The Absurdity of Postmodern Life: Meme Culture, Irony, and the Evolution of Internet Humour

06 May 2025 | FMTV703 Contextual Studies - Screen & Globalisation | Critical Research | 5052 words

The internet has changed how we communicate, shaping global conversations in new ways. One of its biggest cultural impacts is meme culture - a digital form of expression that crosses language and geographic barriers. While often seen as simple online jokes, memes are a powerful reflection of modern life, capturing postmodern and absurdist ideas. By spreading quickly and evolving through online communities, memes have become a key way people comment on politics, social trends, and even deeper existential questions in today's digital world.

The term 'meme' was first introduced by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. He used it to describe cultural ideas that spread like genes. In the digital age, memes have taken on a new form, becoming viral internet content - images, videos, or text-based jokes that change rapidly as they are shared. More than just entertainment, memes capture shared emotions, frustrations, and experiences. They often use irony, absurdity, and satire to express thoughts on modern life, making complex ideas easier to engage with in a fast-paced online world. According to American publisher of dictionaries, Merriam-Webster, a meme is an image, video, piece of text, or similar content, typically humorous, that is quickly copied and shared by internet users, often with slight modifications (Merriam-Webster 2012).

This essay will explore meme culture through two key ideas: postmodernism and absurdism. Postmodernism challenges big, traditional ideas and embraces irony, self-reference, and fragmented meaning (Duignan 2024). Memes fit this perfectly, as they rely on remixing and reinterpretation. They blur the line between creator and audience, with users constantly reshaping their meaning. This connects to Jean Baudrillard’s idea of hyperreality, where media becomes more 'real' than reality itself, shaping how we see the world (Wolny 2017).

Absurdism, a concept explored by philosophers like Albert Camus, suggests that life has no inherent meaning, and our search for meaning is ultimately pointless (Aronson 2011). Meme culture reflects this, using nihilistic humour and existential irony. Popular meme formats highlight the absurdity of daily life and the gap between expectations and reality. By laughing at life’s meaninglessness, memes offer a way to cope with modern uncertainties.

This essay will explore how meme culture has grown as a postmodern and absurdist response to today’s world. It will look at how memes have changed over time, from early internet forums to global social media. It will also examine memes in politics, where they have been used for activism, propaganda, and satire. Finally, it will discuss how corporations and mainstream media have turned memes into profitable content, shifting them from grassroots creativity to commercial products. By exploring these themes, this essay will argue that memes are more than fleeting jokes - they are cultural tools that shape how we understand the world today.

Section 1: The Birth of Meme Culture: Postmodern and Absurdist Foundations

1.1 The Origins of Meme Culture

The term ‘meme’ was first introduced by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins used the word to describe cultural ideas, behaviours, or styles that spread from person to person, much like how genes replicate within biological systems. He argued that memes evolve through variation, competition, and inheritance, shaping human culture in ways similar to natural selection. While Dawkins’ concept originally referred to things like catchphrases, fashion trends, and religious beliefs, the advent of the internet gave memes an entirely new dimension.

Today, memes have evolved into a vast and complex form of digital communication, serving not only as entertainment but also as a powerful tool for social commentary, political expression, and online identity formation. 

Early digital meme culture emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s through online forums and image-sharing platforms. Websites like 4chan, Something Awful, and Reddit played a crucial role in the development of internet memes, where users repurposed images and text to create humorous or socially relevant content. Some of the earliest and most recognisable digital memes included image macros, which paired humorous captions with static images. Examples include the “I Can Has Cheezburger?” meme featuring a grammatically incorrect but amusing caption over a picture of a cat, and reaction images that conveyed specific emotions or responses to online discussions. 

Figure 1: Can I Has Cheezburger?

Figure 2: Grumpy Cat

Unlike the early 2000s, when memes primarily consisted of simple images with humorous captions (such as I Can Has Cheezburger?), modern memes have become highly abstract, self-referential, and multi-layered. The rise of platforms like Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram has accelerated the speed at which memes are created, spread, and reinterpreted. In contrast to their predecessors, many contemporary memes are deeply embedded in internet subcultures, often requiring insider knowledge to fully understand. Formats like deep-fried memes, absurdist humour, and meta-ironic content reflect a shift from direct jokes to more nuanced, sometimes incomprehensible, digital expressions. Memes today are not just jokes - they are cultural artifacts that encapsulate collective online experiences, political discourse, and generational identity, often blurring the line between humour and social critique.

As meme culture grew, so did its complexity. The shift from simple humour to more surreal and ironic content reflected broader changes in internet culture and digital communication. The rise of platforms like Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram enabled memes to evolve more rapidly, blending references from pop culture, internet lore, and contemporary social issues. Over time, memes became less about direct jokes and more about shared online experiences, self-referential humour, and abstract absurdity.

1.2 Postmodernism and Absurdism in Memes

The evolution of meme culture can be understood through the lens of postmodernism and absurdism - two philosophical movements that question meaning, structure, and reality.

Postmodern Elements in Meme Culture

Postmodernism is characterised by skepticism toward grand narratives, self-referentiality, and the deconstruction of meaning (Browning et al. 2000: 35). Internet memes perfectly embody these characteristics by playing with layers of meaning, remixing content, and often making fun of their own existence.

One key postmodern element in meme culture is the loss of original context and endless reinterpretation. A prime example is the infamous Loss.jpg meme, which originated as a serious webcomic depicting a character dealing with personal tragedy. Over time, internet users began abstracting and simplifying its structure to the point that only four lines or shapes were needed to evoke its meaning. This deconstruction highlights how memes can strip content of its original intent and reassemble it in endlessly novel ways.

Another postmodern trait is self-awareness and irony, which can be seen in deep-fried and ironic memes. Deep-fried memes are heavily edited images with excessive compression, extreme colour saturation, and nonsensical captions. They mock the very idea of internet humour, exaggerating it to a point where the distinction between genuine and ironic enjoyment becomes blurred. Similarly, ironic memes often parody traditional meme formats by making them intentionally unfunny, subverting expectations and embracing absurdity.

Absurdist Elements in Meme Culture

Absurdism, as explored by Albert Camus, suggests that human existence lacks inherent meaning, and our attempts to find purpose are ultimately in conflict with an indifferent universe. However, rather than leading to despair, Camus presents the acceptance of the absurd as a way to live with greater freedom, ethical responsibility, and passion in an otherwise meaningless world (Genovese 2010). Internet memes often reflect this philosophy by embracing meaninglessness, randomness, and chaos.

One example of absurdist memes is the rise of Surreal Memes Facebook groups, where images and text are assembled in ways that defy logical understanding. These memes reject rational structure and often feature bizarre characters, incomprehensible phrases, and distorted visuals. Their humour lies not in traditional punchlines but in their complete detachment from coherence.

Another example is the trend of meaningless humour as a reflection of existential detachment. The “E” meme, featuring an edited image of Markiplier’s (American YouTuber and influencer) face superimposed onto Lord Farquaad from Shrek, became inexplicably popular despite having no inherent joke. Similarly, Big Chungus, an edited image of Bugs Bunny exaggerated in size, gained viral status as an absurd meme with no deeper meaning beyond its sheer ridiculousness. These memes thrive on their lack of significance, demonstrating how humour can stem from randomness and the rejection of traditional logic.

Figure 3: E

f Figure 4: Big Chungus

As meme culture continues to evolve, its foundations in postmodernism and absurdism become even more pronounced. By breaking down meaning and structure, memes provide a unique lens through which people navigate the chaotic and often surreal landscape of contemporary digital life.

Memes as Modern Art: Phases, Evolution, and Ownership

Memes, like traditional art, progress through various ‘phases’ and styles that reflect the cultural and technological changes of their era. Just as art movements such as the Renaissance or Surrealism emerged in response to social, political, and technological shifts, memes evolve alongside the digital landscape. Early internet memes were simple and text-based, akin to raw, experimental art forms. As technology advanced, so did memes, incorporating layers of humour, commentary, and even activism. ‘Dank memes’, for instance, pushed the boundaries of irony and absurdity, much like how movements like Dadaism or Abstract Expressionism challenged traditional notions of art (Earthman 2023). These memes often subvert conventional ideas, using absurdity and exaggerated humour to critique culture, politics, or social norms. Just as art movements evolve to reflect societal concerns, memes have become a form of social commentary, capturing the spirit of contemporary issues and reflecting the attitudes of younger generations. Their viral nature allows them to spread quickly, reacting to real-time events and cultural shifts, much like how art movements often serve as a response to the socio-political climate of their time. Memes, in this sense, function as a digital art form that continues to evolve, adapt, and influence the cultural landscape. Memes now serve as social commentary, influencing and reflecting the attitudes of younger generations.

In meme culture, ownership and copyright often take a backseat to collective creation and sharing. Unlike traditional art, where ownership is crucial to the value of the work, memes thrive on remixing and redistribution. The nature of memes is their adaptability; they evolve as they are re-shared, with new versions emerging to suit different contexts, sometimes losing their original creator. This open-source ethos allows memes to grow quickly and gain relevance. While this raises questions about intellectual property, it reflects a shift in how digital content is perceived. Meme-making is viewed as a communal, collaborative act, reminiscent of earlier artistic traditions where the free exchange of ideas spurred innovation (Shifman, 2013).

Section 2: Generational Differences in Meme Culture

Meme culture is not a static entity but a continuously evolving form of communication shaped by the social, economic, and technological landscapes of different generations. While early meme culture was deeply rooted in postmodern and absurdist traditions, as discussed in the previous chapter, its evolution across generations reflects distinct patterns of humour, self-expression, and existential processing. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, have developed unique meme cultures that both contrast and build upon the foundations of their predecessors. While Millennials embraced self-deprecating humour as a coping mechanism for adulthood struggles, Gen Z has taken absurdism to new extremes, using irony and chaos as a response to an increasingly unstable world.

2.1 Millennials and the Rise of Self-Deprecating Humour

Millennials, broadly defined as those born between 1981 and 1996, witnessed the rise of social media and the internet as central pillars of daily life (Saura et al. 2019). As digital natives who entered adulthood during economic recessions and increasing job precarity, Millennials developed a humour culture that leaned heavily on relatability and self-deprecation. This humour manifested in memes that revolved around the struggles of "adulting”, workplace burnout, and financial instability.

A defining feature of Millennial meme culture is its heavy use of sarcasm and irony, often serving as a means of collective commiseration. Popular meme formats from the early 2010s, such as relatable text posts on Facebook and Twitter, depicted everyday frustrations with a humorous spin: "Spent my paycheck. Now I have to wait a whole month to be broke again." The phrase "adulting is hard" became emblematic of this era, encapsulating the generational struggle of adjusting to a world where financial security and home ownership seemed increasingly unattainable.

A subgenre of Millennial humour that gained traction in the mid-2010s was depression memes, which fused self-deprecating humour with existential anxiety. Tumblr, a major hub for Millennial internet culture, played a pivotal role in normalising discussions of mental health through memes. These memes frequently used dark humour to address feelings of loneliness, imposter syndrome, and burnout, with captions like, "Haha, just cried in the work bathroom. Again." While such memes were often humorous, they also reflected deeper anxieties about identity, stability, and the future, illustrating how Millennials used meme culture as a coping mechanism (Gardner et al. 2021).

Platform-wise, Millennials primarily engaged with meme culture through Facebook pages, Twitter threads, and Tumblr reblogs. The popularity of these platforms allowed for the widespread dissemination of text-based and reaction image memes, often using pop culture references to enhance relatability. As Millennials aged, their meme culture evolved to reflect new life stages, shifting from university-related struggles to the disillusionment of corporate life and parenting. However, just as Millennial memes matured, Gen Z emerged with an entirely new, and often baffling, approach to internet humour.

2.2 Gen Z and the Evolution of Absurdist Internet Humour

Gen Z, born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, grew up in a world shaped by economic instability, climate anxiety, and rapid technological advancement (Mahapatra et al. 2022). Having never known a world without social media, Gen Z’s meme culture is deeply intertwined with the fast-paced and highly visual nature of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. Unlike Millennials, whose memes often relied on relatability and linear storytelling, Gen Z has embraced chaotic, surreal, and meta-ironic humour that frequently defies conventional logic. ‘Deep-fried memes’ are a staple of Gen Z humour, characterised by extreme visual distortion, oversaturated colors, pixelation, and absurd captions. These memes often feature layers of compression artifacts, random emojis, and chaotic formatting that make them visually overwhelming. This type of humour stems from irony and absurdity; the over-the-top editing and nonsensical captions embrace chaos, making them funny in a ‘so bad it's good’ way. Instead of traditional joke structures, deep-fried memes rely on randomness and extreme visual elements to subvert expectations.

These memes operate on a level of humour that often appears intentionally meaningless, playing into the internet’s ability to turn randomness into collective entertainment. Social media platform, TikTok has become a breeding ground for bizarre humor, with trends like videos captioned "My last two brain cells" featuring erratic imagery, chaotic sound effects, and nonsensical editing. TikTok has played a major role in shifting Gen Z’s meme culture from static images to video-based formats. Additionally, memes now often revolve around niche internet references, viral audio clips, and ironic self-awareness rather than traditional absurdist humor. A prime example is the use of phrases like "It’s giving" or "Let him cook," which originate from online culture. The "It’s giving" TikTok trend is a popular phrase used to describe the vibe or essence of something, often in an exaggerated, ironic, or humorous way. The phrase originated from LGBTQ+ and Black internet culture, particularly in fashion and beauty circles, before being widely adopted across social media. The phrase is often used in a playful, exaggerated way to highlight how something or someone "gives off" a certain impression or persona, whether it’s positive or negative. Its widespread use reflects Gen Z’s embrace of self-expression, fluid identities, and internet-driven language evolution. As a generation that actively challenges traditional norms, Gen Z repurposes phrases like "It’s giving" to celebrate individuality while also satirising the performative nature of trends, wealth, and social status. This shift highlights a broader cultural movement toward inclusivity, where humor becomes a tool for both self-acceptance and political commentary, rejecting rigid societal expectations in favor of a more open and diverse future.

TikTok and Twitter are flooded with memes that express a resigned nihilism toward climate disasters, often pairing cheerful visuals with bleak, dark captions. These memes differ from Millennial depression memes in that they focus less on individual struggles and more on a collective sense of doom. Gen Z uses humor to foster a sense of community in the face of overwhelming crises, creating a shared digital space for existential reflection. While Millennials often relied on self-deprecating humor to cope with personal challenges, Gen Z takes a more detached, chaotic approach, embracing meme culture as a form of digital existentialism. Gen Z’s ability to joke about death and destruction reflects a coping mechanism shaped by growing up in a world defined by instability, uncertainty, and rapid change. This generation has normalised humor about death as a way of processing the overwhelming nature of global crises. A perfect example of this is a TikTok video (figure 5), where a girl sitting in a car says, "I saw that video of the kayaker getting swallowed by a whale and I’m so serious, I need to experience it. Why was it so gentle, so peaceful? I need the peace and quiet of being swallowed whole by a whale so bad."

Figure 5: @Lexlife777 on TikTok

Gen Z’s preference for absurdity is also reflected in the rapid lifecycle of memes. While Millennial memes often enjoyed prolonged popularity, Gen Z trends rise and fall at an unprecedented speed, fueled by TikTok’s algorithm and the culture of constant reinvention. The sheer volume of meme formats, inside jokes, and evolving humour trends can make Gen Z meme culture appear incomprehensible to outsiders, but this rapid mutation is part of its appeal. Memes are not just jokes but a dynamic, ever-changing form of self-expression that mirrors the chaotic and unstable nature of modern life.

The generational differences in meme culture reflect broader societal shifts in humour, coping mechanisms, and digital communication. While Millennials embraced self-deprecating humour as a way to navigate adulthood and personal struggles, Gen Z has pushed meme culture into the realms of absurdism, meta-irony, and collective nihilism. Both generations use memes as a means of processing existential anxieties, but their approaches diverge in tone and intent. Millennials relied on relatability and self-awareness, while Gen Z has embraced chaos, irony, and detachment as a way to engage with an increasingly unpredictable world. As meme culture continues to evolve, these generational trends will likely influence future forms of digital humour, further shaping how online communities connect, process emotions, and make sense of the absurdity of existence.

Section 3: Memes in Global Politics and Social Movements

3.1 Death of Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990, was known for her conservative policies, which included reducing the power of trade unions, privatising nationalised industries, and championing free-market capitalism. While her supporters credit her with revitalising the UK economy, critics argue that her leadership deepened social inequalities and worsened class divisions. Thatcher's death in 2013 sparked widespread reactions, many of which were expressed through memes. These often darkly humorous or ironic memes allowed people to convey complex emotions about her legacy, particularly those who had been negatively impacted by her policies.

Her death on April 8, 2013, marked the end of a significant political era for some, while for others, especially those affected by her policies, it was a moment of emotional release. Many of these reactions took the form of memes, serving as both cathartic responses and critiques of her legacy. Notably, ‘Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead’, a song from The Wizard of Oz, briefly topped the UK charts after her passing, symbolising a rejection of her austerity and privatisation policies. The song’s rise highlighted how memes could transcend the digital world and enter mainstream culture, using humour to comment on political history. However, its chart success sparked controversy, particularly when the BBC played only a brief clip of the song, arguing that its anti-Thatcher sentiment might offend listeners (The Independent 2013).

This controversy revealed how deeply Thatcher’s legacy divided the public. For some, the song symbolised a release of frustration with her policies, while for others, it seemed disrespectful. The BBC's decision to limit the song’s airtime brought the question of taste and respect for the deceased into the public eye, demonstrating how Thatcher's legacy remained a contentious issue. 

The memes that emerged also reflected the ongoing impact of Thatcher’s policies on younger generations, particularly Generation Z, who had not directly experienced her rule. A striking example of this continued online discussion came in March 2025, with a TikTok video captioned: "I love The Strokes so much I think my favourite one is the one Maggie Thatcher had on April 8, 2013." The juxtaposition of loving a rock band with ‘favoriting’ Thatcher’s death reflected a blend of irony and dark humour, highlighting how her legacy remains a topic of conversation years after her passing. The video, which gained over 15,000 likes, demonstrated the continued cultural resonance of Thatcher's policies, particularly austerity measures and a shrinking welfare state, which still shape the views of many in Gen Z.

In this context, memes act as a form of cultural memory. Unlike traditional memorials, which often focus on political achievements, memes offer an immediate and participatory way for people to engage with history, often through humour or irony. This digital form of commemoration allows people to shape the narrative around Thatcher's life and death in real-time, particularly among younger generations who, though distanced from her direct influence, continue to feel the effects of her policies. The ‘Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead’ meme exemplifies this phenomenon, as it became more than just a digital piece of humour, but also a commentary on Thatcher’s divisive legacy. It demonstrates the power of memes as tools for social and political expression, influencing how history is remembered, revisited, and critiqued in the digital age.

In closed groups, political memes usually aren’t about starting debates; they’re more about reinforcing what people already believe and helping them feel like they belong. One useful source that supports the idea that political memes in closed groups tend to reinforce existing beliefs and help maintain a sense of social belonging is Leiser’s (2021) study Core Motives for the Use of Political Internet Memes. Leiser found that people often share political memes to connect with others who have similar views, which fits with Social Identity Theory, the idea that we get a sense of who we are through our group memberships and tend to follow group norms. According to the study, repeated elements within memes work like a shared language, helping to build a feeling of community between users. This ties into the wider issue of echo chambers on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where people mostly interact with content that reflects their own beliefs. This leads to polarised groups and encourages the circulation of content (like political memes) that strengthens in-group ideologies, while making it less likely that users will come across or engage with opposing views. Together, these points show that political memes shared within closed groups are more about reinforcing shared views and social connections than encouraging open debate or the exchange of different perspectives.

3.2 Trump Memes

Donald Trump’s presidency saw a massive rise in political memes, with his larger-than-life persona and controversial actions making him an ideal target for online satire. Memes quickly became a tool for both supporters and critics to engage with his leadership, turning his policies and public persona into bite-sized, often absurdist commentary. For detractors, Trump memes often portrayed him as a figure of ridicule, with iconic images like the 'Trump Baby' balloon symbolising global protest against his administration. 

Figure 6: Trump Baby Balloon

The way people view, create, share, and comment on memes that mock or criticise those in power has become a key part of how we engage with politics today – it's now one of the main ways people take part in political activism (Merrin 2019).

Trump memes reflect key principles of postmodernism, including the subversion of authority and playful, ironic humour. His contradictory actions and policies made him an ideal subject for absurdist commentary. Memes often employed irony and exaggeration, such as the portrayal of Trump’s 'wall' proposal as absurd and ineffective. Memes were also self-aware, with users engaging in digital activism while critiquing the absurdity of politics. Trump memes often embraced absurdism and nihilism, reflecting the chaotic nature of his presidency. Memes like 'Trump saying crazy things' highlighted the surreal quality of his leadership, while memes about his supporters portrayed them as blindly loyal, despite the contradictions in Trump’s policies. This absurdist humour provided a cathartic outlet for people coping with the uncertainty and absurdity of his administration.

While many Trump memes were humorous, they also played a crucial role in political commentary and activism. Memes became a platform for critiquing his policies, such as immigration and healthcare, and a tool for mobilising opposition, particularly during key moments like the 2016 and 2020 elections. The '#NotMyPresident' meme, for instance, was a widespread expression of resistance, symbolising opposition to Trump’s legitimacy. Trump memes also facilitated digital activism, as they made political issues more accessible and engaging. Activists used humour to highlight important causes, such as racial justice and immigration, in a way that was both entertaining and informative.

As Trump’s presidency progressed, his image became commodified. Companies began using his likeness in marketing campaigns, capitalising on the meme culture surrounding him. This shift reflected a wider trend where grassroots meme culture became absorbed into mainstream advertising, raising questions about the authenticity and commercialisation of digital content. Trump memes were more than just political satire; they became a key part of the digital landscape, reflecting the postmodern, absurdist nature of contemporary politics. They served as a form of digital activism, commentary, and resistance, but also highlighted the challenges of commercialising meme culture. As meme culture continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how political figures like Trump are portrayed and how memes will shape future political movements.

Section 4: Brands and ‘Relatable’ Meme Marketing

In recent years, brands have increasingly embraced meme culture as a strategy for connecting with younger audiences. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, companies now aim to appear 'relatable' by adopting the language, tone, and humour commonly found on platforms like TikTok, Twitter (now X), and Instagram. This shift has led to the rise of self-aware corporate humour, where brands parody themselves, lean into absurdity, and present a sense of authenticity to appeal to digital natives.

Notable examples include Duolingo and Wendy’s. Duolingo, the language-learning app, has gained viral popularity on TikTok through the antics of its green owl mascot ‘Duo’, who behaves more like a chaotic internet personality than a corporate figure. Videos of Duo threatening users to do their lessons, thirsting after celebrities, or participating in offbeat trends are deliberately strange, and that’s precisely why they resonate. Similarly, Wendy’s Twitter account is known for its sarcastic tone, sharp comebacks, and its fondness for 'roasting' both rival brands and individual users. This irreverent voice has helped the fast-food chain carve out a distinct online identity, making it more memorable in an overcrowded digital market.

Figure 7: Screenshot of comments on Duolingo’s TikTok

Figure 8: Screenshots of videos from Duolingo’s TikTok account

Absurdist humour is effective in this context because it mirrors the kind of content that naturally gains traction online. Meme-savvy audiences, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are drawn to irony, unpredictability, and layered in-jokes. By tapping into this tone, brands can position themselves within cultural conversations in a way that feels more like genuine interaction than overt marketing. The use of humour also helps humanise the brand. It begins to feel less like a faceless corporation and more like someone who is 'in on the joke’ (Razzaq et al. 2024).

However, this approach also presents a paradox: the illusion of authenticity. While these brands may seem spontaneous and relatable, their content is usually crafted by social media teams, marketing strategists, and trend analysts (Hanlon and Tuton 2022: 112). The chaos is carefully planned. This manufactured authenticity raises questions about sincerity in digital spaces. If a brand acts like 'one of us’, is it truly creating community, or merely capitalising on meme culture for commercial gain?

There’s also a risk of oversaturation. As more brands attempt to mimic this style, audiences may become weary or cynical. When every company adopts the same self-aware tone, the novelty can wear off and the content may begin to feel contrived or cringe-inducing.

Ultimately, meme marketing gives brands the chance to engage with audiences in a humorous and culturally relevant way, but only if done with a genuine understanding of platform trends, audience expectations, and tone. While performative authenticity might work in the short term, today’s internet users are increasingly adept at seeing through the façade. The future of meme marketing will depend on how brands balance irony with sincerity in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Conclusion

In conclusion, memes have emerged as a modern reflection of the role art has historically played in shaping political discourse and social movements. Just as art has long been a tool for social critique, reflection, and activism, memes now serve a similar function in the digital age. The reactions to Margaret Thatcher’s death and the rise of Donald Trump memes demonstrate how digital humour can critique political figures, challenge ideologies, and mobilise public sentiment in ways that echo past artistic movements. Much like art movements such as Dadaism, Surrealism, or political cartoons, memes use subversion, irony, and satire to comment on power structures and social issues. 

Memes allow for an immediate, participatory form of commentary that is deeply embedded in digital culture, just as art has historically engaged with the political and social concerns of its time. The viral nature of memes also allows them to spread rapidly, much like revolutionary or countercultural art movements, creating a sense of collective involvement in shaping societal narratives. Furthermore, brands adopting meme culture for marketing purposes echoes the way art movements were commercialised and co-opted by mainstream industries. 

Ultimately, memes, like art, are not just a form of entertainment but a powerful means of engaging with societal issues, reflecting cultural moments, and challenging dominant ideologies. In this way, memes can be seen as the contemporary equivalent of art movements, continually shaping and reflecting the political and social landscape while remaining an accessible tool for activism and critique.

---

Reference List

ARONSON, Ronald. 2011. ‘Albert Camus’. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy [online]. Available at: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/camus/.

BROWNING, Gary, Abigail HALCLI and Frank WEBSTER. 2000. Understanding Contemporary Society : Theories of the Present. London: Sage.

DAWKINS, Richard. 1976. The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press, USA.

DUIGNAN, Brian. 2024. ‘Postmodernism’. Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/postmodernism-philosophy.

EARTHMAN, Jen. 2023. ‘Abstract Art - Modern Art Terms and Concepts’. The Art Story [online]. Available at: https://www.theartstory.org/definition/abstract-art/ [accessed 13 Apr 2025].

GARDNER, Kathryn J, Nicola-Maria JABS, Jennifer DRABBLE and Umair AKRAM. 2021. ‘Humor Styles Influence the Perception of Depression-Related Internet Memes in Depression’. HUMOR34(4), 497–517.

GENOVESE, Maria K. 2010. Meaningful Meaninglessness: Albert Camus’ Presentation of Meaningful Meaninglessness: Albert Camus’ Presentation of Absurdism as a Foundation for Goodness Absurdism as a Foundation for Goodness. Available at: https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=pell_theses [accessed 24 Mar 2025].

HANLON, Annmarie and Tracy L. TUTEN. 2022. The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Marketing. London: SAGE Publications, Limited.

LEISER, Anne. 2021. ‘Psychological Perspectives on Participatory Culture: Core Motives for the Use of Political Internet Memes’. Journal of Social and Political Psychology 10(1), 236–52.

MAHAPATRA, Gopal P., Naureen BHULLAR and Priyansha GUPTA. 2022. ‘Gen Z: An Emerging Phenomenon’. NHRD Network Journal 15(2), [online], 246–56. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/26314541221077137.

MERRIAM-WEBSTER. 2012. ‘Definition of MEME’. Merriam-Webster [online]. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meme.

MERRIN, William. 2018. ‘President Troll: Trump, 4Chan and Memetic Warfare’. Trump’s Media War 201–26.

RAZZAQ, Ali, Wei SHAO and Sara QUACH. 2024. ‘Meme Marketing Effectiveness: A Moderated-Mediation Model’. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 78(103702), [online]. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698923004538.

SAURA, Jose Ramon, Felipe DEBASA and Ana REYES-MENENDEZ. 2019. ‘Does User Generated Content Characterize Millennials’ Generation Behavior? Discussing the Relation between SNS and Open Innovation’. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity 5(4), 96.

SHIFMAN, Limor. 2013. Memes in Digital Culture. The MIT Press.

THE INDEPENDENT. 2013. ‘BBC Defends Decision to Ban “Ding, Dong, the Witch Is Dead” Song after Lady Thatcher’s Death | the Independent’. The Independent [online]. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bbc-defends-decision-to-ban-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead-song-after-lady-thatcher-s-death-8980678.html [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

TIKTOK. 2025. @Lexlife777 [Video]. TikTok. Available at: https://www.tiktok.com/@lexlife777/video/7471400791912287534?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

WOLNY, Ryszard W. 2017. ‘Hyperreality and Simulacrum: Jean Baudrillard and European Postmodernism’. European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 8(1), 76.

Figure 1: Can I Haz Cheeseburger [Image]. 2010. The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/technology/internet/14burger.html [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

Figure 2: Grumpy Cat [Image]. 2012. Refinery29. Available at: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/best-memes [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

Figure 3: Lord Marquaad E [Image]. 2018. Know Your Meme. Available at: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/lord-marquaad-e [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

Figure 4: Big Chungus [Image]. 2019. The Advocate. Available at: https://fghsnews.com/1702/series/meme-of-the-week-big-chungus/ [accessed 1 Apr 2025].

---

Author: Bethan Radford

Module: FMTV703 Contextual Studies - Screen & Globalisation 

Assessment: Critical Research

Classification: Distinction / 70%

Degree: MA Film & Television

Submission: 07 May 2025

Words: 5052