The 2016 presidential election marks only the third presidential election in which social media has played a role. However, social media has already become a large factor in the success of political campaigns. Alongside the use of social media by candidates, social media users have become increasingly involved in shaping campaign coverage through the proliferation of internet memes. The term “meme” was coined by an author named Richard Dawkins in 1976, who defined it as a “unit of cultural transmission that persists by leaping from brain to brain” (Hess). Memes have been used in the 2016 presidential election to add humorous entertainment and spread messages about the candidates, while enabling social media users to get more involved in political
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The conversations during and after the debate focused more on inconsequential topics like why Ken Bone should be the next president, rather than what either candidate said. While humorous and entertaining, these memes detracted from the seriousness of the debate and the issues discussed. In years past, these debates have been crucial events for voters to get to know the candidates and learn about their policy initiatives. However, in 2016, tuning into debates have become less about formulating decisions and more about being able to understand the online jokes that follow. The Ken Bone memes dominated the conversation so much, that alongside typical coverage of political debates, major news organizations such as CNN and The Washington Post wrote articles on the memes and his rise to …show more content…
Benjamin A. Lyons, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, stated that “in many ways Donald Trump is a walking meme. That’s why it has become the underlying language of this election” (Miranda). While memes have been used in past elections, they have played a much larger role in this presidential race. Between his often controversial and outrageous comments, his hair, facial expressions, and tweets, Trump provided plenty of ammunition for meme creators. Trump has been the subject of a wide range of memes, from those who poke fun at his appearance by photoshopping his lips onto his eyes, to those that attack his credibility such as the one
The conversations during and after the debate focused more on inconsequential topics like why Ken Bone should be the next president, rather than what either candidate said. While humorous and entertaining, these memes detracted from the seriousness of the debate and the issues discussed. In years past, these debates have been crucial events for voters to get to know the candidates and learn about their policy initiatives. However, in 2016, tuning into debates have become less about formulating decisions and more about being able to understand the online jokes that follow. The Ken Bone memes dominated the conversation so much, that alongside typical coverage of political debates, major news organizations such as CNN and The Washington Post wrote articles on the memes and his rise to …show more content…
Benjamin A. Lyons, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, stated that “in many ways Donald Trump is a walking meme. That’s why it has become the underlying language of this election” (Miranda). While memes have been used in past elections, they have played a much larger role in this presidential race. Between his often controversial and outrageous comments, his hair, facial expressions, and tweets, Trump provided plenty of ammunition for meme creators. Trump has been the subject of a wide range of memes, from those who poke fun at his appearance by photoshopping his lips onto his eyes, to those that attack his credibility such as the one