MOSCOW, October 01, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning what idea Russians have of a respected and worthy person, what qualities our contemporary should possess to earn the respect of others.
The most important for the "hero of our time" - today just as it was 10 years ago (a similar survey was carried out in 1997) - is to be "decent, to live according to one's conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasures", as 57% of respondents identify (53% were of the same opinion in 1997). Qualities characteristic of a good family man occupy the second place: e.g. those of a faithful husband, son, father (45-46%). Tolerance towards people, the ability to take the other person's viewpoint into consideration (38-40%) and professionalism, proficiency in one's business (34-37%) finish up the four main qualities of a worthy and respected person.
The main change, recorded in the last 10 years is that orderliness has become increasingly important. No more than 14% talked of this property's being relevant for the "hero of our time" in 1997, whereas this figure has already reached 34% this year! Respondents now speak more frequently of patriotism (the demand for it has grown from 15% to 24%), citizenship (from 15% to 20%), faith in God and the observance of his Commandments (11% and 16%), and also high income (11% and 15%).
On the contrary, much less respect is now given to sincere, responsive people (36% and 26%), modest toilers, who do not strive for honors (22% and 9%), gifted, talented people (14% and 9%).
Men today find it more important than women do that a person should be a professional in what he does (41% and 34%), enterprising (29% and 24%), would defend his citizenship (22% and 18%); but it is no less important that he lives according to his conscience (54% and 60%), be a good family man (40% and 50%), tolerant to other people (35% and 41%), believe in God and try to live by his Commandments (11% and 21%).
Life in accordance with the Godly Commandments is more valued by older people (10% among the respondents who fall into the 18-24 age range versus 24% among the respondents of 60 years and older), the situation is about the same for the idea of living according to one's conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasures (45% and 72%), modest labor (6% and 12%). Young people give greater value to professionalism (45% and 28%), the ability to organize one's own life (41% and 12%), culture, education (28% and 18%), high income (24% and 8%), influence in society (12% and 4%) than older people do.
The higher the level of education of respondents is, the more they value professionalism, high proficiency in one's own business (from 22% in the group with elementary education to 44% in the group with higher and uncompleted higher education), culture, education (18% and 29%), enterprising (14% and 28%), the skill to vindicate one's convictions (10% and 22%) but, at the same time, be able to consider other people's opinion (33% and 40%). However, hearfulness (36% and 21%) and modest labor (13% and 7%) are being less appreciated. Respondents with elementary education are the ones who mostly lay emphasis on decency (67% versus 55-57% in the groups of respondents with secondary and higher education).
Russians with high estimation of own financial standing pay more attention to qualities like enterprising (35% of respondents in the group with high estimation of own financial standing, 17% of respondents with low estimation of the same factor), professionalism (43% and 31%), high income (18% and 10%), talent (13% and 7%), connections and influence in society (12% and 6%). And vice versa, they lay less emphasis on decency (48% and 61%), hearfulness (20% and 34%), faith in God (10% and 21%), modest labor (5% and 16%).
The supporters of the Communist Party KPRF and LDPR have the most differing views of worthiness. Vladimir Zhirinovsky's electorate more frequently mentions the qualities of a good family man (50% and 36%), professional (44% and 35%), enterprising(41% and 15%), education (30% and 18%), convictions (30% and 21%), income (23% and 9%), connections and influence (14% and 7%). However, Gennady Zyuganov's voters find it more important to live by one's conscience (65% versus 46% in LDPR), and also... to believe in God and to live by his Commandments (29% against 13%)!.
The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on August 18-19, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
Which of the following characteristics does fit your image of a respected and worthy man of our day most. (up to five responses) | ||
| 1997 | 2007 |
Decent, living according to his conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasure | 53 | 57 |
A good family man, a faithful husband/wife, caring son/daughter and parent | 46 | 45 |
Tolerant to other people, capable of taking other people's point of view into consideration | 40 | 38 |
A professional with a high level of proficciency | 34 | 37 |
Law-abiding, respting and living by the laws establed by the state | 14 | 34 |
Hearful, sympathetic, helping other people | 36 | 26 |
Enterprising, capable of organizing his/her life | 24 | 26 |
Educated, well-bred | 27 | 25 |
Patriotic, placing the interests of the homeland before his/her own | 15 | 24 |
Having convictions, defending his/her citizenship | 15 | 20 |
Believing in God and trying to live by His Commandments | 11 | 16 |
Well-off, with good income | 11 | 15 |
A modest laborer, not striving for glory and honor | 22 | 9 |
Gifted, talented | 14 | 9 |
Possessing power, connection, influence in society | 8 | 8 |
Hard to say | 4 | 3 |
Which of the following characteristics does fit your image of a respected and worthy man of our day most. (up to five responses) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Age, years | ||||
18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and more | ||
Decent, living according to his conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasure | 57 | 45 | 46 | 56 | 61 | 72 |
A good family man, a faithful husband/wife, caring son/daughter and parent | 45 | 38 | 46 | 50 | 45 | 47 |
Tolerant to other people, capable of taking other people's point of view into consideration | 38 | 34 | 36 | 35 | 42 | 39 |
A professional with a high level of proficciency | 37 | 45 | 46 | 37 | 35 | 28 |
Law-abiding, respting and living by the laws establed by the state | 34 | 27 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 35 |
Hearful, sympathetic, helping other people | 26 | 41 | 34 | 28 | 23 | 12 |
Enterprising, capable of organizing his/her life | 26 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 34 |
Educated, well-bred | 25 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 18 |
Patriotic, placing the interests of the homeland before his/her own | 24 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 27 | 27 |
Having convictions, defending his/her citizenship | 20 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 14 |
Believing in God and trying to live by His Commandments | 16 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 24 |
Well-off, with good income | 15 | 24 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 8 |
A modest laborer, not striving for glory and honor | 9 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
Gifted, talented | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
Possessing power, connection, influence in society | 8 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
Hard to say | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Which of the following characteristics does fit your image of a respected and worthy man of our day most (up to five responses) | |||||
| Total respondents | Level of Education | |||
Elementary or lower, junior secondary education | Secondary education (school or vocational school) | Post-secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher education (no less than 6 semesters), higher education | ||
Decent, living according to his conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasure | 57 | 67 | 57 | 55 | 56 |
A good family man, a faithful husband/wife, caring son/daughter and parent | 45 | 48 | 44 | 47 | 43 |
Tolerant to other people, capable of taking other people's point of view into consideration | 38 | 33 | 36 | 41 | 40 |
A professional with a high level of proficciency | 37 | 22 | 36 | 40 | 44 |
Law-abiding, respting and living by the laws establed by the state | 34 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 39 |
Hearful, sympathetic, helping other people | 26 | 14 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Enterprising, capable of organizing his/her life | 26 | 36 | 28 | 24 | 21 |
Educated, well-bred | 25 | 18 | 20 | 29 | 29 |
Patriotic, placing the interests of the homeland before his/her own | 24 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 27 |
Having convictions, defending his/her citizenship | 20 | 10 | 19 | 22 | 22 |
Believing in God and trying to live by His Commandments | 16 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 17 |
Well-off, with good income | 15 | 6 | 18 | 16 | 13 |
A modest laborer, not striving for glory and honor | 9 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
Gifted, talented | 9 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 7 |
Possessing power, connection, influence in society | 8 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
Hard to say | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Which of the following characteristics does fit your image of a respected and worthy man of our day most. (up to five responses) | ||||
| Total respondents | Estimation of own financial standing | ||
Very high, high | Average | Low, very low | ||
Decent, living according to his conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasure | 57 | 48 | 58 | 61 |
A good family man, a faithful husband/wife, caring son/daughter and parent | 45 | 41 | 49 | 40 |
Tolerant to other people, capable of taking other people's point of view into consideration | 38 | 34 | 40 | 35 |
A professional with a high level of proficciency | 37 | 43 | 39 | 31 |
Law-abiding, respting and living by the laws establed by the state | 34 | 25 | 36 | 33 |
Hearful, sympathetic, helping other people | 26 | 35 | 27 | 17 |
Enterprising, capable of organizing his/her life | 26 | 20 | 25 | 34 |
Educated, well-bred | 25 | 25 | 26 | 20 |
Patriotic, placing the interests of the homeland before his/her own | 24 | 23 | 25 | 22 |
Having convictions, defending his/her citizenship | 20 | 19 | 21 | 16 |
Believing in God and trying to live by His Commandments | 16 | 10 | 16 | 21 |
Well-off, with good income | 15 | 18 | 16 | 10 |
A modest laborer, not striving for glory and honor | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
Gifted, talented | 9 | 5 | 8 | 16 |
Possessing power, connection, influence in society | 8 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Hard to say | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Which of the following characteristics does fit your image of a respected and worthy man of our day most. (up to five responses) | |||||
| Total respondents | Political party supporters | |||
"Unified Russia" | KPRF, Communist party | LDPR | "Fair Russia" | ||
Decent, living according to his conscience, and not for the sake of financial benefit and pleasure | 57 | 58 | 65 | 46 | 60 |
A good family man, a faithful husband/wife, caring son/daughter and parent | 45 | 48 | 36 | 50 | 41 |
Tolerant to other people, capable of taking other people's point of view into consideration | 38 | 42 | 33 | 41 | 42 |
A professional with a high level of proficciency | 37 | 39 | 35 | 44 | 35 |
Law-abiding, respting and living by the laws establed by the state | 34 | 33 | 37 | 30 | 36 |
Hearful, sympathetic, helping other people | 26 | 30 | 15 | 41 | 22 |
Enterprising, capable of organizing his/her life | 26 | 26 | 31 | 23 | 29 |
Educated, well-bred | 25 | 26 | 18 | 30 | 23 |
Patriotic, placing the interests of the homeland before his/her own | 24 | 23 | 29 | 24 | 28 |
Having convictions, defending his/her citizenship | 20 | 19 | 21 | 30 | 17 |
Believing in God and trying to live by His Commandments | 16 | 14 | 29 | 13 | 16 |
Well-off, with good income | 15 | 15 | 9 | 23 | 12 |
A modest laborer, not striving for glory and honor | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
Gifted, talented | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Possessing power, connection, influence in society | 8 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 4 |
Hard to say | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 |