Александр, Something similar has befallen Theosophy. Most young people have no use for a theoretical conception of the universe, let alone the time and energy and patience to master such a system.
They're content with vague concepts of the afterlife. They first need a general
orientation in the physical world; otherwise they have little prospect of comprehending higher worlds. They also need
certainty, many are open to the idea of reincarnation but it remains a matter of belief. It's possible to establish the possibility of reincarnation as a fact through
analogies. A Soviet writer drew attention to how Lenin and Sokrates bear a facial resemblance.
Goethe was only able to explain his attraction to Charlotte von Stein and the influence she exerted on him along these lines. There are unusual cases, such as Tuan in Irish folklore: «God fashioned him in many forms, and that man survived alone from the time of Partholon to the time of Findian and of Colum Cille.» Both Vladimir Solovyov and Nikolai Lossky noticed how humans exhibit characteristics of various animals and this idea approximates a view espoused by the so-called heretic
Basilides. These analogies can also be useful to the Orthodox Church, they and their monastic discipline teach people about acquiring a freedom from passions:
https://orthochristian.com/157764.html “Our tongue is like a dragon: we talk too much all the time. Our heart is like a lion: it is always angry and ‘growling’. Our legs are like hares: they run away from obedience and from good deeds. Our hands are like a rake: we all want to grab everything. And our eyes are like hawks: we want to see everything; curiosity gives us no rest.” (Eldress Сепфора Клыковская)
Максим,
Yes, there has been more focus on preserving Daniil Andreev's legacy and promoting his lesser known cultural works, than there is for spreading his novel ideas. We need
apologists like Voltaire, Dostoevsky, even a Tolstoy!
Something similar is happening with the futurist Jacque Fresco. The organization is not interested in promoting his ideas; societies and organizations named after their founder generally become unserviceable and degenerate into ends themselves.
Yes, the path to youth is through nature and from salvaging the animal kingdom...
However, I disagree that the path to youth is paved by adopting and promoting fashionable trends. Andreev gave us a hint: they can be
reached through Art (not by means of AI, conventional art, carricatures, atonal art, etc.), by appealing to the people's longing for beauty. The key to unlocking people's hearts is happiness. All men and women desire to be happy.
[Edit: I had overlooked that you wrote: «Ещё путь к молодёжи — через искусство и творчество, особенно на стыке глубоких сюжетов и модных AI-технологий.» But I disagree about using AI.]
When they see someone in nature enjoying themselves, they feel naturally drawn to those who brighten their lives. Last week at my local Orthodox Church, I was surprised to hear the head priest delivering a sermon on ideas I've read about in humanistic works. He talked about the «sins of omission», how one knows to do good and does not do it. How a kind word or smile, giving attention, being patient, sharing in another person's life, sparing time to listen to and talk with them can make a difference. Getting to know people as they are, giving them what they need, not just what one wants to give.
Russian poets and artists:
did not propose any social or political programs which could meet the demands of the masses in that epoch. They enraptured the minds, hearts, and wills of their followers not along the horizontal of social reforms but along the vertical of the depths and heights of spirituality. They revealed the space of the world within and pointed out its unshakeable vertical axis.
Also, Andreev gave us another hint when he wrote about the lives of the saints: «That power is the loving trust a people have for
whomever gives proof of the moral elevation upon which rests the authority of living saints.»
(Эта сила — это любящее доверие, которое народ испытывает к тому, кто демонстрирует нравственное величие, на котором основан авторитет живых святых.)
The Lives of the Saints is full of stories of friendships between monks or hermits and bears, wolves, or lions. In some cases, these may be mere legends, but in other cases, such as that of St. Francis of Assisi or St. Seraphim of Sarov, facts of that nature have been verified by eyewitness accounts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At4AWGCad74&t=10m20s
St. Mamas, whose life and death bears resemblance to the future Supreme Mentor, furnishes an example:
«Bowing to the will of God, the saint built a small church there and began to lead a life of strict temperance, in exploits of fasting and prayer. Soon he received a remarkable power over the forces of nature: wild beasts inhabiting the surrounding wilderness gathered at his abode and listened to the reading of the Holy Gospel. Saint Mamas nourished himself on the milk of wild goats and deer. The saint did not ignore the needs of his neighbors. Preparing cheese from this milk, he gave it away freely to the poor. Soon the fame of Saint Mamas's life spread throughout all of Caesarea.»
Вскоре он обрёл удивительную власть над силами природы: / Вскоре слава о жизни святого Мамаса разнеслась по всей Кесарии.
I recently borrowed the book «The Departure of the Soul» from my local Orthodox library and I focused on studying the life of contemporary saint Ephraim of Arizona, who was visited by demons, who shared a story about how an unprepared man (even if he was an ascetic) at the time of death was tormented by them. Here I noticed parallels with St. Sergius of Radonezh:
https://www.gw2ru.com/history/1266-sergius-radonezh-russian-saint
«But every time Sergius overcame his fear with prayer, and in the end he was granted “power over demons” and was no longer afraid. Having heard of this miraculous monk who defeated demonic forces, many commoners began flocking to the monastery in order to obtain solace and encouragement from Sergius. In turn, they shared his message of hope and strength with others.»
Андреев считает, что нам нужно найти настоящих святых, которые после периода изоляции выйдут в мир и начнут распространять идеалы «Розы мира» среди широких масс.
Andreev's point is: that we
need to find actual saints to go out into the world after a period of isolation and start to disseminate the ideals of The Rose of the World to the masses. I believe Ephraim's monasteries in America are going to play a role in this, he talked about the
new Martyrs of Orthodoxy. Vladimir Solovyov indicates women will also play a role in disseminating new ideas.
We also need to draw the right crowd: secular & religious humanists, agnostics, saint-like hermits (not ascetics), sensible realists, true mystics (not the kind that loses themselves in their imagination), who still remain seekers around age 30-40. Regrettably, most contemporary esoterists end up in one of the many occult sects and they've make themselves comfortable with a system.
It doesn't seem to occur to them that even if Pythagoras had the right ideas about reality, his ideas are too lofty for the masses. I believe people need an access point to enter into the esoteric teachings. That's why I've proposed The Rose of the World and Bahai Faith should merge their ideas. They are both guided by a regard for life and strive after higher reality. Nietzsche pointed out how ancient Greeks were the same way, they immediately put knowledge to use and were able to maintain a higher culture (although the whole nation did not reach a higher stage). I would also
recommend the works of Simone Weil to people who seek after harmonization between religion and science.