Have memes been weaponized? - Lets Beef

#1 11-11-2017, 01:58 AM

Y/N

Discuss.

11-11-2017, 01:58 AM

Y/N

Discuss.

**exwhyzee** · #2 11-11-2017, 02:34 AM

Memes haven't become as weaponized as people have just become more sensitive and open. Memes are memes, they've been used as they have for the past decade or more. There's just more material this day and age for memes to continue to thrive.

**exwhyzee** · 11-11-2017, 02:34 AM

Memes haven't become as weaponized as people have just become more sensitive and open. Memes are memes, they've been used as they have for the past decade or more. There's just more material this day and age for memes to continue to thrive.

**NOBLE** · #3 11-11-2017, 02:49 AM

Depends on what you mean by "weaponized." To some, politics is war. Have certain memes been politicized or made to serve political ends? Certainly. If politics is war, then those sort of memes could be considered weaponized. A lot of people don't even know the origin of or true meaning of the term "meme," and they think it just refers to graphic pictures people share on social media. I think it was introduced by Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, who contrasted them to genes. The idea is that we've evolved to the point where memes (or ideologies) are more important to our sense of survival than genes. Ideologies can make people react violently towards others. Hitler's teachings or the preaching at Taliban madrasas could be considered weaponized memes in that sense.

**NOBLE** · 11-11-2017, 02:49 AM

Depends on what you mean by "weaponized." To some, politics is war. Have certain memes been politicized or made to serve political ends? Certainly. If politics is war, then those sort of memes could be considered weaponized. A lot of people don't even know the origin of or true meaning of the term "meme," and they think it just refers to graphic pictures people share on social media. I think it was introduced by Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, who contrasted them to genes. The idea is that we've evolved to the point where memes (or ideologies) are more important to our sense of survival than genes. Ideologies can make people react violently towards others. Hitler's teachings or the preaching at Taliban madrasas could be considered weaponized memes in that sense.