Discovery of Cultural Phenomena — Although there were a wide variety of responses to our first question, ranging from theatre to painting and from dance to architecture, the great majority of answers were restricted to three cultural forms: music, books and films. Participants reported that they discovered music in their youth by listening to records or radio. In some cases participants were introduced to music either by attending concerts or by joining a dance class. In most cases this introduction to the world of music was effected by an older peer or relative. Classical music (Mozart and Beethoven in particular) and Bulgarian Estrada proved to be the most popular forms of music, although other interests included Opera, the Beatles, Edith Piaf, Tom Jones, French and Italian popular music. Participants who discovered books in their youth reported that either they were read to as children or an older relative (usually the parents) passed books onto them. Less frequently, participants remembered school as the place where they were introduced to books. Others reported that they were introduced to literature by a friend or by becoming a member of a library. The range of book interests was truly vast. Participants reported nearly every type of book and literary form. Short stories, novels, classics, modern literature – all these were discovered by our participants. Interests ranged from adventure novels to French, Bulgarian and Russian classic authors. To a lesser extent, participants were familiar with English literature and with non-fiction, such as science, technology and history. Crime novels also had their place, as did Bulgarian folktales, the Arabian Nights and children’s books.

It was clear from the interviews that films were popular with our participants, but they were not mentioned as often as books and music. Participants reported their interest for French and Bulgarian films primarily, although they were also familiar with films from Russia and Italy. All participants discovered films by watching films on television or by going to the cinema.

All participants who answered the second part to the first question reported that, without a doubt, their lives were enriched by coming into contact with these cultural forms. Several participants described that they have changed through such cultural experiences, becoming more relaxed and optimistic in their outlook towards life. They also stated that they found cultural forms emotionally satisfying, as well as a source of self-discovery. A significant proportion of participants reported they were so passionate about their cultural interests that they have also tried to pass their interests down to next generation.

Enduring Interests — The overwhelming majority of participants reported that their interests had endured over time, even when opportunities to participate in cultural events had diminished. Participants who liked to read reported they were as passionate about books as when they first discovered literature. They still buy books, go to the library and still enjoy the act of reading. In most cases, participants reported that their taste in books and reading habits had not changed, even when they had familiarized themselves with new literary traditions, and even though they might not have as much time to read as they used to. The results were similar for those participants who liked to watch films and listen to music. However, participants who primarily loved music and opera found, as they got older, that they could not attend concerts as regularly as they used to in their youth. But this in no way signified a diminishment of interest in music. Participants also reported that their tastes in music had remained the same, even when they had come into contact with new forms of music. In the case of those participants who enjoyed films, they have also reported that, getting older, watching television replaces the activity going to the cinema.

A very interesting finding in relation to those participants who had discovered dance in their youth is that they reported they had, at some time, tried new forms of dance, nevertheless their love for old dance forms still remained. More importantly, their age did not seem to matter to their involvement in dance. Even the oldest participant reported that she continued to make time for dancing and still loved it as much as always.

Only two participants reported that their cultural interests had not endured over time. One participant said that her interest in cinema had diminished because films had not style and content. Also, she hinted that marriage had made it difficult to pursue her cultural interests. The second participant reported that she preferred to watch modern films because she did not want to feel nostalgic about the past.

Cultural Forms That are Difficult to Understand — The great majority of participants reported that there were aspects in the modern cultural world they could not understand. The cultural form that was most difficult for those participants to come to grips with was reality television. In particular, the programmes known as Big Brother and Music Idol (the Bulgarian version of X-Factor) were reported as objectionable and even disgusting. Indeed, modern trends for talent contests have also been objected to. Many participants stated they could not understand what is perceived and presented as cultural voyeurism: the modern trend to gaze at people’s private lives.

Participants were equally vehement about their failure to understand the popularity of contemporary Hollywood cinema and modern forms of popular speech. In regard to Hollywood cinema, participants stated they could not understand why an emphasis on action rather than human drama. They also objected to the cult of action heroes, rather than the more realistic interest in well-rounded characters. As to concerns about modern forms of speech, participants reported they objected to modern slang and new jargon words – a phenomenon which they perceived as improper speech.

Nudity and violence were two important aspects of modern cultural forms that our participants could not understand. The increase in erotic scenes in the theatre was especially noted, but also the reference to nudity and violence in modern forms of music. Indeed, there was a great deal of opposition to modern music, especially pop folk and rap, which were described as shallow and offensive.

Only four participants from this sample reported that they had no difficulties in understanding modern cultural forms. Three of these participants described themselves as open-minded and open to new fashions and trends. The fourth participant reported that, though she did not like modern cultural forms, she understood the materialistic basis of our modern cultural world (that money is the driving factor).

Reluctance to Accept New Cultural Forms — Participants’ responses to this question were very similar to their answers to the previous question, and, on the whole, did yield much new information. This is not surprising given that this question is indeed a variation to the previous one. The great majority of participants reported they were reluctant to accept certain modern cultural forms. First and foremost, they confessed their disapproval of modern television shows, in particular, reality television programmes such as Big Brother and talent contests of all kinds. They went on to state they could not accept the modern trend of depicting nudity and violence in cinema and theatre (and to a lesser extent in books), and certain musical forms such as pop folk and rap. To a lesser extent, the following were also mentioned: the depiction of gay culture and modern sexual practices, the importance of computers in everyday life, and the materialistic basis of modern cultural forms.

Five participants stated that, though they were not reluctant to accept new cultural forms (and therefore did not actively resist them), they did have trouble understanding certain trends. For example, they could not understand the modern practice of online shopping. And though they were willing to try reading modern authors, they hated modern television and other forms of visual culture. Modern music was similarly disparaged and described as aggressive, ugly, simplistic, and meaningless. All four bemoaned that to be the moral decline of modern world with regards to the moral devaluation of their own cultural world.

Efforts to Understand New Cultural Forms — An equal number of affirmative and negative responses were given to this question. Half of the participants responded with respect to films (modern movies), they had tried to watch, but they found them unsatisfying. Therefore, they preferred to read books instead. Most of those participants reported also that reading modern literature had left them dissatisfied and very often they do not read a modern text to its end. Some participants had made an effort to listen to modern music but only a selection of what they heard pleased them. In general, participants made clear they did not approve modern cultural forms. They blamed television and the internet for the moral devaluation of their cultural world and the rising tides of materialism and crime.

Half the rest of participants argued they were too old to make the effort to understand new cultural forms even though they were aware of them. They dismissed them as meaningless or as lacking in moral value. Responses ranged from active rejection and condemnation of new cultural forms to gentle indifference. Active rejection of modern cultural forms was justified by the argument that they could not be expected to invest time in a cultural form that was violent or at the very least morally reprehensible. Participants who merely expressed a gentle indifference to new cultural forms defended their position by saying there was not much point in trying to understand an activity they didn’t like. Participants pointed out that, in any case, they preferred to invest their time in cultural forms they had known and loved.

A Stranger to the World — The answers to this final and very important question were interesting and complex. One-third of the female sample stated they felt a stranger to the modern world. One-third of our female participants replied they did not feel a stranger, though they did not feel they belonged either. Finally, one-third of participants answered the question in an ambiguous manner, stating that though they did not feel a stranger, they admitted to suffering from nostalgia for the past and a sense of cultural displacement.

Participants who affirmed they did indeed feel a stranger to modern cultural forms admitted they have also felt old-fashioned, outdated and isolated (in the cultural sense). In some cases, there was an active decision to detach from modern world. For some, this seemed to be a reaction to the speed the world was changing with, or a consequence of having limited access to modern technology. In some cases, the feeling of being a stranger to the world was situational and brought on by a feeling of nostalgia for the cultural forms of the past. Still, in others, there was brought about a feeling of sadness towards the moral devaluation of cultural world, as well as to difficulties of accessing what considered being meaningful in terms of cultural forms.

Participants who rejected the idea they felt like strangers to the modern world made a point of stating they felt neither isolated nor alienated nor intimidated by technology. Indeed, they accepted the existence of new cultural forms, though they also admitted that not all cultural novelties were valuable. However, a significant proportion of this group reported nostalgia for the cultural forms of the past. In some cases, there was a sense of mourning for the passing away of great artists of the past. Also, for a significant proportion of this group, there was sadness for what was perceived as moral devaluation of their cultural world. In almost every case, participants reported they either felt out of time with the modern world or that they did not belong in it.

Finally, a third of participants gave an ambiguous answer to this question, saying that though they did not feel a stranger, they were bothered by the manner and the speed the world was changing with. Those participants felt they simply could not keep up with the rate of change and they felt out of time and old. The sense of nostalgia for the moral values of the past was very strong with this group, admitting that modern cultural forms did not have the moral significance to attract their interest. Some of these participants admitted to feeling intimidated by technology. But they have also stated there was an advantage to remaining faithful to cultural interests they have discovered in their youth for it alleviates the sense of isolation and alienation from modern world.

To summarize the complex responses to our final question, though the majority of participants did not report feeling a stranger to the modern world, it was noteworthy that almost everyone admitted they did not feel they belonged either. Moreover, the great majority went on to report nostalgia for the past, a sense of cultural displacement, and sadness about the moral devaluation of modern cultural world.

Discovery of Cultural Phenomena — The answers provided by male participants to our first question were significantly more wide-ranging than in the female sample. Responses ranged from books, music and films (the three most popular answers), to politics, martial arts, computers and architecture, as well as art exhibitions, craft and cookery. There were even some surprising examples of cultural forms, including fishing, farming and marketing. Nevertheless, literature stands out as the most important cultural form for the male sample. Participants indicated their love and respect for fairy folk tales, as well as for classic writers such as Dostoyevsky, Poe, Remarque, Bulgakov and Garcia Márquez, as well as writers from ancient times such as Lao-Tzu, Plato, and Aristotle. There was some mention of science fiction, in particular, American, Polish and Russian authors, as well as adventure books such as Jack London and Jules Verne. The Bible was described as a very important and formative text, as well as non-fiction (history books and books on religious topics). But modern authors were given very little attention and importance. Steven King, for example, was described as an inferior writer.

Participants reported they were fond of going to concerts, in particular, piano and violin recitals; and classical concerts (Bach, Chopin and Beethoven). With respect to films, only Bulgarian films were discussed. The male group appeared to be more interested in the history of particular cultural forms than the female sample. For example, participants were keen to know the history of ideas (Marx and Engels), the history behind particular buildings, and the history of computing.

In most cases, participants were introduced to particular cultural forms via a relative, usually parents (father, in particular). Some participants discovered the cultural world through friends and colleagues, or through work-related activities and community projects. Finally, in some cases some discovered a particular cultural form through their studies, or by attending concerts and exhibitions; or through the consumption of a cultural product (for example, Coca-Cola).

All participants claimed their lives had been enriched by their discoveries of the cultural world. In some cases, these discoveries influenced their choice of career and provided them with a vision about the future (being offered direction). Cultural activities provided them with new horizons, new ideas and emotions; and in many cases they contributed to their moral development (providing them with a sense of justice and equality).

Enduring Interests — Male participants unanimously replied yes to this question. Participants who had expressed a love for literature all asserted they still continued to read, though in some cases opportunities for reading were more restricted than before. Participants who were interested in the classics such as Plato and Aristotle or in non-fiction such as political texts noted that their reading habits had not changed in any fundamental way over the years. Yet, some participants indicated they were willing to try new writers, whilst retaining their preference for authors that they had discovered in their youth.

Participants whose main cultural interest was music confessed that, though their love for music had not been diminished over the years, they did not listen to music with the same intensity as before, one participant in particular had stopped buying music altogether. Indeed, one of the significant trends of male participants was a restriction of interest in their cultural world (without a corresponding restriction at the intensity of interest). For example, one participant, whose main interest had been architecture, claimed his passion for architecture was now a hobby. Other participants noted that, though they still loved music and the arts, the time they could spare for concerts and exhibitions had now become limited. In other cases, restriction of cultural interests took the form of a commitment to national artists and traditional art forms, whilst ignoring international artists and the tendency to cultural forms to be considered interchangeably.

Cultural Forms That are Difficult to Understand — Only one participant answered this question in the negative, claiming that, on the whole, he had no difficulty in understanding modern cultural world. Even so, it is worth highlighting that this same participant indicated he needed time to adapt to new cultural jargons.

The remaining participants admitted there were certain aspects of modern world they found hard to accept. Similarly to female group, male participants complained about what they perceived to be the moral devaluation of their cultural world. For example, some participants pointed out they had tried to read modern literature, but they went on to say they found modern literary stories both difficult to understand and lacking in moral content. In certain cases, they found modern examples of literature as exhibiting a modicum of moral content, but even in those examples they felt morality was portrayed in simplistic terms. The overall effect, of modern stories for the participants was they lacked moral depth. In a similar vein, one participant confessed he had found hard to accept the extent to which there was moral corruption in the world, for instance, the misuse of sound political ideas.

A significant proportion of male participants were opposed to certain technological innovations. Computers and the use of Internet were cited as two modern practices they found difficult to understand. Those participants acknowledged negative responses to Facebook and Twitter. That is, they were appalled by the modern shift away from face-to-face interaction and opposed to the modern preference for electronic and computerised forms of transactions (especially in the workplace and business). One participant exclaimed, even, he was too old to buy a computer!

Finally, a significant proportion of male participants indicated they were uncomfortable with new jargons, both in the world of arts and in everyday life. The group were particularly opposed to the infiltration of English language in everyday life, that is, the inclusion of English words into Bulgarian everyday life.

Reluctance to Accept New Cultural Forms — The answers to this question were very similar to the previous question. Nearly all male participants admitted they were reluctant to accept new cultural forms. Some participants were outspoken about their opposition to the modern world. Others felt the need to justify their opinions by saying they were old-fashioned, or belonging to the “old school”, or simply not interested in knowing about everything.

To be specific, there were four types of opposition to new cultural variants. Firstly, some of the participants were reluctant to accept computers and computer games. Their opposition was not directed at computers per se, but at the overvaluation of computers in everyday life. Secondly, the group were reluctant to accept a general lowering of moral principles in all areas of life. For example, one participant said he could not accept that a middle-aged woman such as Madonna could be allowed to flaunt her ageing body to young men. The modern attitudes to smoking and taking drugs were also highlighted. Thirdly, participants were of the opinion the way people treat each other had changed over the decades, that is, standards of politeness had declined. The group also felt this was particularly evident in the business world, when a company or a salesperson was trying to sell a product. Finally, a significant proportion of male participants admitted they found it hard to accept new art forms. Modern architecture, for example, was described as cheap (it uses cheap materials and aims at cutting costs as much as possible). The group were also critical of contemporary styles in literature, music (especially pop-folk) and crafts.

Only one male participant claimed he was not at all reluctant to accept new cultural forms. However, a closer look at the interview transcript showed that the answer was ambiguous. The participant confessed he would get upset should his daughters become interested in cars, such as buying new model cars. This same participant, in another part of the interview, indicated he reacted negatively to computers.

Efforts to Understand New Cultural Forms — Overall, the answers to this question were very brief and without much elaboration. Two-thirds of male participants responded to this question in the affirmative. They claimed they had attempted to understand modern world by travelling and through observation, or by reading about new inventions and new cultural forms. One participant even went as far as to say that understanding modern cultural forms had become a daily preoccupation. But on the whole, the group admitted they were too old to adapt to new forms. One-third of male participants responded to this question in the negative. But they immediately justified their position by stating it was obvious that new cultural forms were inferior and unworthy of serious consideration. In some cases, this same participant justified his/her opinion by resorting to cultural fatigue or saturation. That is, the participants maintained that they no longer had the energy to invest in new forms, or that their ideas were already set and therefore unalterable.

A Stranger to the World — The great majority of male participants answered yes to this question; however, in most cases it became apparent that the feeling of being a stranger to the world was situational. In other words, the feeling of estrangement was not an all-pervasive phenomenon, but it was brought about due to confrontation(s) with certain everyday situations. The feeling of estrangement was particularly noteworthy when the person was faced with a new technological innovation that hadn't yet been assimilated or accepted. Computers and small portable forms of technology such as the iPod were among examples of situational estrangement. Indeed, male participants made a point in saying that, in their opinion, younger generations led a more mechanized style of life. Some participants made a similar claim for modern films and modern literature: that it brought them face-to-face with a world they no longer recognized. One participant said that the feeling of estrangement came about when he considered how quickly modern children grow into adults (drinking and smoking at a much younger age than in previous generations). Another participant asserted that it was the falling standards in politeness that made him feel a stranger, or when he was confronted with new jargons in everyday life. Overall, then, the majority of the male participants admitted there were moments in the day when they felt a stranger to the world.

Only one person answered this question in an ambiguous manner, saying he would not feel a stranger if only younger generation could learn from the past. One person even replied no to this question. But as this participant went on to add that he was not prepared to accept modern conventions, we may assume his answer was also ambiguous.