ІНШІСТЬ В КОНТЕКСТІ КУЛЬТУРИ СКАСУВАННЯ НА ПРИКЛАДІ «СONFESSIONS D'UN HÉTÉROSEXUEL LÉGÈREMENT DÉPASSÉ» ФРЕДЕРІКА БЕҐБЕДЕ

Abstract

The scientific article examines the concept of «otherness», which is a dominant theme in modern literature and society, tracing its historical origins and relevance in today's context. Since the times of ancient myths and religious texts to the modern era, encounters with the «Other» have had a significant impact on human relationships and the formation of one's own identity. Otherness is seen as a clearly delimited differentiation between self and other, emphasizing the profound impact of this concept on social structures and self-perception. Contemporary marginalized communities, including women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ groups, highlight the importance of the ongoing dialogue about gender inequality, racial discrimination, and migration in literature. The current state of affairs in the social space is regulated by the «cancel culture» – a phenomenon that is a response to intolerance and regulates social boundaries. The notions of «political correctness» and «self-censorship» provoked precisely by the «cancel culture» play an equally important influence on the formation of the author's identity and the construction of a collective identity against the «violator» of social norms. The work of the famous French writer Frédéric Beigbeder is devoted to the search for one's own identity and awareness of one's own «otherness» through the controversies surrounding his literary works, especially the recent autobiographical novel «Confessions d'un hétérosexuel légèrement dépassé». We explored how Beigbeder's personal experience, described in his work through controversial and provocative perspectives, disrupts the issues of selfcensorship, political correctness and incites discussion of social issues such as gender dynamics and violence against minorities through a literary medium. In general, the article encourages a critical introspection of the nature of social discourse, the construction of clear criteria for the implementation of «cancellation», the issue of identity formation and human interactions in modern society.