ISSN 2079-6617
eISSN 2309-9828
Articles

Article

MainArticlesVolumes

Temnova E.V. (2019). Felicitous vs dismal worldview in modern English media discourse. National Psychological Journal, 1, 109-121

Abstract

Background. The development of media and information structures in the recent decades has changed the scientific paradigm of knowledge. The scientists get focused on studying how the information is stored, processed and decoded using certain cognitive structures of the human architecture. 

Hypermedia as a means of manipulating the minds of their recipients combine scientific knowledge and ancient and modern myths. The cognitive potential of media sources is expanded via replacing previous anthropocentric concepts presented in the philosophical, religious and scientific approaches to culture. 

The Objective of the study is to look into the futuristic ideas implied in the media discourse and presented in the following conceptual spheres: Automated Labor, Cloud Technology, Cyborgs, Smart City, Artificial Intelligence, 3D Printing , Immersive and Augmented reality, Cryptocurrency Finance.

Design. The following sections of English media are analyzed: World, Lifestyle, Science and Technology, Culture, Sport, Medicine and Health, Business and Finance. They include news, features, editorials, columns, etc., videos and even memes. The online quality papers such as The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Economist, The Times, The Financial Times, etc. Network news portals (Reuters, BBC, Euronews, CNN), news websites and blogs (Huffington Post), video hosting sites (YouTube), cable and satellite television and radio channels (CNBC, Fortune, etc.) are in the focus of the research.
The sample includes 866 lexical units that shape either felicitous or dismal perception of the conceptual spheres identified within the media discourse.

The lexical expression of the concept spheres allow to shape the world of the future, which makes it possible to divide them into two categories. The first category contains lexical units that reflect positive associations with the technological advances that may occur in the human society of the future. The lexical expressions of the second category form a negative attitude towards the reality of the future in the recipient of media discourse materials.
Results. The futuristic worldview as a reflection of discursive concepts suggested and perceived via hypermedia is presented in two aspects either a positive perception of the advent of technologies and technological advance at a fast pace in the future, or a negative impact on humans and their values.

Conclusion. Shaping the view of potential worlds of the future in the English media discourse is a work with an open ending, which makes the recipient choose between good and evil. The split of the felicitous and dismal worldview helps the recipients to better understand its essence in the stream of potential technological and cultural changes in order to eliminate the social psychopathy associated with the emergence of new technologies.

The shift from the religious and philosophical paradigm to the scientific and futuristic worldview the attitude of people towards changes in social and public life.

Mental structures in the flow of hypermedia perceived through the futuristic concepts are to bring about new ways to explore the human nature and human intelligence, which contributes a lot to the development of science and are liable for further research.

Received: 10/24/2018
Accepted: 03/18/2019
Pages: 109-121
DOI: 10.11621/npj.2019.0110

PDF: Download

Keywords: felicitous worldview; dismal worldview; news discourse; hypermedia; futurism; anthropocentric-based concepts;

Available Online 30.04.2019

Table 1. Philosophical, religious, scientific and futuristic worldview on basic concepts of human knowledge

 

 

Concepts

of human knowledge

Worldview

Philosophical

Religious

Scientific 

Futuristic 

Universe

Origin of the Universe, atom, materialistic issues 

The Universe and the surrounding world were created by God

 

Scientific theories of the origin of the Universe (e.g. Big Bang) cosmogony, physical bases of the material world (mechanics, physical, chemical, biological living of things) 

Man is a founder of the technological advance

 

Origin of Things

Material issues (space and time) vs ideal issues (consciousness, thinking, unconsciousness)

Man was created in the “image and likeness of God”

 

Technical advance; biological body living is regulated by the principles of physics, chemistry, etc. 

“+” The world flooded with artificial intelligence is the creation of man; leaving jobs for automated labour to avoid monotonous work or hazardous production;
"-" artificial intelligence evolves and begins to control a person, the enslavement of man by machinesis quite probable 

Cognition

Cognition as a dialectic combination of the material and spiritual issues; Self-perception 

(nosce te ipsum)

God works in mysterious ways, but these works are beyond doubting; knowledge descend from God if he wishes 

cognitive structures and some aspects of the human psyche are involved

"+" Expansion of human cognitive potential due to melding the human brain with a computer; human is merged with a machine (singularity)
“-” chiping, total control of over the human individual, zombies; unwillingness and impossibility to make changes, feeling of emptiness and apathy, frustration 

Human Behaviour and Social Living

fate is determined by the person’s behaviour (karma as salvation )

man is sinful in nature, punishment follows act committed

people are free to control their lives using knowledge of modern the world that are available

“+” Technical inventions (3D printing of organs, etc.) will relieve people from suffering; immersive and augmented reality will help avoid psychological problems in immersive reality; transition to inorganic life forms; technologically enhanced humans (body implants, microchips, nanobots)
“-” being a cyborg is costly; aggravation of social and property inequality; social, legal, human rights and freedoms of cyborgs are not identified, cyborgs are marginal citizens

Notions of the End of Living

soul relocation is optional (metempsychosis as a kind of prolonging life)

the future is seen as deliverance from sinful existence and victory over evil

adjustment using own strength and using technology and scientific advances (e.g. using achievements in medicine)

“+”Eternal living of humans (trans-humanism); relocating to other planets; transition to inorganic life forms
“-” human finding themselves within the information flow of quantum technologies will not save humanity from suffering; elimination of human self-identity; social anxiety and depression; low motivation; spiritual development will be blocked

Table 2. Linguistic units that manifest the felicitous worldview and the dismal worldview within the conceptual spheres of the media discourse.

#


Conceptual Sphere

Linguistic Expressions

Futuristic Worldview

Felicitous Worldview, %

Dismal Worldview, %

N N

of the total  N

1

Automated Labour

98

11,3

87.3

15.4

2

Cloud Technology

91

10,5

64.7

22.4

 

3

Cyborgisation

173

20,0

79.6

31.8

 

4

“Smart” City

101

11,7

82.8

12.6

 

5

Artificial Intelligence

83

9,6

58.8

16.8

 

6

3D Printing

146

16,8

89.4

10.7

 

7

Immersive and Augmented Reality

59

6,8

38.1

36.8

 

8

Cryptocurrencies

115

13.3

18.8

14.7

 

 

 

8866

 

 

 

 

r

Reference

  1. Arutyunova N.D. (1987). Anomalies and language (On the problem of the linguistic picture of the world). [Voprosy yazykoznaniya],3,3–19.
  2. Barbrook R., & Cameron E. (1999). California Ideology. Retrieved from: http://programming-lang.com/en/computers/ladlou/0/j51.html(accessed 24.10. 2018)

  3. Barlow J.P. (2008). Declaration of Cyberspace Independence.Retrieved from: http://www.telecomlaw.ru/articles/declaration.html(accessed 17.04.2019)

  4. Baudrillard J. La simulaciyn en el arte. Retrieved from: http://www.analitica.com(accessed 24.10.2018)

  5. Baudrillard J. (1988). Simulacra and Simulations. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 184. 

  6. BBC 2016-2018. Retrieved from: www.bbc.com/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  7. Big psychological dictionary online. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologist.ru/dictionary_of_terms/index?id=2790(accessed 28.10.2018)

  8. Bloomberg 2016-2018. Retrieved from:https://www.bloomberg.com/ (accessed 24.10.2018)

  9.  Boldyrev N.N. (2004). Conceptual space of cognitive linguistics.[Voprosy kognitivnoy lingvistiki],1, 18–36. 

  10. Chan L. Elon Musk Wants To Link Brain And Computers: How This Can Give Humans Superpowers. 2017. Retrieved from:https://www.techtimes.com/articles/210238/20170618/elon-musk-wants-to-link-brain-and-computers-how-this-can-give-humans-superpowers.htm(accessed 28.10.2018)

  11. CNBC 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  12. CNN 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  13. The Daily Telegraph 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  14. Dijk T.A. van. (1981). Studies in the Pragmatics of Discourse. The Hague, 71.doi: 10.1515/9783110826142

  15. Dijk T.A. van. (2007). Editor’s Introduction: The Study of Discourse: An Introduction. Discourse Studies.5 vols. Sage Benchmarks in Discourse Studies. London: Sage, 19–42. 

  16. Dawkins R. The Selfish Gene. Chapter 11. Memes: the new replicators. First published 1976; 1989 edition: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from: http://www.rubinghscience.org/memetics/dawkinsmemes.html(accessed 24.10.2018)

  17. Dobrosklonskaya T.G. (2008). Medialinguistics; A systematic approach to learning the language of the media; modern English media. Tutorial. Moscow, Flint,Nauka, 264. 

  18. Dutta, S., & Mia, I. (2011).The Global Information Technology Report 2010–2011. Transformations 2.0. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from: http://www.ictliteracy.info/rf.pdf/Global-ITReport-2010-2011.pdf(accessed 24.10.2018)

  19. The Economist 2016–2018. Retrieved from: https://www.economist.com/ (дата обращения 24.10.2018) (accessed24.10.2018)

  20. Elon Musk and the frontier of Technology – interview. 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.pbs.org/thinktank/transcript1292.htm(accessed 24.10.2018)

  21. Elon Musk interview transcript – How to Build the Future. 2018. Retrieved from: https://ru.scribd.com/document/324130713/Elon-Musk-interview-transcript-How-to-Build-the-Future(accessed 24.10.2018)

  22. Emelin V.A. (2013). Cyborgization and disability of a technologically enhanced human. National Psychological Journal. 1 (9), 62–70.

  23. Euronews 2016–2018. Retrieved from: https://ru.euronews.com/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  24. The Financial Times 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.ft.com/(датаобращения24.10.2018) (accessed 24.10.2018).  doi:  10.1016/j.ptdy.2018.09.006

  25. Fodor, Jerry A., & WPylyshyn, Zenon(1988). "Connectionism and cognitive architecture: A critical analysis." Cognition 28.12,371.doi:  10.1016/0010-0277(88)90031-5

  26. Foucault M. (1972). The Archaeology of Knowledge. London & N.Y.: Routledge Classics, 239.

  27. Freud, S. (1915d): Die Verdrängung. GWX, 248–261.

  28. Freud S. (1992). Dissatisfaction with culture. Psychoanalysis. Religion. Culture, Moscow. 

  29. Futurism. [Entsiklopedia Krugosvet].Retrieved from:http://www.krugosvet.ru/enc/kultura_i_obrazovanie/teatr_i_kino/FUTURIZM.html(accessed 24.10. 2018)

  30. Gavrilova I.S. (2003). Axiological meaning of "happiness" in linguoculture. Ph.D in PhilosophyThesis. Volgograd, 132.

  31. The Guardian, 2016–2018. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com(accessed 24.10.2018)

  32. Gett, E. DeepMind’s new research plan to make sure AI is safe. Октябрь2018 Retrieved from: https://singularityhub.com/2018/10/15/deepminds-new-research-plan-to-make-sure-ai-is-safe/#sm.0000cjnzeu9wpefqtl01tlieuhswd(accessed 24.10.2018)

  33. Gledhill C. & Williams L. (Eds.) (2000). Reinventing Film Studies. Oxford Univ.Press. 

  34. Habermas J. (1986). Hannah Arendt's Communications Concept of Power // Power / ed. by Steven Lukes. Oxford: Blackwell. 

  35. Huffington Post 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/   (accessed 24.10.2018) 

  36. Humboldt V. von. (1985). Language and philosophy of culture. Moscow. 

  37. Hymes D. (1962). The Ethnography of Speaking. Anthropology and Human Behavior. Washington D.C.: Anthropological Society of Washington. doi:   10.1037/e596342011-002

  38. The Independent 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/ (accessed 24.10.2018)

  39. Is the mind modular?Tag: Architecture of the human mind. Retrieved from: https://inside-the-brain.com/tag/architecture-of-the-human-mind/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  40. Katz I. J., & Fodor J.A. (1963). The structure of a semantic theory. Language. Baltimore. doi:   10.2307/411200

  41. Koroleva M.N. (2012). Happiness as a sociocultural phenomenon. Ph.D in Sociology Thesis. Moscow, 164.

  42. Krasnykh, V.V. (2003). “Own” among “alien”: myth or reality? Moscow, Gnosis, 375. 

  43. Kurzweil R.(2006).The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. Penguin.

  44. Lanir D. (2011). You are not a Manifesto gadget. Moscow. 

  45. Leonhard K. (1968) Akzentuierte Persönlichkeiten. Berlin: Volk und Gesundheit.

  46. Leont'ev A.N. (1983).The Image of the World. [Izbranny psikhologicheskie proizvedeniya].Moscow, 251–261.

  47. Lyubimova, N.A., & Buzalskaya, E.V. (2011). “The Worldview”: content, terminological status and general hierarchy of components. [Mir russkogo yazyka],4, 3–20.

  48. MacLeod K. (2015). The ends of humanity. «Aeon Magazine», Great Britain. Retrieved from: https://aeon.co/essays/communism-failed-what-about-the-ideal-of-global-humanity(датаобращения24.10.2018)

  49. Manifesto du Futurisme, Le Figaro 1909/02/20 (Numéro 51). Gallica, Bibliothèque nationale de France.

  50. Maslova V.A. (2008). Cognitive linguistics: Textbook. Minsk: TetraSystems, 272.

  51. Matyszczyk, Chris (2014). Elon Musk: I'm afraid of the Terminator. June 18, 2014. Retrieved from: https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-im-afraid-of-the-terminator/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  52. McLuhan, M. (2003). Understanding Media: External Human Extensions. Moscow. 

  53. Mendzheritskaya E.O. (2017). Discourse sphere of print media. A survival game, monograph. Moscow, MAX Press, 310.

  54. Mendzheritskaya E.O., & Temnova E.V. (2002). Metaphors We Read by. [Yazyk i kommunikatsiya], 9. Oryol, 31–35. 

  55. Meshcheryakova B.G., & Zinchenko V.P. (Eds.) (2003). Big psychological dictionary. Moscow, 672.

  56. Mironova N.N. (1997). Political discourse vs. evaluative discourse. [Politicheskiy diskurs v Rossii],Moscow, 41–50.

  57. The Newyorker 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.newyorker.com/ (accessed 24.10.2018)

  58. The New York Times 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  59. Reuters 2016–2018. Retrieved from: https://ru.reuters.com/ (accessed 24.10.2018)

  60. Robot automation will 'take 800 million jobs by 2030' – report. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42170100(accessed24.10.2018)

  61. Quantum information – wave information. Retrieved from: http://monada-edinenie.ru/110-kvantovaya-informaciya-volnovaya-informaciya(accessed 24.10. 2018).

  62. Quantum information technology. Novosibirsk State University. Retrieved from: https://education.nsu.ru/quantum_informatics/(accessed Oct 24, 2018)

  63. Seager, Ch. (2016). Will jobs exist in 2050? Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/oct/13/will-jobs-exist-in-2050(accessed24.10.2018)

  64. Stepanov, Yu.S. (2007). Concepts. Thin film of civilization. Moscow, Languages ​​of Slavic cultures, 601.

  65. Temnova E.V. (2004a). The functional and pragmatic role of metaphor in journalistic discourse: Ph.D. in Linguistics Moscow. 

  66. Temnova E.V. (2004b). Modern approaches to the study of discourse.[Yazyk. Soznanie. Kommunikatsiya]. Moscow, MAKS Press, Vol. 26, 168.

  67. Temnova E.V. (2018). The Guardian and Futurism: Media Discourse as a Means of shaping the Futuristic Worldview. Cognitive studies of language. Vol XXXIV. Globalized world. Papers of the 8th International Congress on Cognitive Linguistics, October 10–12, 2018. Moscow, Tambov, 2–18, 322–324.

  68. The meaning of the film "The Circle" (2018). Retrieved from: https://mnogo-smysla.ru/smysl-filma/sfera/(accessed 24.10.2018)

  69. Toynbee A.J. (1991). "Comprehension of history." Moscow, Progress, 36.

  70. Transhumanism: a bright future or a grim dystopia? 2018. Retrieved from: https://robo-sapiens.ru/stati/transgumanizm-svetloe-budushhee-ili-mrachnaya-antiutopiya/(accessed 24.10.2018).

  71. The Times 2016 – 2018. Retrieved from: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ (accessed24.10.2018).

  72. Tsukayama, H. (2012). Dreams of Ray Bradbury: predictions that came true // Washington Post. June 6, 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/dreams-of-ray-bradbury-ten-predictions-that-came-true/2012/06/06/gJQAqbs9IV_story.html?utm_term=.f907e0cde9d7(accessed24.10.2018)

  73. Urban Dictionary. Retrieved from:http://www.urbandictionary.com/(accessed24.10.2018). 

  74. Vinogradov, V.V. (1980). On the language of artistic prose. [Izbrannye trudy]. Moscow. 

  75. Wierzbicka A. (1996). Language. Culture. Cognition Moscow.

  76. The Wall Street Journal 2016-2018. Retrieved from: https://www.wsj.com/europe (accessed24.10.2018г.)

  77. 17 ways technology will change our lives by 2050. 2016. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/ian-pearson-predictions-about-the-world-in-2050-2016-7/ (accessed24.10.2018)

  78. What will technology look like in 2050?2017. Retrieved from: https://medium.economist.com/what-will-technology-look-like-in-2050-75b4fee196f2 (accessed24.10.2018)

For citing this article:

Temnova E.V. (2019). Felicitous vs dismal worldview in modern English media discourse. National Psychological Journal, 1, 109-121