"Cata Véio": Digital Discourse Analysis

" Cata Véio" : A digital discourse analysis

Abstract

In 2020, the world was consumed by a global pandemic caused by the Sars-cov-2 virus. This virus was highly contagious and proven to be highly lethal for certain groups of people, referred to as risk groups, including those with comorbidities and the elderly. Public agencies and family members gave increased attention to these groups, but the focus was solely on measures to contain the spread of the virus and changes in behavior. Mental health and proper adaptation for these risk groups were not considered. One example of this lack of consideration was the "Cata Véio" bus/truck, a bad joke that went viral on the internet, which aimed to patrol the streets in search of elderly people who violated health measures and promised to take them home against their will. This seemingly harmless attitude reveals deeper implications about the meaning of aging and how society perceives the elderly. To explore this issue, a digital discourse analysis was conducted based on a YouTube video about the "Cata Véio" event, revealing how stereotypes of the elderly reinforce a prejudiced and objectifying view of the individual.