The evil archetype in a post-secular society: sociocultural foundations

The paper examines the archetype of evil in modern popular culture, with an analysis of its representation in the mass media. Purpose of the study: to reveal and outline the patterns of the dialectical connection between good and evil in post-secular society; to identify the significance of the antagonist and his characteristics in the socio-cultural aspect for the individual and society as a whole. Within this study, attention is focused on the problems of the spiritual and moral appearance of a modern person and his socialization in the context of the entertainment industry. As a result of the study, stable archetypes of good and evil have been identified, as implemented in heroic mythology. The representation of these myths is carried out through cinema and information resources. Characters from mythology and religious doctrines become popular subjects of the struggle stories between evil and good. In an era of post-secular society, where the boundaries of public and personal welfare are blurred, there is a growing public interest in the antagonist, who by virtue of his role embodies the unrealized desires of society as well as compensates for the injustice of reality through his activities in virtual space. At the same time, his image is increasingly transformed or merged with the trickster archetype.