The De-Alienating Function of Speech in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The aim of this presentation is to analyze the de-alienating function of speech in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Language, as a tool for interpreting reality, enables individuals to regain a sense of agency and understanding in times of crisis. In three stages, the talk will outline how different narratives about the pandemic have influenced the perception of social and legal reality:

• Official press releases from the early days of the pandemic as an example of institutional discourse intended to reassure the public while simultaneously shaping the framework of threat perception.
• Critical narratives questioning the restrictions, including excerpts from Zapis zarazy by Wojciech Sumliński and Tomasz Budzyński, which challenge the official portrayal of the pandemic and present it as a global social experiment.
• The legal perspective, represented by Thomas-Michael Seibert, who argues that the measures implemented during the pandemic exceeded previous legal standards for restricting civil liberties.

Based on these considerations, the presentation will explore the thesis that speech—even in the form of criticism, polemics, or contestation—has a de-alienating function, allowing individuals to find a new perspective in a world that has become unfamiliar and incomprehensible. However, the talk will also highlight the risk of the opposite situation: speech that, instead of liberating, may become a tool of manipulation and deepen the alienation of individuals.