My name is Jenelle Mejia, I am a psychology major. I am also working towards a minor of art in studio. I hope this class helps me make artwork that is intentional and has a message.
How Memes Are Making Protest Art More Powerful:
“More than just humorous interventions, these memes undermine the pretensions of power and respect politicians use as a de-facto method for quieting dissent and broadcasting their often-contemptuous messages.”
Memes are exchanged so easily through social media. It never occurred to me that something so simple, held so much power. They have the ability to question authority and give the public a voice. Power and respect are often used to gain followers or supporters. I wonder if politicians are scared of meme culture. If a politician isn’t respected by the public, no one will listen to their message.
“Appropriating imagery allows the artist to gain control over the content of the image.”
Every person that participates in meme culture reinforces the idea that we’re unified. We can come together, even if it’s through a couple political jokes on social media. Social media has kept us from feeling completely alone. Some people that feel disconnected from society, find communities online. There are benefits to technology and protest memes are one of them.
Memes Are Our Generation's Protest Art:
“They’re definitely sites of resistance against perceptions of abuse of power. They spread so quickly and evolve and transform, and it’s hard to shut them down in the way other forms of communicative protest can be silenced.”
One good thing about social media is that it keeps us all connected. Information is spread so easily through Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Some of the posts are quickly taken down because they’re considered inappropriate. Before these posts are taken down, they’re shared thousands of times. Something could be posted only for a couple hours and still have a huge impact.
“But when it comes to the anti-Trump memes at least, what shines through—beyond the sense of play—is indignation, the amusement of ridiculing powerful figures, and the comfort that comes from collective coping.”
Many people use humor to cope with uncomfortable memories or situations. Protest memes are our natural reaction to coping with a politician that makes us uncomfortable. There are over a hundred memes of Trump because his comments are extremely inappropriate. Donald Trump is a constant reminder of how cruel and nasty the world can be.
Understanding Patriarchy:
“Dismantling and changing patriarchal culture is work that men and women must do together.”
The fight for equal rights is to uplift men and women regardless of their background. Any movement fighting for equal rights should also include people who exist outside of the gender binary. Sometimes the message of a movement can gets lost. Feminists unintentionally have accused all men of oppressing women in the past. Subconsciously, we all have habits that support the patriarchy. It is our responsibility to teach children how to be more kind, open-minded, and generous. Eventually, I hope that patriarchal values die out completely and being kind becomes second nature.
“these women could maintain their own allegiance to patriarchy, their own lust for power. They masked their longing to be dominators by taking on the mantle of victimhood.”
There are many women in Latin culture that have patriarchal values. Older Latin women show them by expressing their insecurities or reinforcing feminine behavior. Gender roles are very important in Latin culture and patriarchal thinking is common in Latin families. Growing up I was a very masculine little girl, and it was difficult for my family to accept my interests.
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