In this age of the internet and social media, we are not unaware of the massive creation and consumption of memes being produced daily. Meme culture has grown rapidly across all social media platforms, especially in the last few years and itās almost as if we cannot imagine life – let alone social media – without memes anymore. Whether they are actual content creators making money out of meme pages or just anyone with a social media account and a sense of humor ā everything (and everyone) is being turned into a meme these days.Ā While memes and jokes on the internet are not necessarily harmful, they are not entirely harmless either.
There was a significant rise in the use of memes on social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Psychological Association explained this rise through a study which showed that memes can āhelp reduce stress and boost peopleās confidence in their ability to cope with the pandemic.ā Memes are especially consumed in great numbers by millennials and Gen-Zers. A research paper titled ‘The Absurdity and Irony of Generation Z Meme Culture’ notes that memes produced by and for Gen Z are more ironic than those produced earlier. The content is not direct but often includes ironic statements and self-deprecating humor. This humor can become distasteful, especially when addressing serious matters. The use of dark humor in these contexts can lead to a certain desensitization and a sense of disregard for the severity of such situations. In this context, it is also important to ask ourselves whether memes are a method for us to cope during dark times or are they simply a way for us to turn a blind eye to matters that call for serious attention especially when they are also a medium for people to keep up with current events. Memes are highly influential and many people tend to form their opinions based on them. In that sense, one canāt ignore the fact that whether we like it or not,Ā memes canāt just be funny and as long as they are on the internet for anyone and everyone to consume ā they do have a certain responsibility to uphold.
It is also interesting to note howĀ weāre living in an age where literally anything and everything can become a meme.Ā Whether it be a celebrity wedding, a movie release, a viral home video, a political event, a festival, or sadly, even someoneās death ā the internet can turn anything into a meme. One such recent example can be the demise of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year. While many mourned the loss of the former monarch, many were quick to turn to the internet to create memes about it. These memes were not particularly attacking the person, but rather the institution that she represented. However, it is not unnatural to bring in questions of ethics in this context.Ā Where do we draw the line?
Memes also tend to go above and beyond to deprive people of their privacy. With access to the internet, anyone can make memes out of anyone and can go viral overnight. Letās not forget the countless videos of many online faux pas on video conference apps that found their way to the public during the lockdown. One such example is that of a girl in an online class who unwittingly shared details of her life with everyone in the class while she was talking to a friend on a private call and while she was repeatedly being told to turn off her mic, she did not seem to listen. Soon after, a video of this incident was floating on the internet, turning gossip into news. Even peopleās private chats arenāt spared ā screenshots of them find their way online and are used as ātemplatesā for creating diverse memes.
Thus,Ā in an attempt to make jokes on the internet, sometimes we tend to go too far.Ā So it becomes important to question the significance and impact of memes created to generate a couple of likes. Does everything have to be a meme?