How do you know they are lies? 😂
Discussion
How do you know they're truths?
That’s the whole point. Powerful memes will make you think and want to dig a little deeper in a quest for truth. Poor memes are what they are and invariably end up in self-contradictions and other fallacies. Memes require critical thinking to create them and to understand them effectively; something that is unfortunately lacking in a generation that has been indoctrinated in what to think, instead of how to ask questions.
Do they make people think and go deeper, though? I guess that's what I am doubting.
Memes are hilarious. Not all but when they hit, oh boy. Comedy is subjective. Communicating in this way is brilliant. NY times used to pay (not sure anymore) lots of money for political /current event cartoons. Math followed those to get a pulse on what was happening. Not all true but typically timely/current & there is always truth in comedy. Somewhere. There are also tons of great articles, YouTube videos, podcasts etc etc for information. Memes are just a quick hit and are brilliant when done well. IMO.
Would you say that the average bitcoin pleb on twitter/nostr has done more research on the history of money, monetary policy, etc (whether or not you agree with their conclusions) than an average person you meet on the street?
Yes. I do think that. I also think that understanding often comes from one singular school of thought, though -- the Austrian School, which I argue forms an incomplete view on the subject.
Would you consider that a sign that they’re willing to go deeper? Even if the depth of their curiosity ends at their first stop. Those who searched have a framework to build their opinions (even if your opinion is that it’s flawed), when the average Joe on the street doesn’t.
Yeah. I think there's a lot of curiosity to learn more.
It depends on the person. Some might see something, take it at face value and move on. More curious minds are willing to take a second look and dig further. In that case they might end up learning the truth about something. And that makes it all worth it.
I'm not sure people tend to seek out nuance, on average.
I guess I’m back to my first point, where memes can communicate simple and powerful truths very effectively. Even if someone is not bent on seeking out nuance, memes are also quick to remember and can hit the subconscious in a way that other forms of communication cannot. Once in the subconscious, it can become a seed to be drawn upon when the opportunity presents itself. So whether or not the audience thinks critically or takes things at face value, memes can be effective either way, making it a very powerful communication device. It would be unwise, in this day and age of exponentially shortened attention spans, to disregard the value of memetics.