About a third of Russians thought about the future for the sake of action in the present

About 35% of Russians think about the future primarily in order to determine their actions in the present. The relevant data from the large–scale study "Sketches of the Future - 2" were presented on June 4 by the National Media Group (NMG) and the Center for Social Design (CSP) "Platforma" within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Last year's report documented social stereotypes, fears and hopes, and a new paper is devoted to how exactly the competing images of tomorrow change our behavior today, whether it is possible to control their creation and who wins in this race of narratives.

For those 35% of respondents who admitted that they think about the future, its images are shaped by states, corporations, creative industries and communities; they take root only when they rely on recognizable values and shared experiences that resonate with identity.

At the same time, according to the survey results, 59% of Russians live in the "low beam" mode, without looking ahead for more than 20 years. At the same time, 24% of the study participants use a "high beam" and have been thinking ahead for more than 30 years.

"Within this field, there is a group of "long—term optimists" — 16% of Russians who see more opportunities in the future and are already shaping their behavior according to it," the report says.

The researchers calculated the Index of Readiness for the Future, which evaluates the resources of society for movement in conditions of uncertainty according to the parameters of subjectivity, trust and identity. In Russia, this indicator was 3.27 points out of 5. About 47% of the respondents expressed confidence that they are able to personally influence their future.

81% of respondents named the past as the basis for the country's future, but half of them stated the need to rethink it. The expansion of the circle of belonging to the big "we" — from family to humanity — was recorded among 43% of citizens. According to analysts, it is this category of people that has the most optimistic outlook on the future. Those who perceive uncertainty as a resource have two times lower anxiety levels than those who see it as a threat (23% versus 40%).

Among the respondents, 67% noted that there have been improvements in the field of technology in the last 10-15 years. Among the projects that are already influencing the formation of the image of Russia's future, experts named the Sirius educational center, the digital twin of St. Petersburg, Kamaz unmanned trucks, the Green robot assistant from Sberbank, autonomous scientific laboratories, semiconductor cultivation in space (RAS/ISS), robotics in surgery.

The role of a key tool in shaping these images is assigned to the creative industries. Through films, TV series, and games, society "tries on" different scenarios and finds its own guidelines. Among the most sought—after archetypes of Russians, the "Leader" came in first place, the "Adaptive" hero, who knows how to navigate uncertainty, came in second, and the "Hero of Everyday Life" came in third. The "Unifier", "Keeper" and "Inventor" are also highlighted.

It clarifies that the new generation demonstrates a mature and humanistic view of the world, but lives without a global unifying project. About 68% of teenagers see people with qualities necessary for a decent future for the country, but they do not always believe in their strength to become such heroes. Their image of the future is largely shaped by foreign content, while the demand for "their" stories is huge.

"Today, the image of the future has ceased to be an abstract topic for futurologists — it is a practical tool that determines the behavior of people and the competitiveness of countries. Our study "Sketches of the Future – 2" shows that the winner is not the one who predicts tomorrow more accurately, but the one whose picture of the future turns out to be more inspiring and responds to the main human needs — justice, sustainability and respect for identity. Our goal is to help shape the meanings and practices that will make the future more understandable and accessible to everyone through the creative industries, cinema and content," said Svetlana Balanova, CEO of NMG.

Common past: Russians named the most interesting epochs and events in history.

Why did the Great Patriotic War, the era of Peter the Great and the palace coups turn out to be nearby?

Izvestia reported on May 29, after reviewing the work of SberMarketing specialists, that Russians of different generations perceive the national cultural code differently: young people more often associate it with diligence, adaptability and a desire for development, while the older generation focuses on teamwork, mutual assistance and family values. According to the survey, respondents consider "resilience and strength," "creativity and ingenuity," as well as the ability to live in the rhythm of the changing seasons to be the most typical traits of Russian people — 92% of the survey participants noted these qualities.