MEMES!

An argument (opinion, position) is presented on top with a question mark that leads the reader to question its validity. The image, which is familiar from film and other memes, is of a person who is confident in their argument. Also, because this is a picture of the character Willy Wonka, many viewers will associate this image with greedy children and adults getting punished in hilarious ways. The sarcastic message at the bottom drives home to message that the image conveyed; also, it has the “last word” in the “debate.” The basic strength of memes like this one is that the creator (or whoever re-posts it) are not required to defend their claims with evidence; the authority of the argument is in the attitude conveyed, not in the logical strength of the support.

Other memes differ slightly in format and purpose, but the basic rhetorical strategy is the same: One does not simply… Why the fuck… So you’re telling me…

Project 1 Each member of your group will be finding one meme from the internet, and then using the same image to create your own meme that responds to the ideas from Freakonomics chapter 1; for example, Found: Created:

Then, analyze the meme you found. Starts by setting up the situation, and argument between two vegans. *Vegans are people who do not eat meat or other animal projects. The picture is of the ‘philosoraptor,’ a dinosaur with a curious expression. We all know that dinosaurs had tiny brains, so the idea of one thinking deeply is amusing. The punchline of the joke uses a common slang term for a fight, a “beef,” where the term directly conflicts with what we know about vegans (they don’t eat beef or any other meat). This meme is a joke with a set-up, a funny image, and a punchline. It’s only purpose is to entertain.

Leave the meme you created alone. A different group will be responsible for analyzing it when it is presented. Each group member must contribute two memes: one found, and once created. Each group will present their project using powerpoint or google slides. DUE Thursday, September 14th