Constructing a Soviet man through myths

Background. In modern times, the idea of personality formation based on the values of Russian civilization is becoming important, which makes us turn to the Soviet period of Russian history and the issue of constructing a Soviet person. The purpose of the study is Soviet myths, through which a new type of personality was formed – the Soviet man. Materials and methods. The implementation of research tasks is based on the study of texts broadcast in the Soviet state related to the image of a Soviet person. The analytical and hermeneutic methods of research are chosen. Results. The analysis of the texts showed that the myths about the Soviet man based on the archetype of Prometheus, the leader, including the archetypes of the Wise Elder, the Warrior and the superman, the Soviet people possessing a certain chosenness and unity with the party, moral values contributing to the formation of certain qualities of the Soviet man, heroism and class struggle appeared as common narratives of constructing the individual where the image of an enemy that had to be fought was considered mandatory. The laws of myth-making contributed to the effectiveness of introducing myths into human consciousness. Among them are the use of binary oppositions, the principle of similarity, and the law of condensation. The myths replicated in the Soviet state represented an ideological construct that shaped the Soviet man, oriented him in the universe and contributed to the stability of existence. Conclusions. The introduction of myths into the minds of a large number of people had not only positive but also negative aspects, including suppressing critical thinking, leading to conformism and intolerance to dissent, and creating double standards. Understanding the essence and mechanisms of action of Soviet myths in modern conditions will help to form new myths for the formation of a self-sufficient personality with the value orientations of the Russian civilization.