Memeing

As stated in the readings, memes are aspects of culture/pieces on information/ideas etc. passed from one person to the next. Without the writing, most memes would just be photos of random things that don’t have any real meaning and don’t really pass information on to the next person. The writing in memes is generally very compact but is explicit in their messages. This is why, as mentioned by Duong, memes can easily become propaganda, as they are accessible to wide audiences and the true meaning sneaks up on you. As mentioned by Huntington, “subversive communication responds to dominant communication structures in unexpected ways,” meaning our current culture responds to the dominant structures fixed in place by using memes to subvert reigning ideologies. Without the writing aspect of memes, this would be lost, as they appropriate and transform cultural texts according to Huntington. 

Visual rhetoric is also a key factor in meme making, considering memes are visual texts that construct meaning through both their words and visuals. As said in the article by Duong, if one merely sees the meme, the work is done. This is because the visual nature of memes makes it to where viewers are impacted upon first sight. Huntington talks about how rhetoric relies on devices like metaphors, and he discusses the way in which iconic images can become a type of metaphor themselves, meaning the images themselves, once they’ve become instantly recognizable, become metaphors, and consequently rhetorical by themselves. This means both the text and visuals of memes function as rhetorical devices, which helps explain why they are so popular in spreading beliefs and information, as well as uniting certain groups of people.

In my opinion, memes unite people, bring solidarity and comfort, sometimes spread information (or misinformation), and in general, they just reflect both the dominant culture and subculture, as there are memes for every possible type of person out there. They are definitely far more complicated than just a photo with text overlaying it. Without a doubt, they reflect culture and are often used as propaganda. 

What meme subculture are you in? Favorite types of memes?

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Power of Memes

Memes can become so specific that they become their own kind of language. As the atheist article shows, they can be used to spread ideas or belief systems. (I think some of those memes are actually making fun of atheists, rather than spreading propaganda, but I see their point.) You can sometimes tell if something will be a meme based on how relatable it is to the average person, especially if it’s usually unsaid. Personally, I think the visual aspect plays a larger role than the text. From meme templates, the image can be used repeatedly while the text is interchangeable. One of my favorite things about memes is when a template becomes very popular, the next viral meme changes the template, and then this becomes it’s own type of meme. It’s such a surprise how detailed and niche memes can become. I’ve seen memes where you needed to have seen 4 or 5 other prior memes to get all the references inside. Memes are also one of the only forms of media that are so easy to be excluded from. When a meme needs specific prior knowledge to understand it, it’s easy to “miss” the meaning of a meme. Often in the comments of popular new memes there are people asking to explain it. Lack of access is such a specific concept found in memes.

Dank Memes and Cold Plums

I think the writing of a meme is important and understated. Of course, it has to be understandable, but it also needs to be short enough that people will read it instead of thinking “I didn’t log on social media to read a book.” It also kind of provides the punchline to the joke; without it, we (as meme consumers) don’t really know what we’re supposed to think.

The visual, on the other hand, kind of demonstrates how we’re supposed to react. It goes hand-in-hand with the text to make the joke. The picture also makes the meme immediately recognizable if you’re scrolling through social media quickly. So, if you saw a particular kind of meme and thought it was funny, you’d likely stop the next time you saw that kind of meme. Overall, it’s important that they make sense together to make it clear what the point is and what the intended reaction is. Just like any type of rhetoric, the audience also has to be considered. Some memes apply to a wide audience, while some are very specific to certain fandoms, political beliefs, etc. I think the power of memes is underrated because it really does shape opinions during a quick scroll on social media.

Do you think memes that appeal to a wide audience or a specific audience are more successful?

Are ya winnin’ son?

The way that young people consume media and news has changed drastically as a result of the internet. Memes have an incredible influence. Not only do they convey information but they also shape the humor and opinions of those who consume the memes. I end up first learning about global events through memes, checking real news sites later. Depending on what is made into a meme, they can show the political stances or important societal issues of the time. For the writing to be the most effective in a meme, it should be minimal yet fit the underlying format. Less text allows a meme to be read and understood quickly, maintaining that humorous element.

Some memes are made up of just words with no image. However, visual elements play an important role in the majority of popular meme formats.As with textual elements, they have to fit the format and relate to the text. Both visual and textual aspects are important to analyze in regards to meme creation. The format often has a specific tone and, combined with images or text, the meme should convey information in a humorous manner.

TikTok is redesigning memes. Now, memes can be just as much about the audio as they are the visual and textual elements. How do you think this will impact the study of memes in the future?

I meme it.

Writing factor means a lot in memes. To properly understand a meme, it has to make sense intellectually. Sometimes I will see memes that make no sense whatsoever… leaving me confused by trying to decipher what it is talking about. Memes are a great way of telling a story, but including pictures. They are similar to comics in this way, but they have to remain short. If a meme is too text-heavy, it takes away from the appreciation of the meme – completely failing at its purpose.

Similar to this, visual rhetoric is SUPER important in meme-making. (Is that a term?) It is important to keep the text minimal, but also be able to convey your story or narrative, but also have a picture that goes along with the narrative. You can’t have a meme picture be conveying politics, but then have the text talk about like… cats or something. I mean, you could, but it has to flow. Choosing the correct visual for the narrative in your head is a big part of creating memes. You also have to worry about squishing the text too much. If the text in your meme is too small for anyone to read, it is not going to perform well. A lot of effort goes into making memes, and I don’t think a lot of people really get that until they try to make their own.

Question: Have you ever tried to make a meme and it flopped?

Cram on my Jams. Memes

The writing factor in a meme is very important because it works it helps create the story over the image(s) provided. If the text is too long, sloppy, or fails at providing context of the joke, then the meme will quickly flop. Without the text, a meme can appear stale as it only provides a reaction with no reason behind it.  

The visual rhetoric factor is important as well as it helps set the theme of the meme. If you take a meme such as surprised Pikachu, the theme of the meme will display fear, confusion, or shock. Along with the theme, the image can be used to follow a running joke. A meme such as Spiderman pointing at Spiderman is very popular for its simplicity and ability for most people to recognize the joke. This is because it is universal and can relate to almost all topics of conversation.    

If I had to choose between which is more valuable, I would I probably say the written aspect is more valuable. When I think of a meme, I think of a joke with a visual added to it. We have applications such as Facebook and twitter that require no images to share a thought, idea, and jokes. A clever tweet will get more likes and retweets compared to a blank visual meme without text.    

How can a meme fail to obtain a reaction from its audience?

Making a Meme

This week’s readings were unconventional, to say the least, but they did bring up some interesting points about how news and media are portrayed/consumed in modern society especially by younger generations. When I think about it, a lot of my knowledge of world events and important news comes from memes written about it, and, to some degree, they do inform my opinion about these events. The writing factor is important because it has to be minimal but also effective in communicating in a humorous way that fits the underlying meme format. Though, at the same time, the visual elements are important because they have to fit the meme format and be understandable in relation to the text in the context of the meme. Of course, most memes have a predetermined format, but there is room to change certain aspects of the visuals though it is important to keep preserve the meaning of the meme even if one decides to get creative. In the end though, it is important to analyze both the visual and textual aspects when making a meme because you need to know what the meme format itself is meant to convey while also catering the text used in order to achieve some sort of humor from the combination.

What is your favorite meme and what about it makes it effective?

Meme

Writing factors into an effective meme, because it is with the writing where we find the entertainment contained within the meme. The meme is usually a picture of a well known cultural person or thing. What makes it a meme is in the effectiveness of the writing which is usually written in large print over the picture. The visual aspect factors into the effectiveness of the meme in the fact that the image must be of a well known object. As long as a wide range of people are familiar with the object displayed in the meme, the success of the meme is dependance upon familiarity. So, when one combines a funny and usually timely quote over a familiar image, then it has the potential of being a popular meme. So, a meme of Mickey Mouse as the image with a quote about wearing masks because of the pandemic, that should be an effective meme, because of the marriage between a very familiar image (Mickey Mouse) and a very well talked about subject (Covid-19), have all the makings of an effective meme usually. Sometimes even this does not guarantee that the meme will spread like wildfire, but it does provide the best chance that it will. What is your favorite meme of all time?

Meme mania

The writing factor of a meme is very important because though memes, at first glance, appear to be a very visual media, the text is incredibly important to give context for that exactly is supposed to be funny. The text has to be clear and concise so that it does now overpower the visual aspect and simple enough that practically anyone could understand what is being written. Of course, niche memes function differently, and slang, references, and other specifics can go over the heads of those who are not in on the joke, but for those that do understand, the specific writing can enhance the meme experience.

The visual aspect is very important and in some instances, it can function entirely on its own, independent of the traditional meme format. With memes such as “It’s free real estate.”,and “Then perish” a simple photo, bar any text on it, can communicate the meeting to a wide audience, since it is such as wide cultural phenomenon. The visual aspect is also vital because it directs the eye of the reader on how exactly they are supposed to read the meme. Without the visual aspect, the writing is simply just text and the “joke” is lost.

The visual and written parts of the meme are both very important- they work together in tandem to create a joke. 

Question: What is your favorite meme trend? Past or present.

Meme’s the Word

I would say that writing factors into about forty percent of a meme. It’s important, it gives context and makes the meme specific. The text can’t be too complicated or too simple unless the person viewing it has already been involved in the community for a long period of time. It can play on the visuals or juxtapose the image so well that it becomes funny. However, the reason I say the text factors in to only forty percent of the meme is because without the image, there is no meme. Especially in modern memes, like the ones seen below, the images have become so common that the format has become something to be expected and depended on. Of course, there are sound bytes now with TikTok and Vine (rip) that have become memes, but the visual format has for the most part stayed the same. I never can tell what’s going to become a meme and what’s going to die out, I guess it really all depends on the trends of the time.

Question: Is there a meme that you’ve been surprised has become popular? Personally I was surprised that deep fried memes became as popular as they did.