Comic in Ukrainian political discourse

Abstract

In the article there is defined the concept of comic as a rhetorical and semantic technique in public discourse, which exerts psychological and behavioral influences. There are highlighted the main features of the comic, in particular: the comic is available for human perception; it causes laughter among representatives of a certain social group, demonstrates the difference between different groups (motives of comedy are not global, they will be funny only for a certain people); entertains the addressee, does not cause suffering and does not activate emotions of empathy in the audience to which it is directed. A. Bergson defines the basic rule of the comic – to demonstrate the unnaturalness, inflexibility, something uncharacteristic for normal life. The philosopher describes also three additional principles of the comic: repetition (the repetition of the certain signs – verbal and nonverbal – will be funny), inversion (replacement of social roles) and interference (semantic ambiguity of a one sign).The article identifies the comic’s techniques used by Volodymyr Zelensky as a candidate for the presidency of Ukraine during the 2019 election campaign. The materials for the study are political advertising, distributed both by classic media (television and outdoor advertising) and by social media. Author states that in the materials of V. Zelensky’s political agitation are present all of three methods of the comic, described by A. Bergson.In the article is claimed that laughter is able to perform the following social functions: to stimulate the development of the community by pointing out the outdated trends, as well as to ridicule those who wants to initiate social development. Comic, widespread by political leaders, can identify areas of public discontent and at the same time create space for psychological relief by spreading a sense of indifference to the future.