Olarve, Kedryn Jasher Loe V.

First Year, BS Industrial Engineering

1. Considering the definitions and functions of art you have learned from the
previous sections, would you consider these memes art?

After a thorough review of what was asked to read, I doubtlessly agree with the statement
that this type of memes is considered art. I want to support my claim by running over the four
given key points of Guillermo, as to what art is, and then associating them to the “There, fixed
it.” types of memes.

Art is sociohistorical. We begin by giving attention to the composition of the memes, —

the signifiers and signified. The material data (signifiers) utilized are grabbed photos from an
official news publisher, containing an image of a politician and his/her publicized message.
Underlying concepts (signified) are revealed by the intentionally-erased words and the
remaining statements such as “We do not have a solution, the government did not do anything,”
“I think we did not think,” and “Look the money, wala na.” The highly intimate connection of the
material data and concepts generate ideologies and perspectives that are significant in society
and history, for it presents itself as a social issue/concern — that may or may not agitate the
people of society, and help in construction of narration of a particular point of view to be looked
upon in the future as “history”.

Art is dialogic. Here, we transition from seeing these memes as a tool for humor and
entertainment to a platform that foregrounds agreements and contradictions rather than
concealing. In this part, memes will engage the viewers into a terrain of contention after serving
a horizon of meanings. This time, it is not all about looking at an art, and then appreciating
whatever it contains. Now is all about having an exchange between the creator and the viewers.
It can trigger; it can rage; it can appease. The main point is that these memes will create a
dialogue discussing enhancement of government and profounding the journey towards truth and
justice.

Art is construct. As we become critical and participative viewers of these memes assumed
as art, we liberate ourselves from the subjectivity of the creator, inclusive of his/her reactions
and experiences. We start to eliminate puzzlements as resulting factors of human experiences
shaped by social institutions and ideological discourses. We, then, do not give judgment to
these memes based on the constraints on the creator’s source of materials, span of crafting,
acquired knowledge on language, and other personal limitations, but on the ineffable mysteries
revolving around it.

Art is social import. Put into simpler terms, arts are bearers of — not neutral facts, but of
symbolisms and signals conveying values, concepts, worldviews, and ideologies. It MUST
directly or indirectly support or interrogate a specific or collective status quo, standards, and
interests, and initiate the viewers to take positions and sides, generate arguments, and accept
or renounce an idea based on social functional values, moral, and principles acquired — just
like what these memes are making the viewers feel, more than just humor.
Having all of those being said, I could clearly say that “There, I fixed it.” type of meme is art
— a contemporary art that is empowering; an art that makes you feel something more than just
appreciation; and most importantly, an art of today that voices out for the welfare of tomorrow.

2. What is the relevance of the memes today?

Memes are an assemblage of ideas, an output of psychological awareness and cultural

codes. It connects people’s thoughts and perspectives easily due to its huge audience and
creative means of expressing ideas that cannot be verbalized into articles, essays, and
speeches. Although the foremost goal is to elicit humor, memes don’t always come in comical
forms; sometimes they can be political and satirical, too.

On account of holding a huge audience, fluid relatability, and abundance to social media
platforms, creators have started to utilize memes for their own purposes. Big companies have
turned it into advertising and promotion materials; online influencers bring about it as
amusements for catalyzing the growth of their followers and subscribers; political parties induce
it to spread news of opposition or compliance; whilst ordinary netizens make use of it to
illustrate hilarious happenings in their daily lives.

Whatever purpose may be lying behind a single meme, its prevalence cannot hide the
obvious fact that it is very powerful and influential, making it highly relevant nowadays. We must
take note, then, that each and every meme is value-laden, bearers of principles, ideologies, and
views. A single one of it has a pure strength to both unite or tear apart a society.

Therefore, we, as viewers of these materials, are held accountable for our own
interpretations, reactions, and responses. We must push ourselves to dig deeper in
understanding this matter, for humor and sarcasm could also bring hidden dispatches that are
blatant, clamorous, and awakening. Still, let it be a universal plane to discuss enhancement of
humanity in traversing the journey towards the truth and freedom.