Public Internet discussions on faith: The problem of persuasion effectiveness
Considering effective communication, linguists traditionally focus on the type of the addressee and the conditions of their interaction with the addresser. The paper analyzes some transformations of oral genres on the Internet, including public discussions on the role of Orthodox faith in modern life, the functions of the religion in the spiritual and moral education of the contemporary society and its relation to the scientific breakthroughs of the 21st century. The analysis of video materials shows that their main addressee is the youth audience. Thus, it determines the methods of argumentation chosen in public Internet communication.
The YouTube program “I Don’t Believe in God: Talking to an Atheist” has guests of all ages and professions: clergy, scientists and popularizers of science, politicians, journalists, interpreters, doctors, artists, movie critics and bloggers. The speakers are obviously oriented toward the predicted audience, complicates philosophical issues are discussed using real-life examples and involving both logical and emotional arguments. The article also focuses on the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the conversation. Notably, a lively exchange of opinion boosts the Internet users’ attention and encourages the multidimensional interpretation of the views. A variety of perspectives sparks the youth interest in the discussed issues, facilitates critical thinking, inspires viewers to search for the truth themselves and to form sound judgments on religious faith and atheism. The results of the
research may be used to improve students’ public speaking skills.
- Bobkova A. Iu. Methods of Argumentation in the Scientific Debate. Development Economics, 2011, no. 1–57, pp. 99–101 (in Russian).
- Dementyev V. V. About the Typology of Speech Genres in Connection with Spheres of Speech Communication and Without Such a Connection. Communication Studies, 2019, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 630–644(in Russian). https://doi.org/10.25513/2413-6182.2019.6(3).630-644
- Dementyev V. V. “Speech Genre” Theory and Actual Processes in Contemporary Speaking. Topics in the Study of Language, 2015, no. 6, pp. 78–107 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.18500/2311-0740-2019-1-21-6-21
- Effektivnost’ kommunikatsii: poniatie, rol’ adresanta i adresata, osnovnye priemy ee dostizheniia. Pod red. O. B. Sirotininoy, M. A. Kormilitsynoy [O. B. Sirotinina, M. A. Kormilitsyna, eds. Effective Communication : Concept, Roles of Addresser and Addressee, Ways to Achieve It]. Saratov, ITs “Nauka” Publ., 2019. 236 p. (in Russian).
- Gavrilov E. O. The Digitized Sacred : Features of Religion Existence on the Internet (on Media Sources). The Bulletin of Kemerovo State University of Culture and Arts, 2014, no. 28, pp. 177–183 (in Russian).
- Matyashevskaya A. I. Effective Persuasion in the God Debate. Lichnost’ – Iazyk – Kul’tura : materialy VII Vserossiiskoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii (Saratov, 27–28 noiabria 2019 g.) [Personality – Language – Culture. Materials of the All-Russian scientific-practical conference (Saratov, 27–28 November 2019)]. Saratov, ITs “Nauka” Publ., 2020, pp. 82–87 (in Russian).
- Neskriabina O. F. Historically Relative and Psychologically Constant Features of the Public Faith Discourse. XVII Krasnoiarskie kraevye Rozhdestvenskie obrazovatel’nye chteniia “1917–2017: uroki stoletiia” : materialy mezhregion. nauch.-prakt. konf. (Krasnoyarsk, 16–18 yanvarya 2017 g.) [XVII Krasnoyarsk Regional Christmas Educational Readings “1917–2017 : Lessons of the Century” : Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference (Krasnoyarsk, 16–18 January 2017)]. Krasnoyarsk, Vostochnaya Sibir’ Publ., 2017, pp. 354–358 (in Russian).
- Neskriabina O. F. Public Discourse on Faith: Characteristics of Social Psychological Analysis. Issues of Journalism : Theory and Practice, 2017, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 555–565 (in Russian).
- Salakhova A. G.-B. Argumentation Strategies in the Religious Internet Discourse. Chelyabinsk State University Bulletin, 2010, no. 34 (215), pp. 109–112 (in Russian).
- Sirotinina O. B. Factors Contributing Effective Communication. Ecology of Language and Communicative Practice, 2019, no. 1 (16), pp. 39–47 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.17516/2311-3499-047
