The transformation of traditional values has forced people to engage in a never-ending search for their true identity. People have been given the ability to choose between different options: one of the options for achieving self-knowledge is to understand one's own capabilities, to gain a sense of the facets of one's own self, and to believe in the immensity of one's existence, which is bolstered by the modern culture of thought. However, the novelty of this state is relative, since the way in which an individual conceives of his or her identity is rooted in life experience, and it is also reinforced by how this individual comprehends the culture. It is sufficient to recall the peculiar type of narcissism that has spread widely in post-perestroika Russia in the form of the unconditional faith that many Russians express in the undeniable effectiveness and progressiveness of the life strategies that are offered by the West. These Russians wish to adopt this successful and "mechanical" path of development, including in particular the blind borrowing (copying) of Western educational models. Attempts to mechanically combine these paradigms with the sociocultural practices that have taken root in Russia over the course of history have inevitably led to the spread of an eclectic approach in various areas of life. According to M.K. Petrov's definition, this "methodological approach, which does not impose any need for critical thinking … is based on the use of facts and formulations that are taken out of context, and therefore it distorts the picture of the subject being studied or deliberately misinterprets it while maintaining the appearance of logical rigor." This phenomenon can be considered as a specific representation of the dialectical coexistence of alienness [inomirnost'] and alter dimensionalness [inomernost'] in modern society. In this context, according to the definition that was given by the famous philosopher, eclecticism can be legitimately interpreted as a special moment in the development of knowledge. It lacks a theoretical basis, but it incorporates mutually exclusive aspects that people often do not pay attention to. Here the authors describe the alterdimensionalness of the classical past and the alienness of those who seek it out. They define "alienness" as the isolation of the young generation from the world of classical culture and traditions. Therefore, the authors argue that one of the key imperatives facing modern education in Russia is to find areas of culture that are alien to members of contemporary society while also helping nurture multidimensional, "alterdimensional" individuals. The authors agree that the combination of postmodernism and classics has already yielded good results revealing constructive potential and reason for hope. They believe that the combination of classical education and new social experiences can help education achieve the goals that have been established for education. [Translated by Kenneth Cargill.]