A Meme To Counter the Internet Darkness

This mission is part of the activity for a 2019 NetNarr class where we will be looking at meme images to maybe be more than just for laughs, that we might be able to craft a message to counter some of the internet darkness.

Start at the imgflip Meme Generator. This site provides along the top, thumbnails of the most popular used images for making memes. Scroll along the top until you see an image you recognize or just find you are curious about. Click the thumbnail. This is where imgflip is helpful- it provides the name of the meme, a way it can be searched.

Maybe we’ve seen a meme using this image of Oprah or maybe we just like her. Regardless, imgflip tells us this one is called “Oprah You Get a”. Copy this text.

Now we go hop over to the Know Your Meme site. Paste the name of the meme into the top right search box, and hopefully you will find the backstory of the meme image you selected. Our example is called Oprah’s You Get a Car. The information here tells you not only where it came from, but provides context on the way the image is commonly used (sometimes the examples and the backstory maybe be NSFW).

Now that you are equipped with some knowledge of this meme, return to the imgflip Meme Generator. Try entering some text on the message that reflects a discussion or topic we have looked at so far in #NetNarr (maybe tracking, digital detox, catfishing, self-representation) and make it into a meme message that works with the way it is typically done.

In this way, rather than just going for laughter, maybe we can send a sarcastic or hopeful message about the darkness? For example, maybe Oprah dishes out fake identities? You can find this image inside with the others that participants will share here.

When your meme is published, download it as an image file. In you response to this Make, upload or link to your meme. Add some description of your process to identify a meme to use, what you learned about the image, and how you crafted that into your NetNarr message.

Example for "A Meme To Counter the Internet Darkness":
http://somni.arganee.world/2019/90/

A Fake Identity for You!