POLITICAL MYTH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

POLITICAL MYTH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

Annotation. In this article, the author attempts to define the role of political myth in the contemporary Russian blogosphere. Every political action is based on myth. Society is motivated to take any political action by the dissemination of this myth. The use of myth directs individuals to the concepts and attitudes they consider correct. The relevance of this article stems from the transition of real political life to virtual space. The blogosphere is becoming a platform for simulating political reality, with bloggers, opinion leaders, and political figures serving as the sources for disseminating this new reality. Blogospheric tools facilitate the dissemination of information, the formation of political image, and the selection and consolidation of electorates. Consequently, the need to study political myth in the context of the blogosphere is growing.

Keywords: political myth, political mythology, blogosphere, mass consciousness.

D. Ian

POLITICAL MYTH IN THE CONTEXT OF BLOGOSPHERE

In the article the author made an attempt to determine the role of the political myth in the modern Russian blogosphere. Every political action is based on a myth. The stimulation of society to any political action occurs due to the transmission of this myth. The use of myth refers to the individual to those concepts and attitudes that he considers correct. The relevance of the article is due to the transition of real political life into virtual reality. The blogosphere becomes a platform for stimulating political reality, bloggers, influencers, image of political people are the sources of translation of the new reality. Information is disseminated, the process of forming a political image and the selection and consolidation of its electorate is carried out by the agency of tools of the blogosphere. Thus, there is an increasing need to study the political myth in the context of the blogosphere.

Key words: political myth, political mythology, blogosphere, popular consciousness.

There are four fundamental types of mass consciousness manipulation: emotional manipulation, information flow manipulation, authority manipulation (the transmission of meanings through opinion leaders), and manipulation through the formation and dissemination of images. A combination of all four types of mass consciousness manipulation appears possible in the online environment, particularly in the blogosphere.

Controlling large masses with brute force is no longer feasible; the power of imagination is far more effective. Political myth is the weapon used for propaganda manipulation and information warfare.

According to the German philosopher Ernst Cassirer, the high level of technological and media development is a factor in the formation and dissemination of a stable mythological consciousness in society [4, p. 61]. Modern political myth does not arise spontaneously; it is developed according to a specific plan. In order to transform old mythological ideas into a powerful political weapon, they must be adapted to the needs of the audience.

The task of political myth is to structure reality in conditions of total crisis, that is, in a situation where the worldview seems impossible to reconstruct and assimilate as a whole. It is divided into fragments, which are connected by mythological links. Only then do mythological constructs become "overgrown" with rational ideas, concepts, and legal and political views. "The cultural task of political myth is to restore the social picture of the world, destroyed during a social cataclysm" [6, p. 32], writes A. Koliev.

Ernest Cassirer notes that in stable and secure times, the rational organization of society is maintained automatically [4, p. 61]. It is important to note here that a political system is not naturally stable and balanced. The constant dynamics of a political system contribute to the emergence of crisis situations. In moments of crisis, society urgently needs immediate solutions to complex problems. Society can overcome a crisis in two ways: either by seeking new solutions to the problem, thereby reaching the next stage of its development, or by returning to its roots, actualizing archaic principles [1, p. 191].

There are two main types of political myth:

1) Technological myth. This myth is created and disseminated in parallel with the implementation of current political objectives. Technological myths tend to have a short lifespan. This is because such myths are easily refuted or debunked.;

2) A myth based on archetypes [7, p. 20]. The foundation for constructing a political myth is the archaic. This myth is designed for long-term existence and is transmitted with the goal of forming a collective identity with a specific moral order. Thus, a myth based on archetypes hinders critical interpretation and adequate interpretation of reality.

At the core of a transmitted myth lies a semantic dominant around which the narrative is constructed [9]. Meaning informs a myth through a system of interconnected cognitive knowledge. This knowledge is shared and therefore easily identified. Such cognitive knowledge may be based on generally accepted norms, group values, or beliefs rooted in historical or religious context. The meaning structured on the basis of this knowledge is significantly simplified. The semantic dominant of a myth sets the direction for society's understanding of its surrounding reality.

The recognition of a myth is formed through the creation of coherent and memorable images. The symbolization of a political myth is another way to simplify the reality being conveyed. The role of symbolism in manipulating mass consciousness cannot be underestimated. The French philosopher Roland Barthes argued that the symbolism of images and words has an unconscious context that defies explanation or precise definition [2, p. 57].

The formation of a political worldview occurs through the transmission of images, formalized as mythologemes, into the mass consciousness. For example, according to A.E. Tarasov, the "us-they" dichotomy creates a persistent image in the mass consciousness, in which "they" represents the hostile image of the "enemy" [12, p. 123]. The "enemy" mythologem explains political phenomena negatively perceived by the public as the result of enemies' attempts to harm society. The actions of declared enemies are defined as a conspiracy to conquer or destroy the state.

The structure of a political myth consists of the following elements:

1. Archetypes are the fundamental basis of political myth. In Jungian psychology, an archetype is an inherited form of the collective unconscious. The influence of an archetype on social consciousness is difficult to measure rationally; it is linked to emotional involvement. As Jung wrote, "archetypes create myths, religions, and philosophies that influence entire peoples and the historical epochs that characterize them" [15, p. 35];
2. A mythologem can be defined as a construct that determines the assessment and perception of political processes in society [14, p. 42];
3. Symbolism connects the events of reality with mythologemes and archetypes;
4. Ideologemes are elements of an ideological concept that are expressed in linguistic form and have emotional connotations. Ideologemes are characterized by their specificity and situational relevance.

As an example, we consider the myth of the "golden age," which theoretically models a social ideal in the mass consciousness. This myth refers either to a favorable, stable past ("when everything was good") or to a future where there will be an opportunity to realize the social ideal. It is important to note that realization is possible only under the conditions of following a certain political model. Donald Trump has used the myth of the "golden age" in his campaign. The symbolic construction "Make America great again" implies that Trump will help return America to its former golden age. "Golden times" is a mythologem denoting a specific period in the country's history and firmly entrenched in the mass consciousness of Americans. The "gold rush" in California served as the basis for the myth of the "American dream," which is actively used in popular culture. It is the "American dream" that serves as a symbolic model of the social ideal. The emotional coloring of this ideologeme is formed by feelings of belonging ("we will do it") and lofty pride ("great").

Political myth has a dual nature, combining two components: concept and emotional connotation. The semantic core and emotional experience, taken together, create a powerful impact on mass consciousness.

The dual nature of myth is also reflected in the combination of dialectical opposites [5, p. 12]. It can be said that political myth acts as a link between the rational ideology of modern politics and the irrational archaism of political mythology [11, p. 40]. The combination of rational and irrational fragments creates a balance in the perception of political myth.

According to N. G. Shcherbina, political myth performs the following functions:

1) communicative function;

2) an axiological function or an evaluation function, which is aimed at elevating the transmitted image;

3) integrative function, which means the formation of a system of stable connections;

4) the protective function is aimed at maintaining stability;

5) the adaptation function allows the recipient of the myth to identify with the desired images;

6) the mobilization function is characterized by the target orientation of the myth – the myth mobilizes the goal [13, p. 15].

Myth has an important positive function: like any illusion, myth adapts society to the harsh reality of the outside world. "Myths make life simpler and more understandable, help us act within established patterns, and relieve psychological stress," [3] asserts media cultural scholar Svetlana Shomova.

In modern society, according to A.E. Tarasov, a political myth allows for the formulation of a political strategy, facilitates its introduction into the mass consciousness and performs a mobilizing function for the purpose of implementing this strategy [12, p. 127].

The basis for constructing a conservative political myth is a collection of past events linked to religious elements. Broadcasting conservative mythology through traditional media is an effective strategy for mass control and shaping the political worldview. In the online space, the transmission of conservative political myths is less effective due to the specific characteristics of the blogosphere:

1) the blog audience exists at different levels of time and space;

2) the role of the reader changes – he becomes a full-fledged participant in media production;

3) the media are forced to adapt to the needs of the audience, including informational ones, otherwise they risk losing it;

4) the fragmentation of the myth-making flow reduces its viability; the myth becomes easily refutable.

Despite the aforementioned barriers to online mythologization, social media remains an effective platform for disseminating political myths, and the tools available through online resources allow for the development of new strategies for political propaganda and the manipulation of mass consciousness.

Opinion leaders in the political blogosphere can range from actual political leaders to bloggers with a large, loyal audience. Any politician strives to create a myth around themselves. These myths are a set of mental images that are inextricably linked to that person.

In his article "The Language of Power," American political scientist Harold Lasswell emphasizes the importance of the concept of "miranda." Miranda is a symbol used to express self-identification and relationships within a political myth. Miranda's purpose is to evoke certain emotions (admiration, enthusiasm) that reinforce belief in the political myth and foster loyalty to the government. Miranda creates a sense of urgency in individuals to share strong emotions with others. By paying attention to the reactions of others and assessing their feelings, individuals come under their influence, which is comparable in strength to miranda itself. Examples of miranda include the national anthem and ceremonial occasions. Symbols foster universal class identification and lay the foundation for solidarity with the political leader [8, p. 269].

An effective example of Miranda's implementation is the symbolic construct expressed in the metaphorical slogan "Crimea is ours!" According to a Levada Center survey, the slogan "Crimea is ours!" symbolizes "triumph and pride" and "the rebirth of Russia" for 77% Russians [10]. Triumph and pride are emotions that strengthen a sense of loyalty to the government. This symbol plays an important role in the self-identification and national unity of Russian society.

The underlying semantic content of speech impact is the mythos. The mythos explains the political worldview using scientific theses based on sociological data, psychological research, and other fact-forming tools. The blogger relieves the audience of the need to retain a large amount of information and analyze it independently. The audience remembers successful and specific formulations, agrees with them, and begins to repeat them. It can be argued that an individual's political worldview is a collection of conveyed mythos.

In summary, social media has opened up new opportunities for the implementation of political mythology. The speed of information dissemination, new tools for manipulative influence, and the ability to analyze audience needs—all of this makes the blogosphere a fertile environment for the propagation of political myths.

The political blogosphere has sufficient potential to generate information and generate its own discourses or authoritative opinions. On the one hand, social media is an effective and relevant tool for promoting political myths. The technical capabilities of the online space allow for the creation of a picture of political reality that meets audience expectations and requires no additional reflection. On the other hand, social media allows for independent debunking of myths.

«The "language code" of mythology in the context of political communication between the government and society at the present stage is characterized by a dichotomy: on the one hand, it is represented by such concepts as tradition, national identity, history, on the other - by a set of universal, democratic values - trust, feedback, dialogue, respect, human capital, human resources.

Myth recognition is fostered by the creation of coherent and memorable images. Figurative thinking, enabled by the capabilities of multimedia technologies, readily assimilates symbolic constructs. The strengthening of myth in the public consciousness is hampered by the changing role of the audience, which now also participates in the construction, dissemination, and debunking of myths. The planned, regular influence on people's consciousness online exacerbates the threat to autonomy of will and the capacity for independent thought.

Literature

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References

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