Meme Culture

Memes have become an essential part of culture and communication these days. As soon as a major event occurs in the world, memes about that event begin to flood social media. Youths, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, utilise the medium to create jokes and banter. In addition to memes being a tool for lighthearted jokes, they also help the masses to cope with drastic changes in society, do political activism, comment on societal changes in a sarcastic, ironic, or funny manner, organise movements, and share solidarity between societies. However, memes can also be used to diffuse hate and stereotypes and promote a separation of cultures.

This second kind of use of memes has been prominent for some time in Nepali social media. One can find numerous Facebook and Instagram accounts promoting stereotypes and hate in the name of “meme” and “fun.” Many memes centre around the long-abolished caste system of Nepal. One such meme portrays a clip of Ramdev Baba running forward with the caption “Kasto dami kt,” and at the bottom of the screen. The same clip is reversed such that now Ramdev Baba appears to be running backward, and the caption there says, “Kasto dam(a)i kt.” Memes like this are not only common but also widely popular among the youth circles.

Gen Z and Gen Alpha have a responsibility to be culturally aware and respectful of other individuals, regardless of the differences that might exist, as they have been born into a world that offers vast resources for learning and worldwide connectivity with other cultures. The circumstances make one believe that the upcoming generations of adults would be most tolerant of differences in gender, caste, religion, or nationality. However, in the present day, influenced by meme culture, youths are starting to spread hateful rhetoric and discriminatory messages, which leads to cultural deterioration and division. Such memes can also fuel religious clashes, incite racially/ethnically motivated hate, and disrupt the peace in society. It is essential that such rhetoric be moderated and spoken against, as it acts against the basic etiquette of humanity.

While the idea of some memes promoting or inciting hate might seem far-fetched, the seriousness of the topic cannot be trivialized. It's the small things that accumulate to form a bigger mass. Even when a small number of such memes get attention and traction from the audience, the social media algorithm pushes such memes further to more audiences, which leads to the hateful rhetoric becoming more spread. Youths need to be aware of the power they have on their fingertips and learn to be mindful of their presence, impact, and contribution to society.

The power to change society into a safe place for everyone lies behind the individual actions of each youth. It is only through mindful participation in society that individuals can recognize the consequences of their actions. A successful country is one where people from every caste, race, and religion feel safe, represented, included, and equally treated. Only in such conditions can national unity be fostered, and all citizens feel motivated to contribute to the development of the country. Conscious emerging generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha should focus their efforts on understanding differences rather than making fun of such differences. If they, as a collective, manage to stand up to such hateful expressions in the form of memes and eliminate hate from society, Nepal can move on to a new era of solidarity and prosperity.