EXPRESSION OF ANTI-PROTEST EMOTIONS IN EVERYDAY DISCOURSE (ON THE EXAMPLE OF COMMENTS IN THE SOCIAL NETWORK <i>INSTAGRAM</i>)

Abstract

The article studies the discrediting strategy within the framework of the expression of anti-protest emotions in everyday communication in social networks. The research material includes comments on the publications of Yuriy Dud' and Kseniya Sobchak in Instagram dedicated to the Belarusian protest. The sample contains comments published only in real accounts that have an open profile, a real (person’s portrait) profile photo, subscribers and subscriptions, and profile posts. The analysis of the discrediting strategy allowed the author to single out the following tactics: labeling, accusation, insult, irony, reasoned belittling of authority, creating the image of the “dark present”, forecasting, “Do you want it to be like in Ukraine?”, attack, turning things around, “we are them”, contrastive analysis, etc. The article notes high frequency of using the tactics of labeling Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as a member of the opposition community in the comments. The analysis of these tactics allows the researcher to see the ideas that exist in the minds of the users of social networks who are loyal to the state apparatus of Belarus. The protesters are presented as irresponsible young people who do not know how to think for themselves and as marginals, who do not care a straw about the future of the country. The research results obtained can be used both in the academic sphere as materials for a course on social communications, and in the practical sphere as materi- als in the work of political technologists.