After choosing to stay in my pajamas on a Saturday night with a glass of the previous night’s Cabernet Sauvignon, I opened up my phone to socialize with friends. Although I preferred the privacy of my home, I ironically still had the urge to interact and communicate with other humans via iPhone. To extend the irony of my evening, I spent several minutes communicating with a friend without using words, but rather sending “trending” images instead. The images that are commonly used to communicate is what the internet calls “memes” and the popularized method of communication has changed the culture of expression and social interaction. Once I realized how a friend and I could have a full discussion by using memes, I became obsessed with analyzing the roots and influence behind this communication phenomenon.
According to Google, meme is an “element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation,” followed by an example that is described to be a humorous image, video or piece of text that is duplicated and shared extensively throughout the internet. The origin of the word “meme” comes from the Greek mimema, meaning “that which is imitated” and the English word gene — the origin, the foundational and physical composition. However, meme’s linguistic roots do not fully do justice to the phenomenal communication strategy. In the grand scheme of communication, memes are syllogism — a combination of a major premise and a minor premise, in which the conclusion is gathered by deduction. More specifically, I think it is not accurate to state that these text images are called memes because of a Greek word, but because memes are enthymemes.
Enthymeme is a rhetorical syllogism, first theorized by Aristotle, that is effective in communicating and making underlining arguments.[1] First, enthymeme has an unstated premise. A specific (minor) premise and the conclusion are stated, but the major premise is simply implied by the combination of the formers. Second, the audience supplies a (major) premise that the enthymeme does not. This relies on the social culture of the audience, their assumption and understanding of the argument that is being made. Lastly, enthymemes can use visuals and images to connect the argument and the audience, who supply both a missing premise and the conclusion. These three key components of enthymeme are reflected on memes.
In one google search of the word, 170,000,000 results came up within 0.88 seconds. Memes follows a close path of logic and have become a popular way to humorously communicate and express public reactions to current social, political, economic and cultural circumstances.
Memes consist strongly of subjective facts — limited to subject’s experience and knowledge — and they replace ideas, words, image, and culture to depict accumulated message. Sam Leith explains that enthymemes and syllogisms are the “ways of articulating the relationships between ideas” and logos was the “province of enthymeme.” Knowledge is the base of subjective fact, making knowledge what proves the experience. The three basic components to knowledge are the objective fact, idea of the object, and the word applied to the idea.[2] The objective fact is the cold hard truth about something that exists. An apple is an object that physically exists and it does not depend on perspective, it is something that exists. Since the apple exists, people have an idea of of “apple” which leads to connecting the idea and the object by formulating a word that represents the object and communicates the idea of it. However, just declaring the word “apple” is close to meaningless because the audience is waiting for substance, a message or an argument regarding the idea of the object, apple. The three of the basic components of knowledge builds the subjective fact. From the subjective facts, complex ideas are developed through communication of statements, and memes are widely popular in communication because it connects complex ideas to individual’s subjective facts. It is important to look at the development of fact, to idea, to words because through that process, language is formulated. Through the exchange of ideas and continuous dialogue, a culture is created. Analyzing the development of culture through linguistics gives insight into the political rhetoric power of memes and the culture the use of memes develops.[3]
A large aspect of why memes have become a popular communication tool is its ability to connect complex ideas to expressed reality — the message so relatable that a meme can be exchanged and two parties can have a conversation. The relatable content of memes is driven from the exposure of reality that is unapologetic and removes the guilt that surrounds the meaning behind the memes.[4]
The interesting, and possibly the most valuable aspect of memes, is that the audience also becomes the producer of the memes.[5] When a meme suits a situation, projects a message that lines with a dialogue, people reuse memes at any time in a conversation. Even if the meme is not a perfect match in a conversation, people are able to read it within the context of the situation that is laid out or the topic of the conversation. The recycling system and the redistribution of memes create individual player modification to include their personal approach. Although memes are produced to allow personalization flexibility, a personal twist is constantly added as memes are passed from one cell phone to next. Moreover, creating memes are simple and tools are accessible. The only rules are to make them funny, concise, and relevant.
Although much of the political rhetoric is focused on the use and the language of memes that links the word memes more closely to enthymemes than its Greek roots, memes also produce movement and sounds that help communicate a more accurate message. In a sense, memes are the well-rounded, five sense inclusive method of communication. In its efficient, flexible format, memes provide sound and expression that just normal sentences cannot. It may not be as ideal as face to face conversations, but it becomes as close to accurately expressive method of communication as such. In some cases, it’s arguable that extremely introverted people can be understood better and their expressions are more visible through the use of memes.
There are no physical sound or movements in memes — unless it is a “gif,” but that is its own entire topic. However, the missing aspect of sound and movement is implied by the meme itself and applied by the audience. Often, the images that are used are originally from entirely different context of the meme. Yet, their narration is twisted to fit the message and the tone of the meme through its language and context in which the meme is presented. When the final product is viewed in its complete form, the expressions that are made by the subjects in the meme, their appearance and even how their mouths are shaped all attribute to the attitude, tone, sound, speed and even accent of the meme. In the audience’s perception, the words are read with the implied characteristics of the subjects in the meme. Manipulating an original event with another narrative in a different context is an especially effective and ancient technique the Romans used when creating reliefs on arches and victory paintings as propaganda. The Romans began to incorporate sound and movement implications to their artworks that represented triumphs and military dictatorship.[6] The addition of elements that allowed the audience to add their version of appropriate sounds and movement allows the audience to experience the narration of the visual work more personally and in first person. This was effective in their ruling through political rhetoric because a narrative people could experience leaves a lasting impression that gives some ownership to the viewers that helps them identify with the message.
Maybe this is why memes are so personable and people respond to memes with “same.”
In the current age of technological communication, the development of memes are an entirely new and unexpected social invention. It strictly follows rhetoric rules and attempts to be logical, while defying certain aspects of effective communication in order to be even more effective through personalization. Despite my fascination and popular use of memes, I have yet to figure out whether this is a sensationalized trend that will phase out, or if the ideas behind memes and messages they express will continue to evolve and shape our social interactions that so heavily relies on trends and pop culture.
References:
[1] Leith, Sam. Words like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama. New York: Basic, 2012. Print.
[2] McInerny, Dennis Q. Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking. New York: Random House, 2004. Print.
[3] Katz, Elihu. Echoes of Gabriel Tarde: What We Know Better or Different 100 Years Later. Middletown, DE: USC Annenberg, 2014. Print.
[4] Duncombe, Stephen. Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy. New York: New, 2007. 59. Print.
[5] Duncombe, Stephen. Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy. New York: New, 2007. 73. Print.
[6] Brilliant, Richard “Let the Trumpets Roar! The Roman Triumph.” In The Art of Ancient Spectacle, edited by Bettina Bergmann and Christine Kondoleon, 220–228. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012
