Pulling out of Memes and Consuming Information


Normalize thinking for yourself and don't let memes or other people tell you what to think and start doing whatever the fudge you think is right
I'd like to start with this quote by a random Instagram user because it struck me. 

We live in an internet-driven world and memes have become part of our culture. We share them quite often and they are disrupting the Internet as we know it.

Memes Salty GIF from Memes GIFs
Also, information or data is or going to play a huge role in our life. At times like this, it is important to know what information you are consuming.

We are often bombarded with tons of data and information on a daily basis and I think it is really becoming hard for our brains to capture and process it. Also, it is not just information that is passed down but misinformation that is poured down. In such a situation it is important that we keep a check of what we need to consume and what we should avoid.

I think it is a skill. A skill that everyone needs to acquire. But is it an easy one? Of course no!

At least once in our life, we had shared fake news. I mean it is quite normal nowadays. Even journalists and political leaders are prone to fake information. The truth is, it has, even more, reach than the real news. We should be really aware of what we are sharing right? Otherwise, it can have serious repercussions.
Donald Trump Fake News GIF from Donaldtrump GIFs

I could come into a conclusion that memes are a great source of information and misinformation, especially around youngsters. Because mostly they are the ones making it and sharing it. But what's so special about memes.

Let's start with its definition.
meme
/miːm/
noun
plural noun: memes
  1. 1.
    an element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means.
  2. 2.
    an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.
Definitions from Oxford Languages








Memes have a higher reach than any other content on the internet. Why? Because they are funny, easily digestible, and sometimes convey ideas that are otherwise bland. Memes are easily relatable and thereby people share it.

Memes are mostly just plain images, which are kind of repetitive in nature and doesn't need any design thinking to make one. 

View this post on Instagram

The whole story #meme#distractedboyfriend

A post shared by Brandon (@spider4life_1994) on

In fact, they are much easy to make than any other content like video or audio and far more shareable than them.
View this post on Instagram

who is the bad guy again?

A post shared by Satan (@s8n) on


What is unique to memes in general as objects is their iterative nature, which is linked to their temporality and construction. Focusing on photo-based memes such as the Distracted Boyfriend format, we can see how the imitation and editing of variants rely heavily on the format’s features; the obvious editing of the image (black text on white labels on a stock photo) becomes a proof of work that invites future adaptation - A TED Talk: Internet Memes as Prosumption Objects and Prospective Photographs

That is one reason why even politicians use it on their campaigns or brands use it to advertise.

As you might know, the popular OTT platform NETFLIX on social media is basically a meme page.

Or you might have heard about the campaigns during the US presidential election time on social media.

The 2016 US election has been dubbed as "the meme election", with some people saying they "memed [Trump] into the presidency"

So, memes have become a crucial part of our society. But are they worthy enough for our time and attention? Personally, I like memes that are purely jokes, relatable and doesn't need a lot of thinking. Ironically I also like memes that can give your brains a stretch. There are websites like KNOWYOURMEME.COM that dissect the meaning of memes. 

But, some memes are misleading and hold propaganda. Some memes are not taken lightly, some hurt people and some, just plainly not good enough.

I have seen mushrooming of meme pages in the last few years and it is still growing. There is also the "lockdown effect". People are mostly on the internet and stuck there.

Meme pages also see quick growth. Some meme pages are about a specific niche. There are meme pages that are gender-specific or geographically inclined. Some meme pages make money by promoting other people once they gain some 10K followers. So making meme pages are not really a waste of time. 

Even so, there are many meme pages that work for social causes and they are actually making a change in society, I think a lot more than the traditional. 

So, we know that they can be influential. But what if it gives a bad influence. Millennials are the large consumers of memes. Being one, I have stumbled upon many meme pages that can really be cringy and manipulate people to thinking stuff.

It is like in the movie Inception. Memes can implant an idea in your head. And sometimes it grows within us. I have seen many meme pages that are stupid and also these pages who puts random quotes by random people, that make people thinking about stuff they are just unable to apprehend.

I know people who takes advice from a random Instagram page and try to implement it in their own life. I also want to mention those "BILLIONAIRE INSPIRATION" pages who just posts stuff, claiming that these are said by some famous actors or billionaires. Quotes by Keanu Reeves or Jim Carrey are some of the good examples.


So, why are they dangerous to society?

Have you thought about the admins of the meme pages? Who they are or what they might be doing. I think no. Most of them are anonymous and they are gonna stay that way. 

The funny thing is that there are 30-year-old people who takes advice from a 16 year old, who is sitting at some corner of the world.
Thumbs Up Computer GIF from Thumbsup GIFs

To conclude, what I want to say is that be really careful about the information you consume Think before you act, learn about the source and authenticity of the information you get and make it a habit. The Internet can be quite intimidating. Be alert of fake information. Focus on yourself. Be sceptical about memes (and of course that quote pages). Those admins don't know who you are, what you are going through. And make sure you are the one who is in control of your life.

Also, try to use your brain while you are at it, and take your heart along. I think its the only way that we have an upper hand in a future that might be ruled by machines. (crossed fingers)


References: 


- Journalism.co.uk

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