Are Memes the Future of Social Change?
Memes have become a fundamental part of our generation today; not being up to date with current memes is like being out of date with current news. Memes are almost impossible to run away from, they’re shared on Instagram’s explore page, they pop up on twitter feeds, and there’s a high chance you will be tagged in a post on Facebook that includes a meme. To many, memes are just seen as a funny picture or video that goes viral momentarily until the next one appears, but not many consider how memes can ultimately change someone’s life overnight and how it can change in a way that will never be the same again.
While some memes are created based off of brands, cartoons, or icons that have already been established as a recognizable entity, the attention it draws is usually anticipated; However, the most curious times to watch how memes can cause a transformation is when a person goes viral who has never been seen before. Twenty years ago, it would take some sort of talent or a social influence for someone to become famous overnight, but with memes today almost anyone at the right time has the chance to become a meme; It is their actions after fame that depends on how much they achieve out of the attention based on capital.
In 2016, the catchphrase “Damn Daniel” went viral when two boys released a video montage featuring one guy praising his friend’s shoes. This video originally went viral around their high school, and then spread through the internet, causing Ellen to ask them onto her show. On the show, Ellen revealed that “Damn Daniel had been viewed over 45 million times worldwide; the two boys were then rewarded with a life supply of white vans from Ellen which they have been donating to multiple organizations. “Damn Daniel” is a unique example of a meme that was able to make capital accidentally, as their reward from becoming an internet fad was used for good rather than abused for more than it was worth.
Another example of a meme that has gained capital emerged in 2017, when a feisty teenage girl spoke her mind on the popular show Dr. Phil. This meme instantly blew up on the internet, and the “Cash me outside” star has been sought out on social media ever since. Now that it is one year later, it is estimated she made around a million since she was made into a meme, as she used her fame to sell products and was thoroughly endorsed by many brands.
This meme in particular sparked a lively debate about how memes were helping someone as reckless as the “cash me outside” girl make profit off of crude actions; Her latest move is the possibility of creating her own reality TV show to continue her moment in the spotlight.
While both of these memes have been examples of ways icons have made profit, and used their fame in different ways, the most compelling meme that has evoked change through its message in a unique way will always be “Harambe”. Harambe was a gorilla who was held in the Cincinnati Zoo, and made headlines in 2016 when a small child had fallen into his cage, leading to his death after being shot for the child’s safety. This meme became unique to its own, as his story sparked such a different response from the internet. Instead of becoming an obviously funny meme, Harambe was turned into a social media protest that younger generations were treating as if a famous star had been killed.
Although Harambe is not an example of a meme that was turned into profit, it sparked a social change; What began as a joke, turned into spreading awarness about keeping wild animals captive in zoos. This meme helped raise awarness for the issue at hand in a way that has never been seen before. Through retweets, facebook memes, and Instagram accounts posing for this icon, the Harambe meme actually brought people together to fight for something. Maybe memes have been overlooked when it comes to their influence, and maybe they are the future of bringing our generation together.
Sources:
http://ryersonian.ca/ryerson-pulls-its-wicks-out-for-harambe/
