Per sonal Essay :TheNewYear2015

Post edonDecember31, 2014

ByDav eHood
“Asy ear spassedawayIhav ef or medt hehabi tof
l
ooki ngbackupont hatf or mersel fasupon
anot herper son, ther emembr anceofwhose
emot ionshasbeenasol acei nadv ersi tyand
addedzestt ot heenj oy mentofpr osper ity.”-
SimonNewcomb.
It
’sNewYear ’
sEv e.Theol dy eari st aki ngt he
stagef oronel astper formance.I nashor tt ime,
theschol ar swi llwr i
te2014i nt ot hehi st ory
books.Wr iterHami l
t onWr i
ghtMabi edescr ibed
theoccasi onas: “NewYear ’
sev ei sl ikeev ery
otherni ght ; ther ei snopausei nt hemar choft he
uni verse, nobr eat hlessmomentofsi lenceamong
creat edt hingst hatt hepassageofanot hert wel ve
mont hsmaybenot ed; andy etnomanhasqui te
thesamet hought st hisev eni ngt hatcomewi th
thecomi ngofdar knessonot herni ght s.”
Benj ami nFr ankl i
noncesai d, beatwarwi t
hy our
vices, atpeacewi t hy ournei ghbor s, andl etev er y
newy earf indy ouabet terman. ”Wr iterMar k
Twai nwr ot e: “Twent yy ear sf rom nowy ouwi l
l
bemor edi sappoi nt edbyt het hingst haty ou
didn’ tdot hanbyt heonesy oudi ddo.Sot hr ow
offt hebowl ines.Sai l awayf rom t hesaf ehar bor .
Cat cht het radewi ndsi ny oursai ls.Expl ore.
Dr eam.Di scov er .”Whati st hepoi ntofNew
Year ’sEv eandt hebegi nni ngofaNewYear ?
Formanypeopl e, thef orthcomi ngnewy eari sa
ti
meofr ef l
ect ion.Manyr eadt hear t
icl esi n
magazi nesandpaper s, summar i
zi ngt het op
newsst or i
es.Ev eryy earhasi tsconf licts, its
shocks, andi tsdi sbel iefs.I n2014, wel ear ned
aboutt hescour geofEbol a,Put i
n’ sadv ent urism
i
nt ot heUkr ai ne, thebeheadi ngsbyt het err orists
groupI SI S, thesel f-inflicteddeat hbyent ertainer
Robi nWi l
liams, theal l
egeddebaucher yof
popul art alkshowhostJi anGhomeshi ,theat tack
onPar l
iamentbyader angedl unat ic.Manyhav e
alsoponder edt hehi ghs, suchasgoodheal th, a
newmar riage, promot ionatwor k, andt hel ows,
per hapsadi agnosi sofser i
ousi llness, j
obl oss,
endofamar riage, deat hofal ov edone.
Manypeopl eal souset heendofy eart odi scov er
whatt hemedi aconsi der st hemostwor thy
popul arcul turet ospendone’ sl eisur et i
me
enj oying—t hebestf ilms, bestmusi c, bestbooks,
andbestshowsont elev isi on.Fori nst ance,
Ent ertainmentWeekl y, i
nt hei rDecember12t h
edi ti
on, ident ifiest het opmov i
es, show, albums,
andbooksf or2014.Ji mmyFal lon, whoi st he
newhostofTheToni ghtShow, wasnamed
“Ent ertaineroft heYear .”Somef il
m cr iticshav e
i
dent ifi
edBoy hood, Bi rdMan, TheI mi tat ion, and
TheGr andBudapestHot el ast hebestmov i
est o
pur chaseat ickett owat chatt heci nema.Wi red
magazi newr itesont hei rwebsi te: “Longt he
popul ist ,less- el egantcousi noff i
lm, int hel ast
fewy ear st el ev isionhasbecomet hepl acet o
wat cht hemostdar i
ng, smar t ,prest i
gi ousshows
outt her e. ”Someoft heout standi ngt elev i
sion
showsi ncl udeTheFal l,Tr ueDet ect iv e, Ol i
v e
Kitter i
dge, andTheAf fai r
, whi chhasr ecei veda
94%r at ingont hewebsi teRot tenTomat oes.I
enjoyr eadi ngandl ear ni ngf rom t heendofy ear
reviews.I t’sawayt oor gani zet he“ bestof ”as
wel lasdi scov erwhatI ’v emi ssed.Of ten, Iwi ll
plant oexper iencet hepopcul tur eI ’vemi ssed—
per hapsseei ngt heGr andBudapestHot el or
readi ngphy si cianAt ul Gawande’ sbook, “Bei ng
Mor t
al .”
Theendi ngofay eari sat i
met osetr esol ut ions
fornexty ear .Manypeopl escr awl downNew
Year ’sr esol ut ions, of tent hesamei nt ent ionsas
l
asty ear .Popul argoal si ncl udel osi ngwei ght ,
quittingsmoki ng, get tingphy sical lyf it.Despi te
thegoodi nt ent ions, manyf ail toachi ev et hei r
resol ut ions.Busy ness, lackofmot ivat ion,
distract ion—t heunwi ll
ingnesst oputt het i
me
andef for tint ochangi ngabadhabi tsabot ages
mostpeopl e’sgoodi nt ent ions.Anai sNi n, a
wr i
ter , oncesai d, “Imadenor esol ut i
onsf ort he
NewYear .Thehabi tofmaki ngpl ans, of
criti
ci zing, sanct ioni ngandmol dingmyl ife,ist oo
muchofadai lyev entf orme. ”
Ibel i
ev ei nset tingS. M. A. R. Tgoal s, whi chgi ve
they earf ocus.S. M. A. R. Tgoal sar especi ficwi th
l
ot sofdet ai l
, measur abl ebysomecr iter ia,
attainabl ewi thski l
l andt imeandr esour ces,
realist ici nt hatt heyar ewhatIdesi r
et oachi eve,
andt imel y —wi thadeadl i
ne, tobeachi ev edi n
thenext12mont hs.Ihav ej ot tedaf ew
resol ut ions.Fori nst ance, Ihav emadei tmy
i
nt ent iont ost udymoder nandcont empor aryar t
andt odr awandpai nti n2015.Ihav eal so
deci dedt ot akeupt hepr act i
seofy oga.
NewYear ’
sEv ei sanoccasi ont ocel ebr at ef or
manypeopl e, whowi l
l begi nt hei rev eni ngwi tha
deliciousmeal , per hapsaf eastofsur fnt urfat
theirf av or i
ter est aur ant ,thent rekt osomebaror
hall wher et her e’smusi canddance.They ’ll
i
mbi beunt ilint oxi cat ed, danceunt ilfat igued,
engagei nf r
iendl yconv er sat ion, shar eaf ewj okes
andl aughs.Whent hecl ocknear st wel v e, and
theol dy eardepar tst hest age, t
hey ’
ll stand, rai
se
theirgl asst oaf riend, andy ell “HappyNew
Year ’s! ,as2015t akest hest agef ort hef irstt ime.
Tomor r ow, manywi llwakeupwi thahangov er,
asi ft heyhav et hef lu.Forot her s, NewYear ’s
Evei sj ustanot heror di nar yday ,oranexcuset o
gett anked, orar emi nderoft hei rlonel iness, or
theirexper ienceofempt iness, ort i
meofgr ieving
—awast eoft ime.Ibel ievet hatNewYear ’
s
oughtt obecel ebr at ed.I tiscel ebr at iont hatgi v es
l
ifemeani ngandpur pose, thati nt errupt sthe
banal ityofourexi st ence.
Humor istwr i
ter ,Mar kTwai n,wr otet hisabout
they ear -endr ef lect ions, resol utionsand
celebr at ion: “Nowi st heaccept edt imet omake
yourr egul arannual goodr esol ut i
ons.Nextweek
youcanbegi npav inghel l wi tht hem asusual .
Yest er day ,ev er ybodysmokedhi sl astci gar ,took
hislastdr ink, andswor ehi sl astoat h.Today ,we
areapi ousandexempl arycommuni ty
.Thi rty
day sf rom now, weshal lhav ecastour
reformat iont ot hewi ndsandgonet ocut tingour
ancientshor tcomi ngsconsi der abl yshor t
ert han
ever .Weshal l alsor ef l
ectpl easant lyuponhow
wedi dt hesameol dt hingl asty earaboutt his
ti
me.Howev er ,goi n, communi ty .NewYear ’
si sa
har ml essannual inst ituti
on, ofnopar t
icularuse
toany bodysav easascapegoatf orpr omi scuous
drunks, andf riendl ycal l
s, andhumbug
resol utions, andwewi shy out oenj oyi twi tha
l
oosenesssui tedt ot hegr eat nessoft heoccasi on.”
NewYear ’si sanendi ng, andwi theachendi ng
therear eoppor tuni tiesf ornewbegi nnings.Poet
T.S.El iotwr ot e: “Forl asty ear ’swor dsbel ongt o
l
asty ear ’sl anguage.Andnexty ear ’swor ds
awai tanot herv oice.Andt omakeanendi st o
makeabegi nni ng. ”
Ibeliev et henewy earof fer saf reshnewst art,to
setgoal s, suchasbecomi ngaspl endi dwr iter,to
conquerbadhabi ts, toimpr ov eone’ slifesty l
e, to
elevat ewel l-bei ng, tobecomehappi er,toachi ev e
one’sdr eams, towr i
tesomewr ongs, t
ol ivewi t
h
hope, toi nj ectourl iveswi thzest ,toembr ace
peace, t
ol i
v easpi ritual l
ife, toi mpr ov ewel l-
beingandl i
fesat isf act i
on.
Despi tet heunknowabl efut ure, Iembr acet hese
wor ds—“ Hopesmi lesf rom t het hreshol doft he
yeart ocome, whi sper i
ng‘ itwi ll behappi er’.
(AlfredTenny son)
Despi tet heunknowabl efut ure, I’vepr omi sed
my sel ft ol ivemydai lylif
e“ Car peDi em. ”Li f
ei s
eitheranadv ent ureornot hingatal l.Thenew
yearof fer saf reshbegi nni ngf oranewj our ney
withhopeasy ourcomf or tintot heunknown.

I
fy ou’veusedt hei
nternetformorethanafewdays,
you’vepr obabl
yseenameme.They ’
vebecomean
i
ntegr alpartofmodernonlineli
fe.But
,wheredi
dtheyget
theirstart?Howhavet heyevolv
ed?Andwher edi
dthe
wor d“ meme”comef rom, anyway?
Wher eDi dtheWord“ Meme”Come
From?
Thef i
rstpubl ishedcaseoft hewor dmeme( pr onounced
“Meem, ”notme- me) ,dat esbackt oRi char dDawki ns’
1976book, TheSel fishGene.Dawki nsr ef erredt oi tasa
“Mi meme” —awor dder ivedf rom Gr eekt hatmeans“ that
whi chi simi tat ed. ”Thewor dwast henabbr ev iatedt ojust
“meme”duet oi tssi mi larityt ot hewor d“ gene. ”
Dawki nscoi nedt het er m becausehewast ry ingt of i
gur e
outwhet hert her ewasameasur abl euni tdescr ibinghow
i
deasspr eadandpr opagat edt hroughgener at i
ons.So, put
simpl y,amemei st oani deawhatagenei st oaphy sical
trait.Andmuchl ikehowgenesandphy si cal traitsev olve
throughnat ur al sel ect ion, Dawki nsbel iev edt hatany thing
capabl eofunder goi ngev ol ution—l ikememesandi deas—
alsodi dsot hr oughnat ur al sel ection.
Thi si swher et hemoder nf or m oft hewor d“ meme”i s
der ived—t hei deaoft her epl i
cat ion, sel ect i
on, and
ev olutionofi deasal lwor kingt hemsel vesouti nt he
biggestpr ov inggr oundofi deasev er —t hei nt er net .
Wer eTher eMemesBef or eThe
Inter net?
Memeshav ebeenar oundsi ncel ongbef or et hei nt ernet
exist ed.I nf act , theyhav ebeenar oundsi ncebef ore
Dawki nscoi nedt het er m, showi ngupasear lyas79ADi n
aPompei iruinandasl ateast he1970s, ingr af fiti.
TheSat orSquar ei sapal indr omeoft hef ivewor ds
“SATORAREPOTENETOPERAROTAS” —oneont opoft he
next .Youcanr eadi nanydi rect i
on( assumi ngy our ead
Lat in),includi ngupsi dedownandbackwar d.Al though
nobodyknowsf orsur ewhati tmeans, i
thasshownup
ov ert hecent ur iesi ndi ffer entcul tur esal lov ert hewor ld,
i
ncl udi ngFr ance, Engl and, Sy ria,andI taly .
FrodoBaggi ns, thef i
ct i
onal char act erofJ. R. R
Tol kien’sTheLor dOfTheRi ngst rilogy ,alsobecamepar t
ofameme.Thephr ase“ Fr odoLi ves”waspl ast er edal l
ov eri ngr af fi
ti, but tons, andev enbumperst icker soncar s.
Itwasf requent lyusedbypeopl ewhof el tt hatFr odo, who
wassentof ft oMor doronadeat hmi ssionbypower f
ul
peopl ewi t
ht hei rownagendas, wasagoodmet aphorf or
bei nghel ddownby“ TheMan. ”
Anot herexampl eofmemesoccur redonUseneti nt he
ear ly1990s: Godwi n’sLaw.Al thoughi twasi ni tially
concei vedf oranewsgr oupdi scussi onf or um, itremai ns
asappl i
cabl et odayasi tdi dal most30y ear sago.
Godwi n’sLawst at est hat“ AsaUsenetdi scussi ongr ows
l
onger ,thepr obabi lityofacompar i
soni nv ol vingNazi sor
Hi t
lerappr oachesone. ”Onceat hr eadwoul dr eacht hat
poi nt,itwast radi tional lyconsi der edov er ,andwhoev er
ment i
onedt heNazi si mmedi atelyl ostanycr edi bili
tyi nthe
argument .
RELATED: Whati st heDi ffer enceBet weenUsenetandt he
Inter net?
WhatWer eTheFi rstI nt er net
Memes?
Thef i
rstv iral int er netmemecanbepi nnedbackt oa
par ticulardanci ngbabyt hatwasspr eadar oundt he
i
nt er net, befor ef inal l
yappear ingonanepi sodeofAl ly
McBeal .
In1996, graphi cdesi gnerMi chael Gi rardcr eat edsof tware
thatshowedhowmov ementcoul dbepr ogr ammedand
project edv iacomput er s.Thef inal desi gnwast hemodel
ofababydemonst rat i
ngdi ffer entmov ement sf rom t he
Cha- Cha- Cha.Gi rar d’sempl oy ert hensentt hedemooutt o
dev eloper st oshowof ft heirsof twar e’scapabi l
iti
es.One
ofthedemosar rivedi nt hei nboxofaLucasAr ts
empl oy ee, whot hent ur nedt hev ideoi nt oaGI Fand
shar edi t( l
ar gelyv i
af or umsandemai l
, butal soont he
burgeoni ngweb) ,sendi ngi tint oawi despr eadv i
r al
sensat ion.
TheHampst erDancewasanot herpopul arear lyint ernet
meme.I twasawebsi tet hatf eat ur edr owsofani mat ed
GIFhamst er sdanci ngt oaspedupv er sionof“ Whi stle
Stop” —asongusedi nt hecr edi tsofWal tDi sney ’sRobi n
Hood.Thesi tewascr eat edbyaCanadi anar tstudenti na
compet i
tionwi thhersi sterandaf riendi n1998, tosee
whocoul dgener atet hemostwebt raf ficonl ine.
Afteronl ygener ating600v iewsi n8mont hs, herwebsi te
suddenl ywentv iral.Inj ustf ourday s, hersi t
esawov er
600, 000v iews, gai ningpopul ar ityt hr oughemai l,blogs,
andev enbumperst i
cker s.
HowHav eMemesEv ol v edSi nce
Then?
Witht hewi deuseofsoci al medi aandsi tesl i
keReddi t,
9GAG, and4Chan, ithasbecomei ncr easi ngl yeasyf or
memest ogai npopul ar ityandgov i
ral ov er night ,wi th
millionsofdai l
yv i
sitor sl ooki ngt ohav eal ol ortwo.
Befor et hei nternetcameal ong, memest endedt ohav e
political orcul t
ur al signi ficance, andt hei rpopul ar it
yl asted
muchl ongert hant heydot oday .Whi lesomememes
todaycanst i
llshowl ongev ity, mostgof rom v ir
al to
forgot teni nar el ativelyshor tt ime.Thi si spar t
lyduet o
howf astt hei nter netmov es( ther e’sal way ssomet hing
newt ogr aby ourat tent ion)andpar tlybecauseofhow
easyi ti st ocr eat ememes.
Memeshav eal somov edawayf r om pol i
tical orcul tural
topicst of ocusmor eonpop- cul tur er ef erencesand
sarcast icl ifeobser vat i
ons, maki ngt hem r elat able, funny ,
andeasi erf ort hem t ospr eadl ikewi ldfireacr osst heweb.
Onesi gni ficantcaseofev olut ioni namemewoul dhav e
tobeLOLCat sandt hewhol el anguagesur roundi ngt he
memei tsel f.LOLCat suseacr eat ivest yleofspel lingwi th
theirmemes, cal l
edl olspeak, per soni fyingcat sdepi ctedin
i
mages.Usi ngspel l
ingmi stakesandi mpr opert ensest o
makesent encesi nacommonst ruct ur e, wher e“ CanI
hav eacheesebur ger ?”woul dt ransl atet o“ i canhas
cheezber ger .”

I
nter
netInf
amous: How
MemesAf fectTeens
ByJuli
aThompsonI nt
ern,
FOSI
PcOGzn
I
fapictur
ei sworthathousandwor
ds,
howmanyar ei
nameme?
Memes.They ’r
ephot osofpeopl e, usual ly
takenorpost edwi thoutper mi ssi on, with
addedt extaboutt hephot oasacapt ion.
It’
seasyt omakeameme, andev eneasi er
toshar eorbei none.Buti tcomesata
per sonal cost .It’sr ar et of indsomeone
whowant stobet ur nedi nt oameme: It
coul dmeanbei ngi nt er netf amous, butf or
allthewr ongr easons.
It’
snotal way scl earwhywepost ,or
creat ememes.Somet imes, wemi ghtt hi
nk
thatt hememesar ef unny ,orwecan
relat et ot heper soni nt hephot o: af terall,
ever y onehasawkwar dmoment s.
Memesst artoutasphot os, whi chshow
theper soni nanunf latter ingl i
ght .Most
oft het ime, thephot oi st akenwi t
hout
per mi ssi onandhaspoorqual ity .The
phot oget sbl ockt ext ,ormacr os, added
on, tomakei tev enmor eembar rassi ng.
Memesar epopul art oshar eandr ebl og,
repostorr etweet ,especi al l
yamongt eens.
Thepr obl em?
Wedon’ tal way st hi nkaboutt heper son
behi ndt hephot o.Memescr opoutt he
stor ybehi ndt hem.
Taket he“ Rov ingTy pist ”meme, for
exampl e.C. D.Her mel in, theper soni nt he
meme, wasanaspi ringwr iter.Hewr ot e
poemsf orpeopl ei nt hepar k.Aphot oof
him usi nghi st y pewr it
eronapar kbench
gotpost edt oReddi t, ani nf amoussoci al
medi apl at f
or m, wi thouthi sper mi ssi on.
Thephot owascr opped, soi twasn’ tt el
li
ng
thewhol est or y.I tjustseemedasi fhewas
someoneusi nghi st y pewr iteri npubl icfor
nor eason.Whatf ol lowedwer eot her
user saddi ngmacr osandpost ingt he
phot oasameme, whi chsoonbecame
i
nt er netf amous-al ongwi thcr uel
comment sanddeat ht hreat s.Henowuses
hisv iral famet ot el lhi sst or yaboutbei ng
turnedi ntoameme.
Whatoneper sonf indsf unnycoul dbe
offensi vet oanot her
It’
si mpor tantt omaket eensawar eof
whatmemesr eal lymean.Af teral l, so
manyar ebei ngshar edt osoci al medi a.
Ther ecanbemanydi fferentv er sionsof
thesamememe, andev ensomet hat
Phot oshopt heper soni nbi zar resi tuat i
ons.
Still
, what ’sf unnyt ooneper soncoul dbe
offensi vet oanot her .
Forexampl e, themacr osonmemescan
encour ager aci al orgender
ster eot y pes.Li ket hei nfamous“ fakegeek
girlmeme” , whi chcl aimst hatgi rl
scan’ t
be“ real ”f ansofani me, manga, mov ies,
comi cbooksandv ideogamesj ustbecause
oft hei rgender .***( Asageekgi rl my sel f
,I
candef init elysayt hatt hisi sof fensi ve.
Unf ortunat el y,ther ear eev enwor se
versionsoft hi smemet hant heexampl ein
thel i
nk. ).Memesl iket heseencour age
stereot ypi ng, sexi sm andcr uel tyonl i
ne.
Digital ci tizenshi pandmemes
Awhi leago, Benni Cl i
nkl e, thef ounderof
“ThatGi rlinPi nk”Foundat i
on, post ed
aboutbui ldinganonl inedi gital
reput at i
on, andgav et hreegr eatt ipson
howt oi nt er actwi thpeopl eonsoci al
medi a.Cl inkl eshar edherexper ienceson
becomi ngameme, knownas“ thatgi rlin
pink,”andhowsheusesherf amet omake
aposi tivei mpactonl i
ne.
Teensmi ghtnotal way st hi nkaboutt he
consequencesoft hei ract ions.I t’
spossi ble
toei thersnapaphot owi thoutsomeone’ s
permi ssi on, ordi gupanol dmi ddl eschool
phot oandposti tonl ine.Her ear esome
ti
pst opr ev entmemesbei ngmade:
Alway saskf orper mi ssi onbef oret aking
orshar ingaphot o-Howwoul dy ouf eel
i
fsomeonesnappedphot oswi thouty ou
knowi ng?
Puty our sel fint hei rshoes-Thi nkabout
i
ft hephot owasofy ou.Taket i
me
offli
net oconsi derhowy ouwoul df eel
i
fy ouwer et ur nedi nt oameme.
Drawf rom y ourownexper ience-
Ever yonehasbadday s.Woul dy ou
wanty our st ogov iral ?
Fort hemostpar t,bei ngt ur nedi ntoa
memei st hel astt hingpeopl ewantt o
hav eont hei nter net .
Stil
l,ther ecanbesomegoodi nmemes.
Forsomet her e’ sasi lverl iningt oi nternet
fame: “ SuccessKi d”becameasuccess
whenheusedhi si nt er netf amet ohel phis
dad, forexampl e.
Andnotal l memeshav et obenegat i
v e.
Memesaboutsomet hingot hert han
peopl e- fori nst ance, thepundogmeme, or
thechemi st rycatmeme-canbef unny
andcr eat ive.Memescanal sobet hings
thatany onecanr elat et o.
Butev er ymemehasmul ti
pl ev er sionsof
i
tsel fthatcanbemor ecr uel thanf unny .
Becauseoft his, i
t’scr uci al tot hinkoft he
messagebehi ndt hememe.
Whatt oknowbef or ey oupost
Thinkaboutt hef ol lowi ngbef or ey oupost
ameme:
Thinkaboutt hememeandwhati t
’s
try
ingtosay .
Whatdoest hetextoft hememesay ?Is
i
tapun, orajokeaboutt heper sonin
thephot o?
Isitcl
eart hatt
hemessagei ssupposed
tobef unny ,
orcoul ditber eadas
sarcasti
corof fensive?Doesi t
encourageast ereot ype?Ifso,don’t
postit.
Howwoul dy oufeel i
fthatwasy ouin
thephot o?
Woul dyouwantpeopl etoposti ti
fthe
photowasofy ou?
Keepi nmi ndtheset ipsthenextt i
mey ou
seeameme, andt hinkbefor eyoupost.

Memesser vemanypur posesandf unct ions, but

ataf undament al lev el,t
heyser veasan
expr essi onofpeopl e’sopi nionsandemot i
ons.
Memescanbef or medbyappr opr i
ati
ngscenesor
l
inesf rom TVshowsandmov i
es, whichar et hen
takenoutofcont ext, r
emi xedwi thothercont ent
andhav enewmeani ngsat tributedtot hem i na
funnyandr el
at abl emanner .Memecont entcan
rangef r om compl ainingaboutt hehar dshi psof
beingacol legest udent ,toexpr essing
embar rassmentf eltdur inganencount eri na
person’ sdai l
yl i
fe–somet hingt hatev ery onei s
ablet osy mpat hisewi th.
Yes, whaty oupostonsoci al medi acanhur t,and
help, thecol l
egeadmi ssionspr ocess
Memesar esi mpl e, succi nctandexpl iciti nt heir
messages, andt hiscul t
ur al paradigm i sa
refl
ect i
onoft hement ali
tyofmoder nsoci et y–
onet hatv aluesent ertainment ,champi ons
mat er ialism, andr einforcest heneedf eltby
peopl et or emai nr elev ant.Thei raccessi bility
andabi li
tyt or eachahugeaudi encewi thin
minut es( andwi thi nday s, becomepar toft he
i
nter netl exicon)meanst hatmemescanal sobe
usedaspr opagandat ool st hatcaneasi l
yi nst i
l,
andcement ,
bel iefst hatqui cklybecomepopul ar
amongcy ber naut s( ahabi tual useroft he
i
nter net ) .
Nev er thel ess, ther i
seofmemesi nourev er yday
onlinev ocabul ar yhashadpeopl easki nghow
theyaf fectone’ sabi l
it
yt ocommuni cat e.Onone
hand, memes( madeupofv er yconcisemessages
i
nashor ttextori magef or mat )ar ewi del y
under stoodbyal otofpeopl eacr osst hewor ld
regar dlessoft hei rnat ivel anguage, andt hey
helpt of ost erst rongr elationshi pswi thint he
cybercommuni t
y .
Memesdon’ tjustcr ossl anguagesei ther–t heir
relatabl enessal sof or gesaf eeli
ngofbel ongi ng
amongcer taini nt er netuser si npar ticul arage
groups.Whet hert hey ’
reusedt ov entt hei r
feelingsov ercer tainsoci o- pol i
ti
cal issues, ort o
reinf orcet hei robsessi onswi thpr omi nent
celebr ities, memesar eaneasyandf unnyway
fort eenager st ocommuni cat i
onwi tht hei r
fri
ends.I ndeed, thev erypr ocessofpr opagat ing
memes, shar ingt hem ont hei rsoci al medi a
platf orms, andt aggi ngt hei rf ri
endsunder
speci f
icmemepageshasenhanced
communi cat ionacr osst hewor l
d, andhas
cont r i
but edt ot hesuccessofgl obal isat ion.
Checkoutt hi sbr ickwal l il
lusi ont hatmakest he
#Dr essgat edebat eseem si lly
Ont heot herhand, ther ear epeopl ei ncer tain
circleswhobel i
ev et hatmemes, hav ingbecome
manyat een’ sv er nacul arlanguage, hav ehadt he
opposi teef f ect .Memesar e, theywoul dar gue,
hinder ingcommuni cat ioni nmor eway st han
strippingev er ythi ngdownt oone- li
ner sand
pictur es.Theycanbeusedt oaggr av at ehost i
le
andpr ej udi ci al att i
t udesagai nstcer tai nr aces,
agai nstapar ticul argender ,ar el
igion, ora
sexual i
ty ,thuswi deni ngt heschi sm bet ween
peopl er at hert hanbr idgingt hem.
Ameme’ sabi li
tyt obeshar edwi thmi ll
ions
onl i
nei nst ant lycanonl yf urtherpr omot ea
cer tainwayoft hi nki ngwi thinourcul tur e.And
whi lemanypeopl emayt hinkt heyhav e
anony mi tywhi leont hei nt ernet ,it’
sbeenmade
abundant l
ycl earmanyt i
mesov ert hat
i
nappr opr iat eact iononl i
necani mpacta
per son’ sl ifei nv er yr eal way s–l ikewhenUS-
baseduni v er sityHar v ard, inJune, rev okedt he
admi ssionsof fersofatl east10st udent sf or
shar ingsexual lyexpl icit,raci st,andof fensi v e
memesi napr i
v at eFacebookgr oupchat .Meme-
browsi ngcanencour age, itcanbear gued,
unheal thyv al uesy st emsamongpeopl e( teensi n
par ticular ,andpeopl ewhor emai ni gnor antof
thepoweroft hei nt er net )andhel pbr eeda
futur ef ull ofdi scr i
mi nat or ysupr emaci st sand
racial bigot s.
GrumpyCat-whatot heri ncent i
vedi dy ouneedt o
cli
ckt his?
Memesar ev er ysi mpl etomake–t her ear eapps
speci f
ical lyf ort hispur pose.Asar esul t,memes
hav ebecomeaneasywayf orpeopl et oqui ckly
andef fect ivel ydi ssemi nat ef alsei nf or mat ion
onl i
ne, andhel pingt or einf or cef akenews.
Dur ingHi l
lar yCl int on’ spr esi dent ial el ect ion
campai gnl asty ear , manymemeswer ecr eated
i
mpl y i
ngCl int onwasweak, orsickandt ired.
Pict uresofherusi ngl umbarsuppor tpi llowsi n
seat edi nt er v iews, fallingdownst airs, hav i
ngt o
l
eanorhol dont opeopl e, orpul l
ingwei rdf acial
expr essi onswer eci rculated, leadi ngt o
specul at iononherheal thandi fshe’ dbeupt o
l
eadi ngacount r
yatal l.Thi swasdespi t
eno
professi onal medi cal diagnosi s,butt hev er acity
ofherheal thwasl osti nt hepl et hor aofmemes
suggest ingshe“ doesn’ thav et hest ami na”and
was“ notst rongenought ocopewi tht hej ob”–
somet hingf urthercompoundedbyherpol itical
opponentDonal dTr ump.Memes, andt he
transmi ssionoff al sei nfor mat iont hrought hem,
playedapar tinherl osi ngt heel ection.
Whet heri t’
sgoodorbad, ther e’snodeny i
ngt hat
memeshav erev olutioni sedt hewaywe
communi cate.Butwhatsor tofi mpactwi ll that
hav e,aswemov ef urtheri ntot hedi gitalage, on
mor et radi t
ional medi umsofcommuni cat ion?
Wi l
l poet ryceaset oexi stint hef orm ofwor ds?
Whatdoesi tsayf orourf uturel i
teratur e
student sandEngl i
shpr ofessor si facademi c
piecesar etober eplacedbymemes?And
perhapsmosti mpor tant lyofal l,howwi llmemes
affecti nterpersonal relat i
onshi psamongt he
teenager sofnow?
Ormay be–j ustmay be–memesar enot hing
mor et hanapr oductofcr eat i
v ity.Per hapsatt he
endoft hedayt hey ’r
enot hingmor ethanaf un
exampl eofpeopl eusi nghumourasawayof
copi ngwi thallthet r
agedi esandmi ser ythatl ife
canof fer.