How Can We Learn From Memes?
We’re under the assumption that as we grow older, we ought not to make a fool of ourselves any longer. After all, we’re more intelligent, competent and experienced, right? So we stay away from any activities that may shake the foundation of our existing self-esteem for fear that we may be prejudiced of our dignity. As a result, we shy away from virtually all interesting situations in life. This includes the spasmodic effort to keep us from being exposed from laughing at memes. In a funny way, I’m glad that memes exist. I don’t know the perimeters of what constitutes a meme, but Google defines the standard definition to be an element of a culture that spreads from person to person with the aim of conveying a particular phenomenon. I’m pretty certain that it is an understatement, because there is not even a hint of mention that memes are healthy. There, I said it.
Memes are healthy.
We imagine that at a certain age, we would be above the mockery of others. However, we come to learn that the world is unfair, exploitative and brutal. In one manner or another, we’re all somehow implicated in this even though it wasn’t our intent. We feel ripped off. We feel lied to. But as a mature adult-to-be, we should not complain; at least not outrightly. So we turn to art, and memes are arguably considered to be a form of art. Memes rip the facades off everything. It exposes adults, institutions and our very nature to be swinish, rotten and childlike. The essence of memes is funny, because humour is our reflexive defense against the unpleasant and often unexpected curves that life is throwing at us. Ironic? Sarcastic? Satirical? You name it, memes have it. It is a joke, but not quite. Like many other forms of parody, memes are here to stay as it gleefully mocks and tears down the conventional sacred and standards.
Memes offer us an absolutely liberating perspective that the path to greater self-esteem is not to reaffirm our dignity over and over again, but to make our peace with the ridiculousness that we inevitably expose ourselves to.
In a world laden with hypocrisy and questionable authority, we reconcile our faith in the integrity of what is commonly labelled as lame. If executed poorly, memes can be lame. But many of which speak the truth and the truth only. It is a healthy antidote with the moral agenda of a good old-fashioned public display. Though frequently frowned upon, there is no denial that the influence of memes is ubiquitous now. Its global longevity (of which some would disagree) reminds us that no matter how important or learned we are as we grow to become matured adults, whatever that means, we are still fools. Our judgment is not infallible. Our passions are repeatedly too overwhelming. Our fears can be irrational. Our ability to create and/or relate to memes indicates that our shortcomings and humanness is universally celebrated, even in the best societies. We can mess up at times. We can be a fool.
But that doesn’t mean that we’re unfit for the society.
On the contrary, I believe that denying the origin and power of memes is undermining the youth’s spontaneous precision in displaying a view of the world as a hilarious parade of pretense and folly. With its comedic sensibility, the influence of memes goes deeper than aesthetics in showcasing the conspicuous detail of how much of a fool we are and can be. It embodies the philosophy of how if we want the rewards of being loved, we need to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known. In order to achieve deep relationship with others, we must bare the complexities and contradictory aspects of ourselves that we may not wish to share with the outside world. Let’s not forget that as we age, we lose our youth, but not our youthfulness. We grow out of being childish, however we don’t grow out of being childlike.
