When 'Weird' Means 'Dangerous': Viruses and Firewalls in Affective Polarization

As traditional sources of epistemic authority face declining trust, alternative narratives have gained prominence - often leveraging the emotional and cultural resonance of seemingly simple terms. In the 2024 election cycle, the term “weird” emerged as a potent meme in American political discourse. Using a memetic perspective that incorporates elements of framing theory and Social Judgment Theory, this thesis investigates the use and reaction to “weird” and its role in shaping perception of Donald Trump, his political allies, his followers, and his opposition during and immediately after the 2024 Presidential election. The memetic perspective, which views ideas as units of cultural transmission that spread and evolve, provides a unique lens to understand how affective political language becomes ‘viral.’ By examining the interplay between messenger frames and audience reception, this study demonstrates the mechanisms through which “weird” influenced political orientation and public opinion. This thesis uses Critical Technocultural Discourse Analysis (Brock, 2018) to analyze content about the frame of Trump and his political allies as “weird” in two separate subreddits – one anti-Trump (r/WeirdGOP) and one pro-Trump (r/AskTrumpSupporters) – allowing for a nuanced understanding of how political narratives are constructed and contested across political divides. This thesis provides a framework for exploring the role of memetic language in contemporary politics. Understanding the dynamics of “weird” provides insights into the evolving nature of political persuasion and the challenges facing democratic discourse in an increasingly polarized society.