Blog Post #4 - Qingyang Jiang
I chose the third articulation for my response. OH LAWD HE COMIN Internet cat meme involves media artifacts and messages spreading through culture and communities and generating virality across different media platforms. The meme originated as a playful modification of a chart illustrating cat body-fat indexes. Emilie Chang's post on the Facebook group sparked creativity within the community, leading to the birth of the "Chonk" meme. Once the meme was created, it quickly spread across social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit. The meme's reception was characterized by widespread engagement and participation from online users. People not only consumed the meme but also actively contributed to its propagation by creating their own variations and derivative works.
The example of Martin Luther also reflects the third type of media articulation. Luther effectively conveyed the message of the Reformation by using printing technology to produce pamphlets and books to spread his theological ideas. Driven by the printing industry, his media productions were widely distributed. These works spread his ideas and information to different audiences through various channels such as booksellers, the public and supporters, thus promoting the rapid spread of religious reform ideas.
Hi Qingyang,
ReplyDeleteThe power of media articulation is effectively illustrated by drawing a comparison between the "Chonk" meme and Martin Luther's use of printing technology to spread his ideas. These incidents demonstrate how media artifacts have the power to transcend their original setting, going viral and igniting social change. The third articulation of media demonstrates the medium's ongoing influence on communication and culture, from lighthearted internet memes to significant theological reform. Great work this week!
MONICA´S REPLY:
ReplyDeleteHi I really enjoyed your post.
Martin Luther used printing tech to get his ideas out there, printing pamphlets and books to spread his message far and wide. It's crazy how his stuff got everywhere, thanks to the printing industry. His ideas just went viral, reaching all sorts of people through different channels. It's like, back then, he was using the old-school version of going viral.
Hi Tracey,
ReplyDeleteI found your application of the third articulation to the "OH LAWD HE COMING" meme interesting! It is interesting that the original cat bodyfat index chart, a complex sign composed of many meanings, effectively has all those meanings abstracted as it is represented in Emilie Chang's post. Shifting the context of the presentation of the sign from a wall in a vet's office to an image on the internet significantly changes the potential meanings that the elements of the sign may acquire. Its intended presentation (on the wall on a vet's office) encourage a fairly uncreative, dominant decoding of the sign; in this case, it is meant to be taken literally, as the creator intended. However, appropriated into an online environment and subjected to the sociotechnical affordances of digital technology, the components of the sign may be dissected and reinterpreted. Here, they are imbued with new meanings pulled from the online environment and cultures. I think this is a cool example of how original meanings are abstracted, and symbols reappropriated and circulated within meme discourse in an online environment.
Great post! Your discussion post highlights the third articulation, demonstrating how internet memes and historical figures like Martin Luther utilize media to disseminate messages across cultures and platforms. The "Chonk" meme's evolution from a simple chart modification to widespread virality showcases the collaborative creativity inherent in online communities. Similarly, Martin Luther leveraged printing technology to distribute his reformation ideas widely, catalyzing rapid dissemination through various channels. Both examples underscore the power of media in fostering engagement and participation among audiences, transcending traditional consumption boundaries. This discussion effectively underscores the multifaceted nature of media articulation in shaping cultural discourse and dissemination. Good work!
ReplyDelete