Week 8: memes, memes, and more memes

Week 8: Even more memes

In selecting a more concrete focus for the proposed research on the cultural implications of memes surrounding the Stormy Daniels/Donald Trump legal fiasco, I am proposing five criteria of which memes must fit in order to be selected:

1.    The most basic criterion proposed for the research must be that memes must picture Stephanie Clifford and/or Donald Trump. If the individuals chosen in the memes are not the two themselves, there should be some reference to Clifford or Trump. For example, television shows such as Saturday Night Live, at many times, uses their own cast to depict certain famous figures. If memes utilize scenes depicting Clifford or Trump, they will also be accepted for study.

2.    If Clifford, Trump, or actors depicting the two are not seen in the meme, other individuals with textual references to the figures will be accepted.

3.    The second criterion selected concerns the issue of recency in content. Memes posted as early as January of 2018 will be selected for study. Trump has built a media empire around his television shows and appearances, including The Apprentice, and Clifford has earned fame through other means before 2018, so memes created before the legal issues between the two were made public will be excluded from study.

4.    In depicting the two individuals, there must be a clear, discernable dichotomy in how they are presented—either textually or visually in regard to gender. Images or text showing an elevation of the status of one gender while diminishing the social status of the other will be selected.

5.    As referred to in criterion four, a reference to gender in selected memes must be made; those specifically highlighting a difference between the male and female in American culture will be chosen.

The following examples will clarify the chosen criteria:

Figure 1

Figure 2

 Figure 3

Each of the three figures shown above highlight at least one criterion chosen for research. Figure 3 fits one of the basic requirements of visually depicting either Trump or Clifford, while the other two textually refer to Trump or Daniels in some matter, either using stock characters or other government officials. In addition, all were posted in the selected time frame of January 2018 to present day.

Thirdly, each of the memes presents a primarily textual dichotomy between men and women in American culture, either through cultural assumptions on the workplace or career, acceptance of a promiscuous lifestyle, or direct assumptions of women based on picture. To be explained further in analysis, Figure 1 highlights the notion that a promiscuous lifestyle for men is accepted, celebrated, and worthy of recognition, while a similar female lifestyle is not. Figure 2 uses text to communicate the notion that women should be attended to based on appearance and sexual usefulness, rather than any logical argument being made; if the individual in question is women, she should not be believed.

Lastly, Figure 3 uses imagery to twist the pictured context into one highlighting cultural stereotypes of the woman. While the context pictured is a polygraph test taken by Clifford in March of 2018 (Fitzpatrick & Connor, 2018), an assumption that straps around any part of a women's body is made for sexual purposes is shown through the addition of text in the sample. Clifford is seen with straps around her body, lowering the status of herself and women as a whole with what is culturally understood as a demeaning, promiscuous, sex-worker's lifestyle.

Fitzpatrick, S., & Connor, T. (2018). Lie detector test indicates Stormy Daniels truthful about Trump  ddddd affair. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/lie-detector-test-shows-ddddd stormy-daniels-truthful-about-trump-affair-n85828.