The Voice of Reason: An Evaluation of Apocalyptic Rhetoric as it is Used in Times of Crisis

This semiotic analysis seeks to understand the nature of apocalyptic rhetoric and how it is used during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the events surrounding the death of George Floyd. Through a visual analysis of Instagram posts with the hashtag of #BlackLivesMatter and #COVID-19, the author hopes to illuminate the nuances of rhetorical strategy and how crises can perpetuate and enhance the use of “doom and gloom” style language.