​Memes and the Post-Riot Age

At the turn of the century a new form of media rose that virtually obsoleted the dominant media form which had a stranglehold over information for the past 100 years. News print, television and film have all suffered with the rise of the internet, and rightly so, as their deadly machines have been increasingly co-opted to serve a corrupted establishment, and their subversive and destructive agenda.
The internet has provided the world, particularly the Western world, with a new form of protest – the meme. Originally conceived by Richard Dawkins in his seminal work ‘The Selfish Gene’, a meme is the cultural equivalent of a gene (its similarity in name is no coincidence). Whereas genes are information passed down genetically from generation to generation, memes are information passed down through cultural means. The old joke “an Englishman, in Irishman and a Scotsman..” is a meme in that the same joke will be told in Iran as “an Iranian, an Iraqi and an Israeli…”. the framework which exists underneath the outer dressing is the meme.

As the internet has grown certain figures, images or icons have been used again and again to express a similar idea, universally understood by users. One such meme is Pepe the frog, who recently rose to prominence with the Donald Trump campaign. Many Trump supporters took control of the Pepe meme, which has existed on the internet for at least a decade, and used it as a form of protest against their enemies, to great effect.

In the 21st century protests, marches and their inevitable outcome, the riot, are now the reserve of angry, impulsive minority groups, which gives them the unconscious appearance in the European psyche of being course, rash, or crude forms of political or social expression. The meme has become a vastly superior sophisticated form of protest or psychological warfare to Europeans. The blatant lack of ability to understand and use memes by minority groups is painfully obvious.

Typical ‘black meme’

There are many in the European struggle who puzzle at the apparent apathy of their people to enact a response to the current situation, and it may seem that this lack of interest amounts to their certain death, at the hands of more energetic groups. Europeans have been through everything at least twice, their racial memory – always picking up subtle cues from the environment – is well aware of the amount of energy one expends when organising protests and marches and the such, and the relative futility of them in the face of the enemy. Europeans have become more nuanced in their behaviour and less physically obvious in their response to situations in which they are threatened. Once they had crusades and decades long wars, then revolutions, civil wars, pogroms, and short, large-scale ground offensives – each time becoming faster and more precise in the execution of the solution to the problem at hand. Europeans have faced their enemy many times before, and to respond the same way each time would be madness.

Europeans play politics like chess, reserve ones energy for the time when it will be most needed, and then, in as few decisive moves as possible, change the game. There is no longer any sense in bursts of energy, as these deplete vital stores and leave one unable to fully push back when needed. Instead, they suffer the spears and arrows, the constant insults and disrespect, the denigration and dismissal of their culture and the destruction of their civilisation, because they know deep down inside when the time is right they will strike back, and it will be devastating.

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The Culture of Morality

An argument that we hear so often is that, “You shouldn’t be so critical of x because y.” Now I am sure, that you have all heard the saying that morality is relative. Yes, obviously every culture has different morals and customs, however why does this mean we can not critique them?

To put this into easier terms to understand, let me give you an example. I say, “Islam is not a religion of peace, there are multiple points in the Quran that say to kill non-believers.” One would most likely argue with me that not all Muslims act this way. I might reply that even those who do not commit terrorism, never fully come out to condemn the actions of extremists. This could bring up an argument of a different culture with different morals, in which some might say, “You can’t judge them on their morals, they believe something different from us.”

This argument given to me, simply says that you can’t criticize a culture you are not a part of. Now, if this were true wouldn’t praise of a particular culture also fall under moral relativism? Using this logic, anyone who defends Islam, is also breaking the code of morality being relative. In Moral Isolationism by Mary Midgley, she explains how someone who argues like this often tries to justify the culture being criticized. This in itself is saying that you are able to understand other cultures and consequently form opinions on them.

However, this argument brings up the question of, what constitutes understanding another culture, or at the very least being able to critique or praise a certain culture. To me, this means to understand the core principles of the culture, and be able to provide decent evidence of these principles.

This is where I have a problem with Nazi and Communist LARPers alike. Do these people really understand the ideology or culture they are advocating for? Or do they just idolize the aesthetics or even just a small portion of the culture? When these people go to rallies, and wave their Nazi or Communist flag, they most likely have no idea what that actually stands for. They have fooled themselves into living a lie. Why does this even matter? Well, it matters because without a true understanding of these principles, these people are living in a fairy tale, if you will.  For myself, this is unacceptable, for I believe that an unexamined life is not worth living. How can you praise or critique a culture that you do not even attempt to understand? Be true to yourself and put forth the effort. If and only if you do this, you may critique, praise, or defend a way of living.

This being said, it is my opinion that a majority of today’s people do not even take the time to examine their own beliefs, let alone learn about the beliefs of others. So, what can you do about it?

The best way to start to understand, is to read everything you can on a subject matter. Start by being able to understand your own culture and ideas, then move on to the culture of others. Read about the people who created societies, and those who ultimately destroyed them. This is a perfect indicator of why people have their beliefs and why they are right or wrong. By doing this, it gives you the ability to take some time, and reflect on not only yourself but other cultures as well. Stop recycling the same old stuff people have been saying for years. Use this knowledge to prove or disprove theories on culture. Blaze your own path of understanding.

Obviously, judging morality of others is not easy work. However, by actively trying it, you can improve yourself and people around you. You can help people understand the failures and successes of certain ways of living. When others begin to understand, they become less ignorant. This may make them upset at first, but that is all part of the process of understanding. There is a certain beauty in it, and only by learning and teaching can you see that.

By all means, once you understand cultures, argue with people about them. Argument provides many things including improving your beliefs and changing the minds of people listening. Relating to the example I gave earlier, by understanding Islam, it gives you the ability to argue about it. In this aspect, knowledge is power. With this power you can accomplish great things. You can ultimately be the judge on morality. People will flock to your ideas, and this is more powerful than anything in the world.

Keep reading, never stop understanding, and become a leader in your community today.

 

 

@YouthfulSage on Twitter