Memes became our pandemic lifeline. They transformed anxiety into laughter, turning isolation into connection. When words failed, a clever internet joke captured exactly how we felt - overwhelmed, scared, and hopeful. These digital quips were more than just humor; they were our collective emotional release valve during an unprecedented global crisis.
“Internet memes are texts that are easily shared—funny and laced with dense symbolism” (Lee, 2020). Whenever I sign into social media, I am met with what feels like a substantive sample of how people are attempting to manage their mental health. Even my 75-year-old grandfather regularly reposts cats disguised as non-cat items and memes that play on the “new normal” grocery outing to help ease the pain of quarantine.
The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone's mental health but to varying extents. We cannot predict with certainty who will have the toughest time when this crisis is over, but research indicates that most people are resilient and bounce back.
Communities that have been hit the hardest will require outside support, but there is much we can do as individuals to enhance our resilience:
How we cope with this crisis will influence our recovery.
Use digital culture judiciously; memes can provide a coping mechanism but should be taken in moderation.
Focus on the things that one has control over.
Reach out when necessary.
Practice self-care and how to manage stress.
By taking responsibility for our psychological well-being now, we are likely to be prepared to recover post-pandemic.
Dr. Limor Shifman, a former research fellow at the Oxford Institute and new media expert, said in a recent paper that “[memes] shape and reflect general social mindsets” (Crovitz & Moran, 2020). Shifman says in her book Memes in Digital Culture that memes can be understood as pieces of cultural information that pass along from person to person but gradually scale into a shared social phenomenon. The reflective and persuasive capacity of memes suggests that social media impacts people’s day-to-day coping.
Because digital memes have such a macro influence, I believe it is important to leverage and withstand their power during this global emergency. As most know, not all memes are created equally. Follow accounts that make you laugh and unfollow individuals reposting distressing information. Unless being exposed to pandemic-related issues 24/7 is helping, it is unnecessary. Humor has increased people’s resilience and capacity to cope with ongoing stressors. While we want to be incredibly sensitive to not make light of the massive destruction that is this virus, we don’t need to hold so tightly to the gravity of the situation that we are crushed beneath it and rendered incapacitated.
Ignore content that suggests that this is the time to lose weight. Your body and brain are undergoing chronic stress and unusual levels of anxiety. We expect our bodies to fluctuate over time and during unusual circumstances. One of the best things you can do to protect your mental health right now is to give your body and brain adequate nutrition. Do not restrict calories because you are less active. Trust your body will calibrate itself without your brain imposing uncomfortable restrictions.
Do not feel ashamed if you have bought into any of these messages. As Shifman has said, digital memes are an extension of our culture. Inevitably, memes will perpetuate ugly aspects of U.S. culture that play into our desire to feel normal, loved, and respected. Wanting these things are incredibly valid; there is nothing wrong with you. The primary reason memes go viral, quickly reaching hundreds or millions of people, is that they tap into emotion. Emotionally charged content increases the likelihood you will conform (or rebel). We are especially vulnerable to conformity when commands trigger internalized cultural norms. This includes the fallacy that thinness is synonymous with goodness or productivity, which indicates worthiness.
The final problematic meme type to look for is the one that tells you there is only one right way to spend your time in quarantine. For example, the infamous tweet, “If you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill…you didn’t ever lack the time, you lacked the discipline.” Messages like these can spiral into a vortex of questioning and criticizing oneself—negative self-talk loads an enormous amount of unnecessary stress. Alternatively, seek content and conversations that empower and inspire you.
Be careful with memes: Your brain automatically gives credence to popular content, even more if it seems personal. Something viral isn't automatically good for you.
Quick tips for mental well-being with meme consumption:
Screen your intake
Keep what serves you
Ignore what doesn't support your well-being.
Not all viral content is healthy. Choose wisely.
References:
Crovitz, Darren & Moran, Clarice. (2020). Analyzing Disruptive Memes in an Age of International Interference. The English Journal. 109. 62-69.
Lee, Benjamin. “‘Neo-Nazis Have Stolen Our Memes’: Making Sense of Extreme Memes.” Digital Extremisms, 2020, pp. 91–108., doi:10.1007/978-3-030-30138-5_5.
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