Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Julian Jordan and originally published in the People’s Tribune’s sister publication, the Tribuno del Pueblo. Julian is one of the Tribuno’s first interns.
In today’s digital landscape, memes have emerged as one of the most captivating and widely shared forms of content across social media platforms. The limitless creativity behind memes draws from a vast array of sources, including random video clips, iconic images, scenes from popular shows and movies, and any viral moments that capture the public’s attention. Beyond entertainment, memes serve as a unique medium for humor and connection, often sparking engaging conversations and shared laughter among friends and strangers alike.
Memes as a Tool for the MAGA Agenda
Memes have evolved from simple jokes to influential political tools, particularly during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and during Donald Trump’s first term. I recall the surge of memes creatively mocking Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, turning it into viral jokes with humorous alternatives. This trend continued into the next election cycle, especially after the debate between Trump and Kamala Harris. Trump’s outrageous claim regarding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio,“They are eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats”—quickly went viral, prompting people to create funny videos of their pets reacting. While amusing, it raised concerns about the statements of someone vying for the presidency. Despite such controversies, Trump’s campaign remained strong, leading him to win the 2024 election.
While I’m not suggesting that his comments were without consequence, it’s noteworthy to observe the implications they had. Haitian immigrants were already receiving hate with many Springfield,Ohio residents calling their arrival“an invasion”. Trump’s comments created a hostile environment for immigrants, further shifting blame of American issues onto immigrants.
Weaponizing Memes
Javier Miliei, Argentina’s president, has taken a similar approach to Trump by benefitting from memes with his outrageous antics. Miliei launched the start of the Libertarian party in Argentina and quickly gained popularity as he was very different from the status quo politician.
According to El País
“Many of Milei’s voters were enthusiastic about his populist promises: to eliminate the privileges of the “political caste,” fire inefficient state workers, get rid of inflation, take a tough stance against criminals and the corrupt and to reactivate the economy with fewer taxes and greater work flexibility”.
Milei often used visual language in his campaign by often stating “taking a chainsaw to government spending” and his claims of “political caste” he used the chainsaw as his prop for his entire campaign. Milei’s “pro-liberty” antics included proposing the deregulation of gun possession and creating a marketplace for human organs. His outrageous antics gained significant support online,resulting in countless memes that were both funny and alarming. He won the election with overwhelming success, taking 21 out of 24 provinces. His alter ego, “General Ancap,” a superhero who sings about Argentina’s economic crisis, also attracted younger voters through social media.
While it may be easy to laugh off Trump’s and Milei’s crazy antics,their use of humor and memes demonstrate their ability to connect with the electorate, especially young voters.
How Can the Left Utilize Memes
On the other side of the political spectrum is Alma Tuuva, an artist, activist and Finland politician who was just recently elected into the Helsinki City Council. Tuuva has created a community around her with the use of memes that address experiences of inequality in everyday life and relationships, focusing on social, economic, cultural, and transgender issues. Her social media account has gained a following of about 40,000 followers (@pikakahvimemegirl) .
In order to promote an anti-capitalist worldview and poverty issues in Finland, Tuuva’s memes were designed to be easily understandable and relatable. She stated, “The points must be both accessible and sharp. No one wants to listen to one self-evident truth after another. The downward talking that occasionally appears in leftist circles, directed at the working class or unemployed, is elitist and alienating.”
Tuuva’s campaign had meme-like “qualities” but directly touched on political issues through the use of social media and flyers and other unconventional forms of campaign ads. One example is “poverty, it is often discussed either through victim narratives or survival stories, so there is definitely a demand for it to be addressed in a way that is inspiring..people want issues of inequality that affects them to be talked talked about honestly without being cast into the roles of helpless the roles of helpless victims.”
Lessons to Learn
On one hand, the left uses memes to reflect outbursts of certain politicians to show their incompetence and the right on the other hand tends to avoid addressing the actual issues and instead focuses on making the jokes at the cost of the people or social issues. In the moment people might get a laugh out of outrageous memes but it leads to the desensitization of people regarding political and social issues.
Under the current U.S. administration, there has been a surge in memes regarding new policies, executive orders, and foreign policy. On July 17th the US bombed what they believed was the Iranian nuclear sites. While I worried that tensions might escalate and lead to another world war, I found the flood of memes about World War III and a potential draft to be quite hilarious. However, it’s important to remember that these memes can numb people to the ongoing mistreatment of those in this country and others. You can enjoy the memes you find funny, but it’s crucial to remain aware of the broader impact they can have.
wow! outstanding article and very well put.I’ll be careful next time when I d a meme.
Thanks, Julian. A lighthearted read, but at the same time it shows how the digital era is weaponizing political agendas!!!