"Cultural DNA” – at the time of the pandemic

Abstract

This outline is dedicated to the reconstruction of an individual cultural code of high school students, who, due to the 2020 lockdown, were forced to self-isolate from peers and limit their school activity to online contacts. Based on the analysis of students’ written assignments, the author discusses what builds their identity and impacts the outlook on the world, as well as reconstructs youth’s beliefs regarding the role of old and contemporary, elitist and popular art. The study indicates the spheres of life important to young people, documents their understanding of how being apart, they can still demonstrate care of others, and emphasises the significance of students’ independence and benefits arising from recognition of their empowerment. The statements of high school girls and boys quoted by the researcher inspire further reflections on both the objectives of humanities education and the means of their implementation.