In the 20 years that have passed since the collapse of the USSR, the problems of survival and orientation towards personal success have completely replaced such complex categories as society and the state from the mass consciousness, the author of the book believes. Russian citizens, as sociological studies show, feel alienated from public processes: choosing worthy leaders, organising life in cities, districts, and the country. Meanwhile, without a common cause, res publica, there is no common country. How to change this situation? On what grounds should we build mechanisms of civic participation, solidarity, and responsibility for the fate of Russia? Maxim Trudolyubov, a well-known journalist, reflects on this.