Submission Type
Poster
Start Date
4-26-2023
Abstract
As the Alt-Right has returned to prominence in the United States, media and communication scholars have attributed their success to the democratic, meme-based communication of the movement (2020). However, few studies have grounded their arguments about Alt-Right mediated communication in their communities. This study investigates the functioning of memes as group communication mode by looking at meme creation, circulation, and user comments on the niche Alt-Right meme app "iFunny." In response to the existing scholarship, I argue that in this context memes function less democratically and more by a Darwinian logic of competition as measured by the prevalence of open hostility against outsiders and competition for attention and recognition in the app. The study concludes by discussing how a Darwinian perspective on Alt-Right meme discourse explains the group’s ability to remain resilient against outside influence.
Recommended Citation
Arnone, Surjit, "106 - The Darwinian Nature of Alt-Right Discourse on the Meme App “iFunny”" (2023). GREAT Day Posters. 2.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2023/posters-2023/2
106 - The Darwinian Nature of Alt-Right Discourse on the Meme App “iFunny”
As the Alt-Right has returned to prominence in the United States, media and communication scholars have attributed their success to the democratic, meme-based communication of the movement (2020). However, few studies have grounded their arguments about Alt-Right mediated communication in their communities. This study investigates the functioning of memes as group communication mode by looking at meme creation, circulation, and user comments on the niche Alt-Right meme app "iFunny." In response to the existing scholarship, I argue that in this context memes function less democratically and more by a Darwinian logic of competition as measured by the prevalence of open hostility against outsiders and competition for attention and recognition in the app. The study concludes by discussing how a Darwinian perspective on Alt-Right meme discourse explains the group’s ability to remain resilient against outside influence.
Comments
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