From Memes to Political: How Jokes Shape Our Views
MDA2009 DIGITAL COMMUNITIES
!! Friendly reminder: Before you read and begin with this week's discussion, let me warn you guys real quick that I am not a “biG FaN” of Politic (I’m being serious and not even joking). If you spot any errors or have fun facts to share, let me know!
Now, let me kick off with some big facts that memes are everywhere these days, especially in Malaysia. For example, you can easily get your daily meme dose through MGAG Instagram page where they will share anything that is viral from day to day and share it to the audience just to make people smile after going through a hard week. Whether it’s a joke about politicians flip-flopping on policies or a sarcastic take on the latest political scandal, memes have taken over our news feeds. If I’m being honest, politics isn’t just confined to parliament anymore, it’s right there, in front of our phone screen through WhatsApp group chat, Facebook and Twitter (X) timelines, mixed with viral videos and jokes that will leave us laughing and wondering, “Hold up, is this actually true?”.
example MGAG meme
picture cr: MGAG
Do these “memes offer” any real insight into politics, or are they just a distraction? Well spoiler alert, I think it's both for me. Memes might seem like harmless fun, but they play a serious role in shaping public opinion and political engagement, especially for the younger generations.
Where does the word Meme, Meem or Meh-may, come from?
I know some people are wondering what does memes mean? According to (Benveniste, 2022), the term "meme" has appeared in the New York Times Crossword a remarkable 60 times since its debut in the 1940s (Benveniste, 2022). While pinpointing the very first meme is challenging, British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is credited with coining the term in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. Dawkins originally likened a "meme" to a "phoneme," which is the smallest sound unit in speech, or a "morpheme," the smallest meaningful component of a word, according to Kirby Conrod, a linguistics professor at Swarthmore College (Benveniste, 2022).
At first, memes were all about humor, silly jokes that went viral for no reason. But over time, they evolved into a kind of social commentary. Consider Malaysia as an example. Memes like “Malu Apa Bossku”, connected to Najib Razak, the former sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia, helped rebrand him with a more approachable image despite his involvement in scandals. Political parties and leaders use social media as a tool to promote as well as condemn rival parties and leaders, including character assassination (Zamri et al., 2020). Memes simplify complicated political situations and make them easier to understand, especially for you people.
Then we have Zunar, a political cartoonist and total legend in space, who uses his work to push back against Malaysia's repressive structures. His cartoons go beyond humor; they provide an alternative view of Malaysian history and national identity, challenging official narratives around culture, nationhood, and citizenship (Yean, 2011).
Through his art, Zunar takes bold jabs at politicians and policies, crafting cartoons that often spread widely as memes. These memes not only reimagine politics with humor but can also foster a sense of togetherness, shaping identities and highlighting the divide between 'us' and 'them' in political discourse (Mortensen & Neumayer, 2021). Zunar’s work highlights what many people are feeling and gets them talking about important issues. His cartoons are a perfect example of how humor can be a form of protest and resistance.
Zunar's artwork about political
Why Memes Work and Their Limits in Political Understanding
Memes are effective because they make politics feel less intimidating, fostering solidarity among like-minded individuals and making political critiques more accessible. However, while this humor fosters engagement, there’s also a risk of trivializing serious issues or fueling hyper-polarization, which can sometimes limit how widely these memes circulate and may push users toward other forms of civic engagement (Penney, 2019).
For many young Malaysians, memes simplify complex issues and make them more relatable, turning topics that might seem overwhelming into something fun and shareable. This helps build a sense of connection, where people feel they’re not alone in their views.
However, while memes can grab attention, their humor can also trivialize serious issues, reducing complex political discussions to jokes. This can lead to hyper-polarization, where people take sides quickly, hindering meaningful conversation. Additionally, memes often rely on emotions like sarcasm or anger, which can rally people but are less conducive to in-depth discussion.
For a lot of young Malaysians who might not follow every move in parliament, memes break down complicated stuff in a way that’s fun and relatable. They turn big topics into things you actually want to share and chat about. So in the end, memes don’t just make politics easier to follow but they make it something you actually want to talk about with your friends.
Do you think memes help us understand politics? Well it's a yes and no. They’re a quick, entertaining way to engage with issues, but memes alone aren't enough, we need to look beyond the jokes and dig into the fact too.
Political memes, like Zunar’s art, can be entertaining, educate, and inspire change. However, they should be seen as a starting point, not the entire story. While memes can make us laugh, it's important to dig deeper and stay informed.
Abdul Latif, R., & Elgarrai, S. (2021). The Power of Political Cartoons: A Case Study of Zunar’s “Twit Twit Cincin.” Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 37(1), 146–180. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkmjc-2021-3701-09
Benveniste, A. (2022, January 26). The Meaning and History of Memes. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html
Mortensen, M., & Neumayer, C. (2021). The playful politics of memes. Information, Communication & Society, 24(16), 2367–2377. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2021.1979622
Penney, J. (2019). “It’s So Hard Not to be Funny in This Situation”: Memes and Humor in U.S. Youth Online Political Expression. Television & New Media, 21(8), 152747641988606. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476419886068
Yean, S. C. (2011). A cartoonist’s resistance. Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, 12(3), 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649373.2011.578805Zamri, M., Anuar, Z., & Jalli, N. (2020). “Malu Apa Bossku?” Najib Razak’s Political Rhetoric on Facebook Post 2018 General Election. Forum Komunikasi, 15(1). https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/42134/1/42134.pdf
