In the context of the modern economy, traditional intellectual professions are losing relevance because they often remain attached to outdated ideas and concepts that no longer meet society’s rapidly changing functional demands.

Modern Economy Reimagines Intellectual Functions

In the context of the modern economy, traditional intellectual professions are losing relevance because they often remain attached to outdated ideas and concepts that no longer meet society’s rapidly changing functional demands. As economic realities call for a rethinking of priorities and a reordering of the importance of various spheres of life, old intellectual paradigms prove unable to compete with newer, more flexible, and practical approaches.

As noted in one source, “The intelligent and semi-intelligent mass feeds on and lives off old ideological junk long since archived. Our ‘advanced’ intelligentsia is hopelessly lagging behind the movement of European thought…” This indicates that traditional intellectual approaches have passed their peak and are no longer capable of adequately addressing the challenges of our time (source: link txt).

Another source emphasizes the need for a radical reshuffling of roles and functions in human life: “We consider space not from the point of view of physics, but from the perspective of functions that a person performs in his life... We say: turn it upside down.

What does this saying mean?

To reverse meaning, to change value, to alter relevance—in short, to swap the primary with the secondary.” This captures the essence of ongoing changes, showing that old intellectual spheres gradually lose their primacy in favor of new functional approaches that meet the demands of a modern economy (source: link txt).

Thus, the modern economy dictates its own conditions, necessitating a rethinking of the role of ideas and intellectual disciplines. Old theoretical constructs, forged in another era, are becoming less applicable, leading to a decline in the relevance of traditional intellectual professions. New realities demand flexibility, innovation, and the practical application of knowledge, prompting a reexamination of intellectual activity and a reduction in its traditional forms.

Supporting citation(s):
“The intelligent and semi-intelligent mass feeds on and lives off old ideological junk long since archived. Our ‘advanced’ intelligentsia is hopelessly lagging behind the movement of European thought, from increasingly complex and refined philosophical and scientific creativity. It believes in ideas that dominated the West more than fifty years ago, and it is still seriously capable of espousing a positivistic worldview, the old theory of the social environment, etc. But this amounts to the final cessation and ossification of thought.” (source: link txt)

“We consider space not from the perspective of physics, but from the standpoint of the functions that a person performs in his life. We look at it not in terms of dimensions, but in terms of mental functions. It is commonly believed that cognitive, intellectual functions in a person are connected only with one end of the body—the head. In a person, intelligence does not extend throughout the entire space of the body, which is obvious from an introspective psychological perspective. We say: turn it upside down.

What does this saying mean?

To reverse meaning, to change value, relevance—in short, to swap the primary with the secondary.” (source: link txt)