I think neatly curated propaganda work isn’t quite the same as an internet meme. The Richard Dawkins, Metal Gear Rising definition, perhaps. Internet memes, especially modern ones, have a crude banality if not outright absurdity to them. It’s like saying a funny home video uploaded to YouTube is essentially the same as a theatrical comedy movie release.
I don’t fully agree with that. The extreme right have definitely weaponized memes to be form of modern propaganda on a whole other level. We mock this for being a “hello fellow kids” kind of boomer attempt at memes, but it 100% works for the targeted young male adults. Just look at the demographic data for how many young males voted for this and continue to propogate their cult’s extremism across the internet.
I think neatly curated propaganda work isn’t quite the same as an internet meme. The Richard Dawkins, Metal Gear Rising definition, perhaps. Internet memes, especially modern ones, have a crude banality if not outright absurdity to them. It’s like saying a funny home video uploaded to YouTube is essentially the same as a theatrical comedy movie release.
I don’t fully agree with that. The extreme right have definitely weaponized memes to be form of modern propaganda on a whole other level. We mock this for being a “hello fellow kids” kind of boomer attempt at memes, but it 100% works for the targeted young male adults. Just look at the demographic data for how many young males voted for this and continue to propogate their cult’s extremism across the internet.