In this episode, we’re talking about memes. Pictures have become a short-cut for thinking. People can forward a meme faster than their good judgment can stop it. How do people make meaning with memes?
NOTES:
Def: Dictionary.com: an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations. “celebrity gossip and memes often originate on the site”
The word “meme” comes from the Greek mimema, meaning something that has been “imitated.” According to Britannica, the word was first introduced by Richard Dawkins, a British biologist, in his book The Selfish Gene; his intention was for “meme” to sound similar to “gene.”
RECAP/TAKEAWAYS
- Memes target emotions and are shared impulsively.
- Memes don’t substitute for arguments. Forwarding a meme does not equate to knowing the truth or understanding an argument.
- Meme’s fuel outrage, even over things that don’t deserve outrage.
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MUSIC:
Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing