“Our Answer to Obama”: The Logic of Symbolic Aggression

Abstract

The article examines the forms of vernacular reaction to the anti-Russian economic sanctions introduced in 2014. Verbal and visual forms of this reaction differ by the level of involvement of participants (ranging from the individual use of a verbal cliche to the collective action) and by the level of symbolic aggression. During the period of 2014-2015 we observed a gradual shift from the use of verbal cliches that are not directly addressed to the opponent to the employment of more aggressive texts and practices. This shift, however, has to do with the loss of popularity of the former forms of vernacular reaction to the sanctions and the situation stemming from them.