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When Criticism Becomes Vilification: A Qualitative Text Analysis of YouTube Comments on Greta Thunberg

Chen, Zicheng LU (2025) MKVM13 20251
Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
Abstract
In the digital age, public figures are no longer defined solely by their actions or media representation, but also by how they are discussed and interpreted by social media audiences. This thesis explores the evolving nature of digital criticism and symbolic vilified identity construction through a qualitative text analysis of YouTube comments about Greta Thunberg from 2019 to 2024. Drawing on 840 comments sampled across time and genre, the study investigates how criticism targeting Greta Thunberg develops, and how intertextuality and satire function as strategies of symbolic vilification.
The analysis reveals that digital criticism is dominated by subjective judgment and emotional venting, with minimal reliance on factual evaluation or... (More)
In the digital age, public figures are no longer defined solely by their actions or media representation, but also by how they are discussed and interpreted by social media audiences. This thesis explores the evolving nature of digital criticism and symbolic vilified identity construction through a qualitative text analysis of YouTube comments about Greta Thunberg from 2019 to 2024. Drawing on 840 comments sampled across time and genre, the study investigates how criticism targeting Greta Thunberg develops, and how intertextuality and satire function as strategies of symbolic vilification.
The analysis reveals that digital criticism is dominated by subjective judgment and emotional venting, with minimal reliance on factual evaluation or moral reasoning. Intertextuality and satire play a central role in making symbolic meanings to vilify Greta Thunberg as a symbolic figure. The symbolic vilified identities, such as the “Hypocrite Puppet” and the “Cult Leader and Prophet of Doom” were constructed, which reflect broader cultural anxieties, political ideologies, and social perception.
By tracing how digital criticism contributes to symbolic vilification through meaning making, this study explores how audiences co-construct public identity and negotiate social values in participatory media environments. The findings challenge the understanding of identity authorship and highlight the role of audience discourse in transforming individuals into culturally loaded symbols. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Chen, Zicheng LU
supervisor
organization
course
MKVM13 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Greta Thunberg, Digital Criticism, Symbolic Vilification, Intertextuality, Satire, Social Media, Audience, Social Identity
language
English
id
9188613
date added to LUP
2025-07-04 08:21:58
date last changed
2025-07-04 08:21:58
@misc{9188613,
  abstract     = {{In the digital age, public figures are no longer defined solely by their actions or media representation, but also by how they are discussed and interpreted by social media audiences. This thesis explores the evolving nature of digital criticism and symbolic vilified identity construction through a qualitative text analysis of YouTube comments about Greta Thunberg from 2019 to 2024. Drawing on 840 comments sampled across time and genre, the study investigates how criticism targeting Greta Thunberg develops, and how intertextuality and satire function as strategies of symbolic vilification.
The analysis reveals that digital criticism is dominated by subjective judgment and emotional venting, with minimal reliance on factual evaluation or moral reasoning. Intertextuality and satire play a central role in making symbolic meanings to vilify Greta Thunberg as a symbolic figure. The symbolic vilified identities, such as the “Hypocrite Puppet” and the “Cult Leader and Prophet of Doom” were constructed, which reflect broader cultural anxieties, political ideologies, and social perception.
By tracing how digital criticism contributes to symbolic vilification through meaning making, this study explores how audiences co-construct public identity and negotiate social values in participatory media environments. The findings challenge the understanding of identity authorship and highlight the role of audience discourse in transforming individuals into culturally loaded symbols.}},
  author       = {{Chen, Zicheng}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{When Criticism Becomes Vilification: A Qualitative Text Analysis of YouTube Comments on Greta Thunberg}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}