Ethnopsychological intentions of comprehension of Ukrainians in the philosophy of Bohdan Tsymbalistyi

Abstract

Following article is dedicated to philosophical heritage of Ukrainian thinker Bohdan Tsymbalistyi, who lived in expatriate community. The extra attention for his works is related with contemporary changes in social-political atmosphere of modernity and ideological crisis, which exists in Ukrainian society in different spheres and areas. A process of uniting traditions and innovations of domestic and foreign experience in state-creation appears thanks for taking into account psychological peculiarities of Ukrainians in public management. The main place in this article is given to the comprehension of philosophically-anthropological and ethnopsychological views of this scientist, his characteristics of ideological mentality of the Ukrainian people. Following Sigmund Freud’s views, Bohdan Tsymbalistyi proves the impact of culture on an individual character, on one’s nature, which takes place in his/her youth through his/her family, which reproduces ethnic group’s cultural environment. Those things, which are common in family upbringing way actually form some traits of national temper. The scientist is sure, that national character forming is influenced by historical, biological, geopsychic, cultural-moral and deep-psychological factors. But despite of that he emphasizes that “all factors act as some kind of fate; one is only a passive receptor for their effects. Some of them are constant (geographical location, climate), another ones change very slowly and relationally (historical destiny, social structure, etc.)”. B. Tsymbalistyi warned Ukrainians in his studies not to follow demagogues and did not allow them to govern, as this would lead the people to a disaster. Therefore, according to the scholar, Ukrainians need to learn how to recognize and follow the true national leaders. In this case only, Ukrainians will be able to win independence and build their own country. Thus, systematic analysis of ethnopsychological features of Ukrainians in the philosophical intentions of B. Tsymbalistyi will allow us to comprehend the problematic issues of the contemporary Ukrainian national character more widely, to identify the basic guidelines and ways of reforming Ukrainian society, taking into account the mental peculiarities of his people.