“Man of the Crowd” and “Man of Mass” as Different Conceptualizations of Identical Social Phenomena

The article compares various conceptualizations of what played an essential role in the European socio-cultural reality 18th — 20th centuries, phenomenon public life, which, since end Enlightenment, has filled words “crowd” and “mass people” with new meanings. text does not highlight separate paragraphs. However, it consists two approximately equal parts. In first part, author draws on chapter V. Benjamin’s work “Baudelaire” called “Flâneur” as additional source that helps better understand main subject. Further, example E. Poe “The Man Crowd” O. de Balzac, he examines reflection crowd fiction criticism half 19th century. this period, a particular acquires opposite value characteristics. On one hand, images express lifeless, sinister bourgeois commercialism. other, they depict dynamic, sublime “spirit modernity” destroys any habituality, appearing birth industrial world, world megacities. philosophical-cultural sociopsychological century before last follow these early versions understanding criticism. At glance, concept man” F. Nietzsche’s “Will to Power” “crowd social psychology G. Le Bon Tarde seem be almost identical. analysis concepts shows their authorscreators inscribed them absolutely different contexts, again expressing polar assessments modernity. concepts-antipodes “man mass” crowd”, which are, respectively, “superman” “public” testify difference place.