Deep Symmetrism
A Populist Strategy for Political Communication and Beyond
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51480/1899-5101.18.3(41).805Keywords:
deep symmetrism, disinformation, propaganda, post-truth, doppelgangeringAbstract
The concept of symmetrism, even more so deep symmetrism, does not appear in academic
literature as a distinct field or topic. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the essence of this
phenomenon, believing it constitutes an important concept that bridges politics and persuasion
in contemporary politics. Deep symmetrism is assumed to be the generative mechanism
of political struggle in the context of the growing strength of populist argumentation, supported
by the actions taken by autocratic politicians when they are allowed to utilize wider resources.
Symmetrism, originally a metanarrative, has evolved into a comprehensive system of duplicating
social institutions (doppelgangering) for the purpose of orchestrating political influence.
As such, it closely connects to the history of propaganda and disinformation. The foundation for
this article is an analysis of political communication and its contexts during the 2023 election
campaign in Poland, as reflected in mediated political discussions.
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