Fragmentation of personal life experience under conditions of social change

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the need for a philosophical understanding of the influence of social transformations on human existence. The growth of information flows, the instability of social conditions, and the multiplicity of social roles cause the fragmentation of experience, which complicates the preservation of the integrity of identity and the meaningful unity of an individual’s life path. This necessitates a comprehensive theoretical analysis of personal life experience, the identification of the main characteristics of fragmentation, and the strategies for overcoming it in the context of contemporary social changes. Purpose. The aim of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of fragmentation of personal life experience in the context of social change, to identify the main factors, manifestations, and consequences of this process, as well as to substantiate the mechanisms for preserving personal integrity in a fragmented reality. Methods. The study employs general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis to examine theoretical approaches to the problem. A comparative method is applied to compare the concepts of foreign and Ukrainian scholars. A hermeneutic method is also used to interpret philosophical concepts. In addition, systemic and sociocultural approaches are employed to analyze personal life experience in the conditions of social change. The method of generalization made it possible to formulate conclusions regarding the manifestations, consequences, and mechanisms for overcoming the fragmentation of life experience.Results. The study examines the main theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of human existence and society in the process of contemporary civilizational development, as well as the understanding of the problem of life experience in modern scientific research (J. Habermas, Z. Bauman, A. Giddens, M. Foucault). A set of factors that cause instability in the internal structure of an individual’s life experience has been identified. It is substantiated that digitalization, globalization, the acceleration of social time, and social crises transform the structure of life experience, giving it a fragmented character. The main manifestations of fragmentation are highlighted, including the discontinuity of the life course, the multiplicity of social roles and identities, as well as the disruption of the meaningful integrity of experience. This made it possible to anticipate the variability of strategies aimed at overcoming the fragmentation of an individual’s life experience. Conclusions. It is proven that the fragmentation of life experience is one of the defining characteristics of the existence of modern individuals, who are forced to constantly balance between different dimensions of their being while striving to preserve inner integrity and achieve self-realization in conditions of social transformation. It has been clarified that fragmentation manifests itself at different levels of personal existence – biographical, social, and cognitive. The consequences of this process are ambivalent, ranging from identity crises to the expansion of opportunities for self-construction. Individual and sociocultural strategies for overcoming the fragmentation of life experience have been substantiated, and mechanisms for preserving personal integrity in the context of social change have been identified, among which reflection, communication, the affirmation of value orientations, and the formation of narrative integrity occupy a key place.