Наукові студії із соціальної та політичної психології (Jun 2023)
Obscene response as an individually responsible act
Abstract
The problem of the spread of slander is relevant today. Obscene language is opposed by social institutions (church, science, education, justice), but swear words actively function in society, and individual expressions can become phrasemes. The obscene response of the defender of the island of Zmiinyi has become widely used. This fact has not received a scientific explanation. The purpose of the study was to identify the reasons for the positive perception and large-scale distribution of obscene (abusive) expressions by society. The paper uses the following methods: dialectical, interdisciplinary, inductive, comparative, analysis and synthesis, processing of reference literature. In science, the following properties of obscene language are known: an attribute for people who want to look special; a weapon for verbal abuse; a tool against psychological overstrain; an indicator of a person's experience of stress; evidence of speech negligence of a person. In science, abusive vocabulary was not considered relevant for expressing the civic position and personal courage of the speaker as a fact of their responsible act. M. Bakhtin explained the act as an activity of a unique individual consciousness and called the role of intonation important for its implementation. The obscene response of the Ukrainian defender is a verbal counteraction to the enemy, and the refusal of captivity in conditions of threat to life testified to an act that charmed society and caused delight. The intonation of the response (disrespectful attitude, reduced style of speech) demonstrated the lack of fear in the Ukrainian defenders and disregard for the enemy's strength. The obscene expression of the Ukrainian defender has become a kind of truth of life, a fact of overestimating the power of the enemy to a worthless, pathetic, ridiculed force. In the opinion of the authors, tracing the features of mass consciousness in the perception of information can be promising for investigating the problem of spreading profanity. Examining the verbal reactions of society is useful for consolidating forces in overcoming the enemy
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