Could Memes Be The Only Thing Between Bernie Sanders and The White House?
A 74-year-old, 5-foot-8 inch, socialist Jew hobbles up to the podium with bad posture and an ill-fitting suit. Flailing his arms and speaking in a thick Brooklyn accent, he passionately expounds his schtick centered around taking down the 1% billionaire class that’s destroying American democracy. This Vermont Senator with such an avant-garde approach is asking to be your next president — a feat that will only be achieved through an great avant-garde movement like no other, an avant-garde movement with an equally avant-garde approach, spearheaded by the youth of America. The youth who are armed with the Internet. The youth who are armed Facebook. The youth who are armed with Instagram, with Snapchat, with Photoshop, with HTML. The avant garde youth who will make great content for free, tirelessly, in darkness, alone and for nothing more than a laugh and the satisfaction in watching a ‘like’ count increase. Yes, memes, I’m talking about memes. I’m talking about memes and how they will win Bernie Sanders the presidency of the United States of America.
Let’s rewind to a time of HOPE. It was 2008 and a skinny, tall Senator from Illinois was asking for our vote. Together, we would be led out of the Bush era of war and inequality into a new era of justice, hope, and democracy. This was a time when Shepard Fairey’s street style, pastiche constructivist imagery, dominated the campaign imagery and Lil Wayne had three radio hits and was seen as edgy for skateboarding. I very much wanted Obama to win, it was an exciting feeling, the first black president, I mean wow. I was 20 when I voted for him, and it turns out, it was because of my peers and I that he won.
An estimated 22 to 24 million young people voted in the 2008 election, an increase in youth turnout by at least 2.2 million (9.56%) over 2004, according to CIRCLE. Voters between the age of 18–29 made up 18% of the total who voted. Of that, 66% voted democratic. Obama won the popular vote against John McCain by a 7.28% margin, meaning the 9.56% increase in voter turnout amongst young people was the perfect amount to push Obama into victory (at least with the popular vote).
Shepard Fairey’s iconic HOPE poster became the go-to image for Obama’s campaign. It was a street art stylized image from time when the form was considered egalitarian — quintessential anti-establishment and for the people. Fairey nonchalantly used, and lied about using, copyrighted material in the form of an AP photograph for his poster.
A legal misstep that cost him 300 hours of community service, 2 years probation, and a $25,000 fine. Sad, but somewhat comical to think about today… a time when democratic youth voters are no longer looking up to the false street artist prophets of the past. Today there is much less producer/consumer divide. We are not asking for permission to screengrab, we are just screengrabbing. The internet has birthed a new form of avant-garde art, with the ability to reach on a scale more massive than the street — operating more altruistically, divorced of authorship and ego. Although Shepard Fairey endorses Bernie Sanders and created a corny Russian Constructivist stylized t-shirt for him, he is no longer the sole creator of the imagery defining the tone and raising the awareness of this election’s youth-favored candidate. This task has been left to the hundreds of thousands of young meme producers that connect with 74-year-old Sanders’ message/modus operandi.
When I joined Facebook group, Bernie Sanders Dank Meme Stash in November 2015, the organization had about 5,000 members (which I regarded as a lot of members at the time). Today, the group has grown to 330,000 members. The founder of the group, Will Dowd, has physical presence.
At 21 years old, Dowd is lumbering 6’1”, white guy with a beard studying to be a lawyer. I spoke to at length with him on Skype about forming the group and his take on the current Bernie Sanders meme milieu. To my surprise, there really wasn’t much to it. The group was created and naturally grew astronomically — there was no special formula or insider rich kid connections. In fact, this trajectory mirrors that of all memes. They spawn and promulgate naturally within the feed, extending themselves darwinistically through their level of humor and ability to connect.
It is this inherent truth through which we will find the answer to the most important question that is mystifying Clinton, Cruz and Rubio campaign managers — why only Bernie memes? The answer is simple — those attracted to Sanders are younger/more creative and because of his authentic avant-garde presence, Sander’s has effectually become more meme-able. When Clinton tries to meme it the joke is on her — its the difference between laughing at or with.
Memes are the dankest form of media since the printing press. They have further dissemination, spread and influence. So even with her $188 million in campaign contributions, exceeding every other presidential candidate 2 fold, Clinton still can not beat the sheer force behind raw meme power.
Like his ideologies, Bernie Sanders’ method of campaigning is unprecedented. It’s unique that he takes no money from “Super PACS”. His campaign is funded entirely by individual donations averaging 27 dollars. His slogan, “Feel The Bern,” sounds like it has something to do with athlete’s foot, weed, or chlamydia. Yet, to me, there’s nothing more unique than Bernie’s meme appeal. Bernie Sanders, without intention or attempt, is creating an army of people getting his message out through the most potent, immediate and youthful communication device of the times. Bernie Sanders has his own meme making army, committed to his mission, working without pay, working without credit, doing it for the likes and they will not stop until he wins. DO NOT underestimate the power of the meme.
