Do Memes Influence Our Opinions? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Do Memes Influence Our Opinions?

Are memes more powerful than we realize?

24
Do Memes Influence Our Opinions?
Blake Barlow

In one of my classes, I had to read an article about the ways in which memes have become a way of influencing people's political opinions through the communication of political messages. Memes are a globally recognized concept, and I agree that they play some role in the way we understand the world in which we live. A powerful tool of memes that the article takes note of is the humor that it evokes from social media users. The author of the article discusses how memes have become increasingly popular since 2012 for the funny and entertaining content they promote. On the contrary, the author is aware that memes have become greatly concerned with politics, especially in 2016. Memes were no longer just for entertainment purposes; they became politically motivated to influence the political opinions of ever-growing social media audiences.

While I do agree that memes have come to encompass more than just entertainment-related content and have become less sensitive to serious issues in politics, I have more faith in the judgement of our youth than the author does. While most youth receive their news from social media in our age, as the article points out, I would like to think that memes are not a primary source of their knowledge about current events. It is difficult to capture the full context of a situation in one meme, and that's what makes memes so prominent. They encapsulate one, simplified message in a humorous manner, making it accessible to anyone and everyone. I agree that the simplicity that makes memes so popular also makes them incredibly misleading at times; however, I do not think they hold the power to necessarily completely transform people's political views. I think that they are used to reinforce people's political affiliations and beliefs, as I know many who identify as liberals post anti-conservative memes and vice versa. In terms of someone who encounters a political meme but does not understand it, memes can be helpful in compelling people to learn about the situation behind it.

All in all, I do not share the same fear of the dangers of political memes as the author of the article does. I believe that the majority of people take memes with a grain of salt. While memes do make light of a situation, they cannot inform us about it nor can they transform our political opinions. I believe that people are becoming more resistant to misinformation and are able to make more educated, informed decisions based on what they see on social media.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Christmas tree
Librarian Lavender

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is one of my personal favorite holidays because of the Christmas traditions my family upholds generation after generation. After talking to a few of my friends at college, I realized that a lot of them don't really have "Christmas traditions" in their family, and I want to help change that. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that my family does, and anyone can incorporate into their family as well!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

1163
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

2630
How To Prepare For The Library: Finals Edition
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again when college students live at the library all week, cramming for tests that they should have started studying for last month. Preparing to spend all day at the library takes much consideration and planning. Use these tips to help get you through the week while spending an excessive amount of time in a building that no one wants to be in.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl roommates
StableDiffusion

Where do we begin when we start talking about our roommates? You practically spend every moment with them, they become your second family and they deal with you at your best and at your absolute worst. They are there to make you laugh just a little harder, cry a little less and make each day a little better. We often forget to thank them for the little things that they do to make college even a tiny bit easier and more fun. This list of 26 things are what you should thank your roommates for right this minute and every day that you live with them.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

20 Thoughts While Studying For Finals

I may or may not be stressing right now.

2753
Thoughts While Studying For Finals
StableDiffusion


That time of the semester has arrived once again, finals. The worst week ever. Who thought it was a good idea for all your classes to have exams all in the same week? Definitely not me. Here's 20 thoughts you may have studying for finals.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments