Jose Mejia
Mrs. Reyes
English 1302
5 May 2017
Abstract
Twitter is an incredibly popular app available to
anyone who chooses to make a profile. It’s grown immensely throughout the years
and almost all of the international population has been involved in “tweeting”
and “hash tagging”. With its growth, also has come the breakthrough of the so
called ‘memes’. I conducted a survey related specifically just about ‘memes’ on
Twitter and how they affect the self-identity of a person. Most importantly I
mentioned the different types of social media platforms in order to give a more
related perspective to my intended audience in choosing they’re preferred way
of expressing themselves with ‘memes’.
Introduction
Showing who you are on social media is influential,
and a ‘meme’ helps with that matter. According to Urban Dictionary, “A ‘meme’
is defined as an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be
considered to be passed from one individual to another by non-genetic means,
especially imitation.” Twitter is a
daily used app that’s gotten international recognition, especially due to its
popularity in Internet memes. A single picture, video or “gif” can lead to the
beginning of an unforgettable, almost always humoristic ‘meme’. Notably, on social
media platforms Post-Modern thinking suggests that there is no true self.
‘Memes’ however, allow anyone to flirt with showing aspects on which they try
to hide as to how they perceive themselves to be. The question that drives me
to gathering more insight regarding “truth” on this is, how do ‘memes’ allow
users to construct self-identity on Twitter? Not only does a ‘meme’ spark a
trend, but it tends to spark debate and adds charisma to those posting about
it.
Background
Debates seem to be a never ending cycle of arguments
at a consistent rate in the present time, mainly because of the types of social
Media we’ve grown accustomed to use. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr
are a few of the main platforms for which ‘memes’ are able to make their
presence known. A ‘meme’ isn’t characterized as a ‘meme’ until it’s introduced
and revolutionized by or from any sort of Internet platform. Whether it was you
or the person next to you, a ‘meme’ can relatively be easy to get a hold of
because of the way the world is today with all the newest ways of technology
taking over our daily lives.
A Facebook user recently put up a calendar which
showed all the months of this coming year. The past three months of the current
year were seen with a collage of images in them. These images aren’t just
pictures, but Internet ‘memes’ which took over the entire month and brought
upon an identity to anyone who used them throughout the entire month. This sort
of movement within itself is in reality a self-identity being presented.
Literature Review
Visual Argumentation
‘Memes’ are in essence images that are taken and
formalized into often a humoristic visual rhetoric. The expansion of a certain
‘meme’ can contain a source of so much identity within itself, that when
someone uses it to their opinion or advantage, they initiate somewhat an
argument because of it. In a recent riot in the city of Vancouver an image was
captured that went viral all over the nation. That of a couple showing their
love in the middle of the street surrounded by a riot due to the winning of the
city’s hockey team in the Stanley Cup Finals. The author who was involved in an
infamous riot kiss picture of a couple after a Stanley Cup Finals hockey game
mentions that the picture, “sparked” an immense amount if debate because
experts and several visual analyzers spoke in saying that the picture was,
“fake” and “photo shopped”(Hahner). Furthermore, Hahner goes into specific
context on this image and the impact it had on the society around it. The
author states, “Accounts of controversy provide a productive avenue to pursue
the multiplicity of arguments created by the riot kiss photograph” (pg.3). In
addition, the image is controversial, but what stands out the most about the
‘meme’ is that it wasn’t changed to show an appealing effect. The image itself
was self-characterized in this case as a sweet moment of a couple sharing their
emotions in a celebratory environment ironically surrounded by a riot.
Research Methods
In order to discover more information regarding the
usage of ‘memes’ on Twitter, I conducted a survey mainly constructed by 5
simple questions. Each question was in regard to the actual usage of ‘meme’,
whether they used it on a different platform, a certain conversation, and how
they felt when in fact using a ‘meme’. In order to gather good substantial
evidence, my survey was strictly just open to around 15-20 people. Participants
were male and female, ages ranging from 18-27. These participants are also in
regard University students whom in general use any sort of social media
platform. The survey was given out and posted for about a week and it was open
to those in my English class.
The questions were different but still considered
the same aspect in pertaining to the use of ‘memes’. Question number one
addressed, have you ever used a ‘meme’ in any of these social media platforms,
if so, which one do you use the most? This question stabilizes and gives an
idea of as to what Medias are used the most in pertaining to ‘memes’. The
second question discusses, how often do you use a ‘meme’ when engaging in an
online conversation? Using a ‘meme’ not just in a social media, but in a
conversation in general shows a lot of self-identity as well. Next, question
number three explains, in using a ‘meme’ do you feel as if your self-identity
is being perceived as humorist? When sharing these sorts of images, most of
them are based of having some sort of comedic affect. The following question went on saying, out of
all the social media platforms, which incorporates more with the usage of ‘memes’?
The final question of the survey ends by asking if using a ‘meme’ in later
years will continue to be a trend in their social media uses.
Research Findings
According to my survey results, each questions
varied on their respective answers. The first question showed that Twitter, out
of any other social media, is used the most when engaging with ‘memes’ at 35.7%
from the 100% possibility. The following question shows an equal amount (33.3%)
of students who either sometimes or rarely use ‘memes’ in an online
conversation. In the third question more than half (53.3%) of college students
perceive themselves as being “humorist” when engaging in an actual online
conversation. When gathering evidence for the fourth question, the diagram
shows that Twitter (33.3%) according to the survey, shows that University
students tend to think of ‘memes’ being used in a general sense in the Twitter
platform than any other social online platform. In regards to the final
question, 60% of college students will continue to use ‘memes’ in years ahead,
with also amounts of 26.7% saying maybe and 13.3% saying no.
Conclusion
After gathering all my information and looking back
at what the actual representation of ‘memes’ have on society has changed my
view as to how a ‘meme’ is classified. My question wondered whether
self-identity is changed or gained because of a ‘meme’. Through my gatherings,
studies, and survey it’s come to my attention that mostly anyone who uses
social media, tends to stick with Twitter. Although there was other platforms
mentioned, when involving Internet ‘memes’, Twitter seemed to stand out the
most when bringing up the way ‘memes’ are used. As I look upon the entire
concept, I’ve learned that a ‘meme’ isn’t really a ‘meme’ until society makes it
into one. How we characterize it, is what’ll then allow us to use it in context
when having a simple conversation or even an extensive formal argument. This
trend will only devour itself through Twitter at an alarming rate for the rest
of the years coming by. Somewhere out there, there’s a ‘meme’ being made
without anyone realizing it. Are ‘memes’ ever going to stop being popular? With
the society we coincide with and the generation we live in, images, social
Medias and extensive ways of communicating won’t stop. They’ll only get more
complex and elevate immense discourse communities who choose to accept the
‘meme’.
Works Cited
Hahner, Leslie A. "The riot kiss: framing memes as visual argument." Argumentation and Advocacy, vol. 49, no. 3, 2013, p. 151+ . General OneFile
