Enduring Apathy on the Internet — The Comedy of Meaninglessness

Internet humor is weird. That comes to no surprise to anyone.

On the internet, we make others give thousands of stern looks to their cats. We work together en masse to give boats silly names.

If you can dream it, the internet has done it — and done it better than you ever could. There’s a microcosm of the entire world online, and so much of that world’s culture centers around humor.

Beyond memes, there’s an entire nuance to internet culture that’s difficult to explain and even harder to encapsulate. Influencers earn their living by traversing the complicated and growing internet culture to great success — and often intrinsically. In some instances, corporations seeking to market online make mistakes that withstand the test of time.

This humor is defined by itself — jokes shared online are brimming with irony and meta humor. In many cases, prior knowledge of one or several different pieces of media are needed to understand the context of what exactly you’re looking at. But there’s one trait that’s shared much of the humor on the internet.

It’s incredibly nihilistic.

The moral is death. The punchline is crippling depression. It’s funny because nothing matters and nothing is sacred. And it stems even beyond nontraditional media.

The adult swim program Rick and Morty has become the ire of some and the delight of many online. The reason why is complicated and warrants its own discussion — but it’s undoubtably related to the show’s enduring moral: nothing matters. Case in point? Here’s one the most seminal quotes in the show, during a very poignant scene during the show’s first season:

“Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody’s gonna die. Come watch TV.”

So why is this funny?

Death is one of the most wretched and feared concepts in culture. The question of our creation has literally resulted in the premature deaths of untold numbers. It’s difficult to be hyperbolic about the situation, even when you try to be.

But now? It’s hilarious. And I think the reasoning behind our ability to laugh at oblivion has less to do with moral decay and more to do with our apathy.

At the risk of referencing the dreaded m-word, young people today are increasingly areligious.

Church attendance is down. Traditional family values are being questioned. The U.S. finally got on board with marriage equality.

None of this is inherently bad. Social progress for the marginalized and for minority groups in America is a wonderful thing. But the side effect of our apostasy and greater understanding seems to be apathy.

Many young Americans are the children of evangelicals. We’re frustrated social liberals who never turn out to the polls. The current sociopolitical climate is a breeding ground for frustration and anger towards ideals we — culturally — used to hold.

Beyond politics, youthful angst finds itself fair-weather friends with the issues of our time: Mass commercialization. Digital isolationism. The gig economy.

It’s a quick step from frustration to humor. And it’s no wonder our humor so easily turns to apathy. Frustration about our uncertain future becomes a joke about anxiety. Technological isolationism becomes a parody about crying into the void. And of course, tragedy is really, really funny.

I wouldn’t want to argue that this type of humor is bad — far from it. As the old adage goes, comedy is tragedy plus time. And on the internet, time moves faster than ever.

The problem occurs when all of this apathy results in a lack of empathy. When we become so desensitized to the world, we no longer connect with it. And that leads to some startling and disheartening results.

Suicide rates are up. American satisfaction rates bottomed out back in 2008. And I don’t think I need to go into the political turmoil and disillusionment most of us are feeling.

It would be next to impossible to draw hard lines and solid conclusions between generational humor and hard statistical data. But I do think it’s worth considering that this humor is not only representative of a bigger issue, but could possibly be catalyzing it as well.

So the kids aren’t alright.

The kids are frustrated, isolated, and still trying to figure themselves out. Which is why it may not be the end of the world to joke about such feelings…in moderation.

Frustration, angst, isolation…these aren’t new scenarios for young people. But what remains new are the troves of places online to cry about these issues and truly be heard. Sentiments and critiques spread like a virus across the digital landscape. It has never been easier to admit that you may be feeling disparaged in your life — and it’s just as easy to reply back with a simple affirmation of the same feeling. Entire corners of the internet are glorified echo chambers for such sentiments.

So it’s not the end of the world to joke about the end of the world. What else can you do when you realize things aren’t as beautiful as they were when you were younger? The options seem to be limited to despair and acceptance. But acceptance might not mean marinating in such a worldview.

So here’s to those who enjoy their nihilism and their dark memes:

Sure. God is dead. American politics are fundamentally broken. All preceding words are pointless shouts into a temporary space that will some day fade into oblivion. Legacy is an illusion. You can either be disheartened by this…or join the rest of us in defiant acceptance.

In a way…that’s kind of awesome.

Instead of courting your frustration and your disillusionment, maybe try using it to drive yourself. Take that energy and make something of it. Exorcise it. Find something within nothing and, while you’re at it?

Do the rest of us a favor and vote, please?

Follow Thoughts and Ideas on Facebook: facebook.com/thoughtsandideas1