Zmora w internecie. O statusie współczesnych wyobrażeń demonicznych

Abstract

THE NIGHTMARE ON THE INTERNET: ON THE STATUS OF CONTEMPORARY DEMONIC IMAGES The nightmare is a popular motif from old demonic beliefs. Simultaneously, despite the demise of traditional cultures, it is frequently discussed on various Internet forums. Some Internet users believe in the existence of the nightwmare as a real creature or a force. The article attempts to determine the status and conceptual contexts of contemporary perceptions and narratives concerning this creature. The author’s analysis of Internet users’ comments centerson the following two aspects: (1) the thematic analysis showing how people talk about the nightmare and what meanings they ascribe to it and (2) the analysis of the modalities and functions of accounts and the narrator’s attitude indicating the characteristic ways of “using” the nightmare in Internet discussions. The analysis presented herein is an example of a broader reflection on the status of traditional beliefs in contemporary culture and in the context of conceptions suggesting the return to pre-modern waysof thinking. These conceptions are not confirmed in the case analyzed herein: in electronic communication, the nightmare functions in an untraditional way as it has a variety of meanings and is “used” by Internet users for various purposes, thereby becoming a “tool” enabling gaining popularity and the narrative creation of one’s own image or the building of alliances and communal identities.