies when I began writing this book. If 95% of the congregation testifies that choral praise and contemporary music draw their hearts to God, why discard these forms because of the complaints of a few dissatisfied? What if by changing our form to appease 5% of the community, we prevent the other 95% from worshiping God? Of course, this is unwise.

Perhaps the church leadership should educate this small group by teaching them that this form of music is completely legitimate. If the group remains in its own way, then we must learn what Scripture says when talking about weaker brothers and stronger ones - not to judge ( Rome. 14:3), do not cause splits ( Rome. 14:19) etc., in order to preserve the unity of the Church.

4. Conflicting doubts can make it impossible to adapt. Many Baptists believe that a call to repentance and follow Christ should be given at the end of every service. Many Calvinists (some of them are Baptists) believe with the same conviction that there is no need to make any calls. Some believe that the best church music is traditional hymns; others also believe that the church must reach out to each individual culture. Some argue that musical instruments distract from the worship of God; others argue that the Bible commands us to use these instruments. Obviously, we cannot calm and appease everyone at one service. Whether we use musical instruments or not, if both disputing groups are in the same community, one of them may be offended.

5. If you try to scrupulously fulfill all the prohibitions and restrictions, then the very essence of Christian life may be distorted. Some believers strongly believe that jeans should not be worn (they are considered a symbol of rebellion), that men should not wear long hair or beards, that women should not wear trousers or wear lipstick, and that it is inappropriate to use any musical instruments in church (including pianos and organ), it is unacceptable to read new translations of the Bible (that is, any translation made after 1611), it is unacceptable to sing church hymns (only psalms are allowed). When there is more than one person in a community, there are different opinions, and they are defended with all sincerity. If we are too concerned with rules and regulations, then the essence of the Christian life ceases to be what God intended it to be. Christ set us free so that we would be free, and not so that we would return to slavery ( Gal. 5:1).

Many Christians, because of unfavorable associations with their pre-Christian life, feel uneasy about certain activities in which other people engage freely. Due to personal associations, “stumbling blocks” may arise in what is in itself neutral. One consultant says that even a rope can evoke vicious thoughts in a sadomasochist. Of course, we must take his problem into account when we enter into any relationship with him. But should all summer camp youth groups give up tug of war? If such an association were widespread, then perhaps yes. But before we limit the use of ropes, we need to understand the scale of the problem. Within a nation it affects many, but at the local level perhaps no one suffers from it. One man associated classical music with a vice that he suffered before coming to Christ, and he felt that he had no right to listen to it. Some stopped playing sports, say football, because sports instruction in high school was so focused on winning that even now, when they participate in a game, the “killer instinct” awakens in them.

However, such associations are so individual and so varied that, in essence, it is impossible to refuse everything that in practice causes them. Out of love for my brother, who associates classical music with the spirit of this world, I would gladly abstain from it when he is visiting me or in my car. But I don't feel obligated to burn my classic cassette tapes and never listen to them again. Some people associate rock with a non-Christian lifestyle. We must please our brother in a situation that concerns him personally, but his weakness should not keep us from rock music in all situations without exception.

6. Finally, the examples from the Bible that we use to convince and persuade the erring may lead us to practices or lifestyles that some believers may find questionable. How do we decide when to exercise our freedom and when to limit ourselves? For the apostle Paul, the decision depended in part on whether he could influence the lost ( 1 Cor. 9). He became like a Jew in order to better influence the Jews; he became like those who live without the law, in order to influence those who live without the law ( 1 Cor. 9:20-21). In the first century, many used the detailed law of the Pharisees to condemn others and promote salvation through works. Others used their freedom from the law to make it easier to sin. Paul knew that following the law or disregarding it is in itself neither false nor right; but imagine the problems others might have faced. If a Gentile saw that Paul strictly observed all Jewish laws, he would easily associate his lifestyle with the legalism that was widespread at that time. On the other hand, a Jew might see Paul associating with a lawless pagan and be tempted by the fact that he is neglecting the laws that are important to the Jews. Then he himself could neglect them, although they were important to him and his conscience would be uneasy. However, Paul took a risk to influence a Gentile who might interpret keeping the law as legalism.

Now there are non-believers who stumble over traditional church music, considering it outdated. There are also zealous, active Christians for whom the traditional style of worship prevents them from worshiping God. Perhaps they found salvation through evangelism, during which they just so happened to play modern music. They now mistakenly associate traditional music with dullness, monotony, lifelessness and hypocrisy, and they believe that such worship is harmful to their spiritual life. This is not a hypothetical situation. There are many real examples that can be given. By removing a barrier to those who do not approve of contemporary Christian music, we can place a barrier to those who do not approve of traditional music. Jesus ate with sinners, knowing very well that many believers and pious people would be offended, but he saw that it was not the most important thing to please the overly scrupulous and scrupulous Pharisees. He was concerned about finding the lost coin, He was looking for one lost sheep, leaving ninety-nine others.

Because of individuals who believe that a style of music is to blame for their downfall, we cannot paralyze evangelism, which through its music touches the hearts of many. If we did this, there would be a danger of creating a stumbling block for many people who might not respond to any other style of evangelism. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, some churches required men who wanted to join to have their hair cut short so that their hair would not cover their ears. At least one church has gone so far as to install a barber's chair to ensure this. I wonder how many people this chair has scared away as they pondered the preacher's gracious word? The famous English preacher Charles G. Spurgeon was harshly condemned for using the London music hall Surrey Gardens for his services, but something more important was at stake: the churches could not accommodate the people who came to hear him. Despite the opposition and hostility, he remained in this room.

Some people were offended that William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, used secular tunes and musical instruments. But in this case, we were also talking about something more important: to touch the hearts of all those who did not respond to traditional forms of evangelical preaching. There were a lot of people who were converted thanks to Booth's preaching, but the church leadership did not yet understand the primacy of evangelical preaching in choosing methods of ministry. Today, innovating churches are touching the hearts of many people through contemporary music concerts and church services that reach parts of our society that have not yet been reached by the gospel. If, out of respect for the dissatisfied, there had been no concerts, it is generally very doubtful that the gospel preaching would ever have reached these unbelieving people.

Brief summary

We have seen that our answer to those who object to modern types of music is not at all as simple as many people think. Our main goal is the growth and strengthening of fellow believers, harmony and peace, and the conviction of the lost. For all this, we sometimes have to sacrifice our own rights.

If a traditionally oriented church community has made it abundantly clear to the innovating pastor that popular forms of music are interfering with its members' worship, the pastor would be wise to avoid using modern forms, either by limiting them to special services addressed to a specific audience, or finally by moving to another church in which these forms are possible.

Sometimes the question of what music is appropriate and what is not must be decided based on the specific situation related to the preaching of the Gospel. And sometimes an overly scrupulous brother has to be raised for the good of the entire Church.

Is Christian rock a stumbling block? Yes, it happens. But the same can be said about the organ, ties, classical music and dominoes. Only if we prayerfully do in every situation everything that God's Word recommends to us can we count on living and acting in complete harmony with God's will.

Personality decay and inner life

We are far from freeing ourselves from the power of a bygone era - the one that ended with the War - and in many ways we are still only obedient continuers of the main trends of the hated 19th century. In particular, the sense of personality, as it was defined in that era, remains largely dominant today. Its main feature is a decisive transfer of the center of gravity from the outside to the inside. Hence, the flourishing of the so-called “inner life” and, as its consequence, a certain basic discord: a consciously accepted and justified inconsistency between our Self and its manifestations in the world.

True, this discord had been evident for a long time, but only in the 19th century did it become a dominant phenomenon and even proclaimed the norm of all genuine life. In the pre-war decades it reached its extreme forms, and today - very slowly - it is declining.

Let us first consider this phenomenon using an extremely simplified and schematized example.

Someone X. (the “average” person of the 19th century) sleeps, eats, goes to work there, etc.... Let us assume that in a similar way we are given all the external manifestations of his personality. Do we know X? It turns out not. For X. will resolutely refuse to identify himself with his own discoveries. The real X is something else and more: it actually begins only where these discoveries end. The place he occupies in the universe is largely accidental: it is not entirely determined by his inner essence. The actions that fill every day of his life, his entire life, are by no means an adequate expression of his actual desires, tastes, thoughts - in a word, his true self. This self lives secretly, somehow aloof from its own acts, almost without participating in them.

So, X. believes that he is something completely different from what he is on the outside. He thinks, feels, suffers, rejoices - and all this almost in no way changes the course of his life, which is left to its own inertia and moves according to some of its own laws, alien to him. He lives simultaneously, as it were, in two incommensurable planes. He does not have the strength to coordinate his actions with his state of mind, but he will never give up mental states, since they are clearly refuted by his own actions. He accepts the separation and eventually begins to find a special, painful sweetness in it. Moreover, he always has at hand various and cheap substitutes for life, eliminating the need to really live: a novel, newspapers, alcohol... With them he feeds his “inner life.” And the “inner life” becomes more complex, strengthens at the expense of the outer life and, in the end, diverts all the active energies of his being from action (which requires determination and choice) to dreamy self-absorption (which requires only inertia). The inconsistency between the external and the internal is growing, and the further it goes, the more difficult it is to restore unity.

Accumulating his inner treasures, X. only follows the line of least resistance. And at the same time, his attractive impotence justifies itself with obliging sophistry: he proudly believes that these imaginary riches legitimately relieve him of the need to struggle with the real poverty of his life.

That X. is not at all an exception is evidenced by almost all fiction of the 19th century. Moreover, X is the hero of this literature. The fact that he lives in discord with himself and refutes himself with his life is touching. On the contrary, any Y. who dares to be what he is and adequately expresses his (usually insignificant, but real) essence - Y. arouses indignation and contempt. It ends with Y. himself beginning to be ashamed of his integrity and wants to assure himself and others that he, too, is not without discord: I am, supposedly, engaged in commercial representation, but if you looked into my soul... etc. In the end, Y. actually becomes ill with his inner life, and the epidemic grows.

In order to designate this kind of phenomenon, Jules de Gautier even coined the word “Bovarism” (in honor of Flaubert’s heroine, whom he considers the classic expression of this discord). The word has taken root - further proof that it expresses an essential fact. However, Gautier himself sees here not a temporary anomaly, but some basic and eternal law; his definition of “Bovarism” is this: every being recognizes itself as other than what it really is. If we slightly modify this formula, which sounds almost Hegelian, and properly limit the scope of its application, then we get a simple and undeniable statement: a person of the 19th century usually does not dare to be what he recognizes himself to be, and does not want to recognize himself as that that he is.

The case we have considered is the simplest and most banal. But at the highest levels of culture and life, the discord is even deeper. Here it takes on diverse and extremely complex forms, all the more dangerous and infectious because among poets and philosophers they are clothed with all the temptations of talent and sophisticated dialectics. Art and philosophy are turning into powerful drugs. The technique of oblivion reaches high perfection. Don't live, don't act, don't want; create a captivating and illusory world within yourself, completely submissive to your capricious arbitrariness - shut yourself up in it!

However, the external life of such a person can sometimes be extremely complex and eventful. But that doesn't change anything. All these events are just acute stimuli for him, with which he tirelessly irritates, worries and complicates his inner life. He can change countries, cities, lovers. But wherever he is, whoever he is with, everywhere, he always looks only for himself: his sadness, his pride, his joy, his despair. They are the only ones he needs. He hopelessly imprisoned himself in his inner prison. All the diversity of the world in order to again and again, in ever new conditions, for ever new reasons, diversify, refine and taste your reactions to the world. That is, he no longer lives in the world, no longer judges the world, but only amuses himself with its capricious reflections in himself.

The opposite case is also possible. Instead of hiding from external life, you can, on the contrary, become a “man of action,” but only then to forget yourself, get away from the painful rhythm of your liberated consciousness, lose yourself in events and deeds...

In all these cases, one thing is revealed: the form of the personality (the way it manifests itself outside) and its content (the way it recognizes itself from the inside) - in other words, action and consciousness - have ceased to be two inseparable aspects of the single Self. Having lost their unity, the personality loses its living connection with the world. And the reason for all this is the so-called “richness of inner life”, which the man of the 19th century was so proud of.

But what is “inner life”? This is consciousness that has lost direct contact with reality, become an end in itself and therefore ceased to be a force shaping life.

A tree that grows and, obedient to the rhythm of times, slowly unfolds its essence into a visible image; a vulture circling smoothly and falling steeply onto its prey; a lark soaring into the azure, and a predator gathered for a swift jump - they are all completely and without a trace present in each of their acts, their being fully realizes itself at any given moment of its existence. Hence the impression of unattainable, as if divine perfection, which amazes us in the forms and phenomena of cosmic life.

Here, appearance and essence, organ and its function, desire and act, feeling and expression, being and appearance - in a word, external and internal - are inseparably one. That is, the form here is not at all an alien shell, enveloping and hiding the content, but, on the contrary, its purest expression. The hidden essence ascends to a visible form, being blossoms into appearance and joyfully reveals itself in it to the last depths.

Nature is the tireless creative germination of the invisible into the visible, living identity of the external and the internal. This inspired Goethe with a significant formula, which will serve as a leitmotif for further exposition:

Nothing is inside, nothing is outside, For everything that is inside is outside!

But from this essential unity, from this living integrity of the cosmos, man feels as if excluded:

Equanimity in everything,

There is complete agreement in nature;

Only in our illusory freedom

We are aware of the discord with her.

Where and how did the discord arise?..

Yes, where did the discord come from? What new factor has grown and, like a wedge, entered between us and our actions, between our inner Self and its visible manifestation in the world, and tore apart our ancient unity? The name of this new factor is consciousness.

But what is consciousness? The possibility of fluctuation and choice, i.e. freedom.

To be more precise, consciousness - as Bergson partly defines it - is nothing more than the ability to choose between several equally feasible acts. Where external influence, desire or idea automatically, necessarily cause an act, there is no place for consciousness, in the proper sense. There is no delay or hesitation between the desire (or external reason) and the accompanying act. Hence the impression of integrity and perfection in the natural phenomena that I spoke about. And hence the possibility of discord in a person. A possibility, but not yet a fact.

For consciousness is freedom, and all freedom is dual. On the one hand, it is positive freedom to choose between possibilities, that is, to consciously and firmly move from experience to act, in other words: to assert one’s unity through a free effort.

But, on the other hand, consciousness is also negative freedom: the freedom to evade active choice, to stop at a transitional moment, that is, to indulge in fruitless contemplation of unrealizable or unrealizable possibilities. This means surrendering to self-consciousness without self-realization, i.e., “inner life.”

So, the unity that is given to everything that exists by the very fact of its existence - man must conquer it by force and implement it by will. He alone is given a high and dangerous freedom: he is free to be or not to be whole.

That is why the words of Goethe just quoted, which only establish a fact present in cosmic life, in relation to man sound like a call and an obligation.

Having defined the function of consciousness as a choice between several possible acts, we have thereby established its normal function. It is only the reverse side of the act, only a transitional state, as if a preliminary stage of a preparing and maturing action. And only in relation to this action, preceded by it, does consciousness receive its meaning and its place. If you tear it away from the act to which it gravitates as its normal completion, and turn it into an end in itself, then “inner life” arises and, as its inevitable consequence, a gap between the form and content of the personality.

I emphasize that this is what I mean by “inner life” (i.e., consciousness that has become an end in itself, self-awareness in addition to self-realization). If this is not the case, if it imperiously gravitates towards the act and is inseparable from it, then it is inappropriate to talk about “inner life”; it is already simply life, that is, in accordance with the previous one: the creative identity of the external and internal, the tireless germination of the invisible in visible.

But how is this “inner life” formed and where is its source? The answer will seem, at first glance, somewhat strange.

Inner life arises from cowardly voluptuousness and impotent greed. She feeds and lives with these same feelings.

In fact, the germination of consciousness into an act, internal into external, as we have just seen, is carried out in choice. And “to choose,” in the literal sense of the word, means: to affirm some possibilities, courageously rejecting others, innumerable. For in order for only one of them to become reality, many others have to be abandoned. So, a real choice presupposes, first of all, a readiness to renounce.

If this readiness is not there, if the spirit voluptuously and greedily clings to all the contradictory possibilities that open before it and does not want to give up anything from this still illusory wealth, then there is only one thing left for it: to evade implementation (for this, after all, presupposes the renunciation of much and desired). And so he stops at the transitional moment of consciousness and indulges in admiring the possibilities for their own sake.

After all, having sacrificed fulfillment, there is no need to sacrifice anything further: in the “inner life” everything is mixed, everything is combined, everything is reunited, the most contradictory elements live side by side and sweetly complement each other - just don’t try to realize them!

So the sensualist populates his mental world with these stillborn acts - the ghosts of acts that are not destined to become reality - and enjoys them in secret. It turns the sphere of consciousness - where choice must be made through renunciation - into a place of painful pleasures, and thought into an empty game of the spirit with itself.

So, “inner life” does not actually have any positive content. It is composed - everyone can check this for themselves - from images of what is not feasible or has not been realized, what we cannot or do not dare or do not want to implement - but which we still do not dare to completely abandon, imperiously push away. oblivion. On the contrary, we carefully cultivate these images; turning away from the world, we greedily peer into their vague flow and look for our Self in it. Plunging into this flickering murkiness, we believe that we are “plunging into ourselves” - into our innermost and essential depths...

It is significant that precisely in those moments of highest tension, when a person is most himself, he least of all thinks about himself: his gaze is turned not inward, to his Self, but outward, to the world, to the object of action. He is all about his act. And this happens in all spheres of life: it doesn’t matter whether he is a theologian reflecting on the nature of original sin, or a commander leading his squadron into an attack, a surgeon operating on a patient, or a lover in the bed of his beloved. The internal is specifically identified with the external; the feeling of oneself, of one’s integrity and completeness permeates the act itself, inseparably accompanies its rhythm and, like a pungent aftertaste, accompanies its implementation.

Everyone, in one form or another, has experienced this and can remember that this real sense of personality is least of all similar to self-absorption and self-contemplation. No, for self-deepening and self-contemplation one must first blossom, soften, that is, cease to be oneself. Therefore, it is no wonder that all the introspective contemplatives who set out in search of their own Self through introspection and introspection ultimately did not find any Self: under their searching gaze it invariably disintegrated into spiritual atoms, into some kind of mental shreds and fragments not connected in any way. unity. All psychological-analytical fiction, completed by Proust, illustrates this phenomenon, the meaning of which can be summarized in the words of one of its characteristic representatives, Amiel: “Through introspection I abolished myself.” Under the influence of this literature, many resolutely proclaimed that personality is just a fiction, a myth, a concept of legal origin, or an empty collective name for unrelated psychological states.

That the “inner self” was not found is understandable, because there really is no such thing. I am the subject of action and, to that extent, is present only in action, reveals itself only in it. It is not something purely internal, just as little, however, as something purely external. Like every act of genuine life, like life itself, personality is also a living identity of external and internal.

Since this identity is broken, there is no longer a personality. All that remains is the material from which it can be created: isolated psychological states and random acts unrelated to them. Therefore, it was pointless to look for the unity of personality in yourself, which you yourself had destroyed, and then be surprised that you did not find it.

This unity cannot simply be found in oneself in a ready-made form, it can only be realized: by a tireless effort to raise one’s hidden essence into its visible detection, with all the will, with all the consciousness to grow into an act, into action, into the world. - So that everything that is inside is outside.

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