HSE Publishing House

Using an example of Vladimir Zelensky — a former comedian who rose to the heights of political power using his television series as an unofficial political platform — the book examines the importance of studying postmodern philosophy. In many ways, it provides the key to understanding how today’s virtual-real world is modeled. Particular emphasis is placed on the philosophy of Jean Baudrillard with his idea that we live in a world of integral reality. In this gray zone, where the boundaries between good and evil blur, people are losing their grip on reality, which is clearly visible in the example of Zelensky and his integral populist projec. When the virtual and the real merged, Ukrainians found themselves in a gray zone without borders, without truth and lies — a dark zone in which resistance seems impossible.
The book is aimed primarily at scholars and graduate students researching modern political technologies and their impact on society. It will also be of interest to a wide range of readers following the development of the Ukrainian crisis.