Team USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik at the 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC

Like political cartoons, memes can share ideas, styles, behavior, or language from person to person. Today, many politicians and public figures either manufacture memes or find themselves made into memes. Regardless of anyone's opinion of memes, they are commonplace in today's society. 

Today, memes can be made in an instant. Current events fuel the creation of new memes. Many memes are only relevant for a while before they are replaced or their content is no longer current. Some memes, like the one of Lebron James above, take inspiration from historic artwork. Who knows, maybe someday, memes will be in museums and galleries, as Thomas Nast's political cartoons are today.

Like political cartoons, memes are of a moment in time. They require the context of the time to understand the full meaning or joke. The references Nast may use in the political cartoons do not necessarily have the same impact on modern audiences as they would for Nast's contemporaries. Memes are similar. A meme from years ago may no longer be relevant to current audiences. 

2. What are some recent memes that were informed by current events?

3. How do you think people in the future will understand the memes of today? How does that inform your understanding of the political cartoons from Thomas Nast?

Standards for Student Engagement: Memes