Postmodernism and quasi-religion: worldview parallels

The article substantiates the existence of ideological parallels between the postmodern and quasi-religious types of thinking about the world and human. We note the lack of a clear definition of quasi-religions in modern religious studies. The position is argued, according to which the most significant are the differences of quasi-religious cultures from beliefs, which are the ideas forming in them about the ways of achieving transcendental ideals. If in quasi-religions for this person with a mind, it is necessary and sufficient to apply his own efforts, then in religions such efforts are also necessary, but not sufficient, since reference is also needed to superhuman factors. This distinction is most clearly confirmed by the absence of prayer practice and worship in quasi-religions. Such a feature of quasi-religion is explained by the fact that their creators try to explain reality only in its “horizontal” aspect. However, they are refuse the right to exist “vertical”. This reveals clear parallels with the postmodern type of thinking, in which the world is perceived as a “surface”. Postmodernism expresses such a qualitative state of social consciousness, which is the inevitable way to the growth of quasi-religious ideas and the cults based on them. We formulate the conclusion that postmodernism and quasi-religion are almost synchronously occurring single-order phenomena that mutually influence each other and complement each other.