Patriotic discourse in the network media space

In this paper, results of research on specifics of negative "semantic excessiveness" in the sphere of "patriotism" concepts in Russian network mass media publications (texts) are presented. The concepts "patriot" and "patriotism" being a traditional background of socially important codes of public consensus are revealed to be in the center of global connections. Conceptual analysis of popular online and offline mass media shows the dominance of discourses with ambivalence of ideological and political environment in Russia. Content analysis of traditional (offline) mass media like the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda demonstrates that the sphere of patriotism concepts is oriented on the traditional meaning of patriotism. However, this discourse is less popular than hybrid discourses in online media. Hybrid patriotic discourses in online media are represented in several forms. Discourse analysis of online mass media publications with a significant number of page visits confirms that such hybrid forms envelope all major spheres of social, cultural, economic and political life. However, discourses based on facts and artifacts of marginal and taboo spheres of social life prevail and become popular in a public space. Online mass media texts demonstrate the explication of "patriot" and "patriotism" concepts into deviant forms. The meaning of words is shifted into areas of social and cultural anomalies, and ironical and expressive neoderivates along with concepts with negative and ambivalent connotations appear. It is revealed that the first condition for derivates of "patriot" and "patriotism" concepts with negative semantics in a public lexicon is caused by specifics of mass media hypertexts circulation on the Internet (i.e. their instant distribution and sharing). The second condition seems to be the nature of media texts emergence with unexpected changes of meanings not caused by their initial semantics. The mechanism of this viral distribution of patriotic discourse derivates with ambivalent and negative semantics is based on a specific semiosis of conceptual metaphors used in connotation and blending of meanings. Metaphors from marginal subcultures and taboo spheres are brought into the sphere of spiritual culture and ideology. This way, oxymorons like "homosexual patriotism", "glamorous patriotism" and "trendy patriotism" are introduced into the public space. Expansion of such discourses has a manipulative effect, and the discourses dominate in a non-formal public communication. Traditionally, patriotism is one of the pillars of the spiritual culture of Russian society. Loss of this pillar in a confrontation with negative discourses is a major threat to a dynamic functioning of the society system.

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