Influence of Global Digitalization on Spiritual and Moral Education of Youth

Introduction. Education is a crucial process in personal development. Through education, individuals mature, socialize, develop their personalities, and adapt to life in society as much as possible. Of particular importance is the fact that views, beliefs, values, and attitudes are formed during the process of education. Undoubtedly, it is important to understand the interdependence of moral education and the legal order, since these concepts are structures of social regulation and are inextricably linked to each other, influencing each other. Education is a social system and a state-public process. From birth to the end of life, the process of education accompanies a person, shaping the mind and spirituality of the individual and, as a result, shaping human society itself. It is domestic education that is a powerful social institution that shapes the system of priority values of the world and moral norms such as the recognition of the human being as the highest value, service to humanistic ideals, submission to the demands of society, freedom of choice, responsibility for one’s actions and behavior, the ability to interact, respect, honesty, exactingness, love for nature and animals, and starting a family. It should be understood that a high level of moral consciousness dictates a high level of responsibility in observing rights and obligations and fulfilling moral duties. One of the fundamental goals of personal development is spiritual and moral education. Spiritual and moral education is a more focused process aimed at forming the spiritual and moral culture of an individual who possesses high spiritual values and qualities in order to manifest and direct them for the good and in the interests of the Motherland.

In modern conditions, in accordance with Federal Law No. 489-FZ of December 30, 2020, “On Youth Policy in the Russian Federation”, the consciousness of the younger generation is formed within the framework of patriotism, love for their small and large homeland, existing traditions, and history. It is very important to foster civic awareness and, as noted above, in modern realities, civic and patriotic education is a key factor in the formation of personality. It is important to understand that moral feelings and dignified behavior in holistic interaction form the basic postulates that are so necessary for a healthy generation and the further development of a healthy society and state. What could be more important for a young person in their development than love for their homeland, for the traditions and customs of their people, attachment to their native places, and a desire to treat the memory of their ancestors with respect? All these values implicitly form the desire to defend the honor and dignity of the homeland and shape courage and bravery [1, p. 169].

Despite the significant role of family and education in raising highly moral individuals, the global digitalization system also plays an important role in this task, so it seems promising to analyze its influence on the development of the younger generation. The results of various studies show that this correlation is currently the most studied and relevant in its field. This article is devoted to the problem of the impact of the information environment on the level of development and education of spiritual and moral values in the younger generation.

Through a huge number of information platforms, we can get anything we want, but they are not effective enough for the development and education of morality, spirituality, and patriotism in young people [2, p. 296]. And, unfortunately, we can state the fact that a large number of life attitudes obtained from the information space have a destructive effect on the individual, especially on young people. The World Wide Web, television, various Internet channels, and communities broadcast and thereby instill in the minds of young people certain negative tendencies that lead to a completely normal perception of cruelty, aggression, violence, and crime, which entails the devaluation and sometimes destruction of moral norms and foundations among the younger generation. It has been established that spiritual and moral degradation is one of the main causes of crime among young people. The human psyche is such that at certain periods of life, and we are talking about young people, there is a formation of personal freedom and responsibility, personal opinions, personal interests, and ideals. Therefore, it is precisely during this period that society needs to take well-thought-out actions to shape the personality, as well as preventive measures to raise highly moral individuals. Modern mass culture, as we know, is one of the main sources of information.

If you look closely, moral poverty leads to the formation and accumulation of aggression and evil in a person. Moral norms are essentially good and evil. People act based on their own beliefs and values, which are formed, among other things, through the media [3, p. 172]. How much is the cult of pleasure being promoted among young people today, the meaning of life through material values, the cult of consumption as one of the main possible lifestyles and attitudes! A hedonistic orientation prevails among the younger generation. This leads to a distortion of attitudes and values, with the ability to “give” taking priority over the ability and need to “receive”. And what then can we say about unconditional respect for the elderly, attention and unconditional help to people in need or people who find themselves in trouble, love and help for animals, and many similar desires? Such propaganda leads to the impoverishment of the spiritual and moral world of man, the formation of pragmatism and social immaturity, and the increasing dominance of aggression and cruelty.

The information space has a tremendous impact on the formation of spiritual, ethical, and moral values in young people. Films, movie trailers, advertisements, and posts on various social networks that promote charity, patriotism, compassion, and love are very important. If we look at the various social networks where young people spend most of their time, we can find pages and posts showing the actions of ordinary people in various difficult life situations, helping homeless animals, people living on the streets, the elderly, and the sick. Even watching just one such video gives you the opportunity to reflect and pay attention to those around you. There are now television programs promoting the traditions, culture, cuisine, customs, and language of our peoples, as well as many educational projects on the Internet. Patriotic films about defenders and heroes of the past and present can be seen in cinemas. It is very important to note that the modern world is undergoing profound transformations that do not bypass Russia [4, p. 15]. The changes taking place affect all spheres of human existence: along with radical reforms in the socio-political and economic spheres, radical changes are also taking place in the army. It is very important to note that almost all specialists engaged in the study of society, public and individual consciousness, ask themselves the same question about the reassessment of many fundamental values in the changing times, namely, paying attention to those patriotic values that relate to service in the Armed Forces. Sociologists, psychologists, political scientists, and many other specialists − note that the changing priorities of modern society and foreign policy transformations are undoubtedly pushing for a rethinking of the role of the army in the life of the state and society. It is necessary to work purposefully to shape a positive image of the modern Russian army among the younger generation and, accordingly, a meaningful desire to serve their homeland, thereby developing a spirit of patriotism and patriotic values among young people. In short, young people’s patriotic values and meaningful attitude toward military service are very important in shaping the entire future generation and forming such values as patriotism and love for the Motherland. The problem of forming positive attitudes among young people towards military service highlights the need to study the value and meaning systems of those who enter military service today, as well as the specific nature of conscripts’ understanding of their life meanings and value orientations.

In this regard, it is particularly interesting to study young people’s attitudes toward life and its main categories, toward service in the Armed Forces, young people’s understanding of the values underlying military activity and its role in modern society, and the changes in values and meanings that occur in young men during their military service.

It is very important not to lose cultural traditions and customs, to reinforce moral behavior patterns and pass them on from generation to generation. This will strengthen civil society, promote traditional values and culture, and thereby raise a healthy, well-rounded generation that will preserve and continue Russia’s heritage.

The aim of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of spiritual and moral education of young people in the context of the information and digital space and to identify possible prospects for using global digitalization to develop the spiritual, moral, and ethical values of the younger generation, as well as establishing a link between moral and legal education by involving young people in active law enforcement activities, where participation in various events related to law and order will develop and shape the skills of lawful behavior and legal convictions in the younger generation.

Materials and Methods. The study used a comprehensive methodology that included the following main methods: comparative analysis of psychological literature on the subject under study, testing, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results obtained from the analysis of the value-semantic orientations, spirituality, and morality of the younger generation, analysis of changes and their transformation in the context of the digitalization of society [5, p. 53]. The process involved the use of general scientific methods and systematic analysis of contradictions and problems associated with the emergence of digital technologies in the educational process through statistical data from the educational environment. Using comparative methods and analysis of individual psychological characteristics, the specifics of the personality, thinking, and behavior of young people were studied in the context of the influence of informatization on personal and psychological qualities. The methodological tools consisted of expert assessment methods using various questionnaires and tests to identify norms and pathologies of personality development under the influence of digital technologies.

Results. The characteristics and content of the changes taking place in the value-semantic and spiritual-moral spheres of young people at the stage of global digitalization point to both positive and negative changes. The study showed that young people are demonstrating certain transformations in their value and meaning orientations in the era of modern technologies and their direct dependence on them.

We can clearly see the very important interconnection between meaningful temporal loci, which carry transformational changes in the system of the past, present, and future through tradition and culture. If such changes take shape in the younger generation, this will contribute to the optimal integration of young people into new living conditions without direct interaction with the internet. It is clear that this understanding and cultivation of morality among the younger generation will manifest itself in a focus on past experiences, existing achievements, and memories, in the ability to draw meaning from the experiences of previous generations, to give new meaning, to build on and follow traditions, such as the “Immortal Regiment” project, which so clearly points to the connection between the past, present, and future through the cultivation of patriotism, where the values of today’s youth and the place of moral and patriotic orientations in the value system come to the fore.

It is impossible not to notice the interconnection between the transformational processes taking place in the social institutions of modern society and the changes occurring in the individual and their value and meaning sphere during a period of global information changes, which will directly show us the level of legal awareness of young people. Values will act as a regulator of legal relations, which will form the basis for choosing one or another course of action. It is becoming clear that the changes taking place in society, transformational processes, and global digitalization are a turning point in the lives of the younger generation, changing their social development situation, activating processes of semantic dynamics, and finding reflection in changes in individuals’ life perspectives, namely in the moral and value orientations of today’s youth [6, p. 190]. Based on this, we observe the development of legal awareness and the formation of legal thinking among young people, which is adequate to social changes. Legal awareness motivates the behavior of young people, and the close interaction of morality, values, and law, in turn, strengthens the rule of law and legal order in society.

We observe the enormous role of modern technologies and their capabilities in the socialization of today’s youth, and we have systematized the socio-psychological factors that influence the process of change in the value and meaning sphere of a young person’s personality. Fundamental changes in the way young people live their lives in the context of all-consuming social networks and the internet, as well as freer regulation of personal lifestyles in the digitalization system, create an interaction between the emerging lifestyle and the established worldview. Ideals and values shape legal consciousness. Legal awareness gives rise to a certain way of thinking and, subsequently, to certain behaviors. Modern society is characterized by noticeable changes in the legal awareness and behavior of young people.

It can be concluded that at this age, young people tend to look back at the past experiences of previous generations, culture, and traditions, which serve as the basis for the formation and development of personality, value orientations, and spiritual and moral priorities, while the level of legal culture is low, unfocused, and unsystematic [7, p. 131]. There are contradictions in the legal consciousness of young people, and significant distortions in legal consciousness are associated with ideological and value gaps, as well as the absence of clear social guidelines.

Discussing patriotism with students is an important and challenging task that requires an emphasis on critical thinking, dialogue, and respect for diversity of opinion. This work can be organized in various ways. At the Don State Technical University, seminars and discussions on patriotic topics are held with students. Working with media and cultural texts is very fruitful, involving comparative viewing and discussion of different films about war, historical events, and modern life. Students respond enthusiastically to the analysis of news and journalism, namely, how is the topic of patriotism presented in different media? What linguistic means are used? It is always informative and useful to discuss how the theme of love for the motherland is revealed by different poets and writers, from Lermontov and Akhmatova to contemporary authors.

Thus, the most effective approach in working with young people on issues of spiritual and moral development is to awaken a personal, meaningful attitude. The task of the teacher is not to give ready-made answers, but to create conditions in which students can independently through dialogue, research, and action, form their own civic position, combining love for their homeland with critical thinking and responsibility.

Discussion and Conclusion. It is proposed to focus attention on the fact that the issue of the significance of value orientations and moral priorities among young people will remain relevant in any era. The current young generation undoubtedly plays a special role in the future of the country. It is necessary to pay special attention to understanding the inner world of the individual, their inner core, moral and ethical issues, and motivational and meaningful formations, especially in the era of global digitalization. It is clear that it is impossible to stop the rapidly developing processes of Internet globalization, but it is possible to study and understand the power of its impact on the spiritual and moral qualities and values of today’s youth.

The concept of value-meaning formations of personality in various contemporary changes is aimed at actualizing the tasks of promoting the revival of national cultures, traditions, spiritual values, and moral guidelines, as well as fostering a sense of justice and legal culture among young people. Scientific and theoretical analysis of domestic and foreign studies allows us to identify and systematize concepts that describe not only the semantic but also the value reality of the subject. A person is not born with a specific set of spiritual and moral qualities, but acquires them throughout life, in connection with the development of society and its transformations over time. The public and society are called upon to form a certain way of life, which, in turn, leaves its mark on the value orientations of the individual. It is important that legal knowledge and legal culture grow into personal convictions, which can thus lead to an important fusion of legal values with moral norms.

External influences through family, educational institutions, society, and, of course, today’s information technologies give individuals the opportunity to choose to give preference to traditional Russian moral values, Russia’s historical and cultural heritage, follow spiritual and moral guidelines, be patriotic and a citizen of their country, and have a high level of legal awareness in order to build a future based on the right principles and traditions, making skillful use of digital technologies.

It is proposed to use global digitization to expand the range of opportunities, increase the technical literacy of young people, search for and obtain knowledge, and participate in various educational platforms. As a result, we will be able to raise a healthy generation without the risk of distorting traditional spiritual and moral values or legal nihilism, keeping pace with modern trends and the formation of a constitutional state.