Part 1: What’s Even Better Than Memes?
Every so often (and probably too often), I post a divisive meme on facebook. The meme is cute / clever and sometimes not quite true. I rarely fact them because the message they are trying to convey is to me so obviously true.
They feel to me more life Poetry or Scripture of a Novel than a literal retelling of facts and that is why I don’t fact them as often or well as I should.
These memes are often divisive. They are loved by people that already agree with me; hated by the people that don’t; and seemingly never encourage careful thought, productive discussion or anyone changing their mind.
I think my use of them violates the the Pro-Truth Pledge. Not only is it divisive, but it normalizes be careless with truth and is damaging our ability to understand truth in general.
So I should stop posting them.
What can I post instead that will be as viral, as sticky, as “good” but not being a social ill in themselves that I am normalizing by their use?
This is the first of series of short writings on improving or superseding the meme culture.
Part 1: What’s Even Better Than Memes
Part 2: Memes That Change Minds
Part 3: Meme Alternatives on Contraception / Sex Education / Abortion
