13 November 2024

Weaponising Memes: Reflections on Digital Propaganda

Mihaela-Georgiana Mihăilescu

In today’s hyper-connected world, memes – those trivial and satirical messages – are anything but that. They have morphed into strategic tools of propaganda that shape opinions, spread ideologies, and, at times, disrupt social harmony, their appeal lying in their simplicity, making complex issues digestible for audiences worldwide. This evolution from humorous content to strategic tools of influence reveals profound implications for how societies communicate, perceive truth, and negotiate power in the digital age. Hence, we must ask ourselves: how do memes shape our beliefs and identities?

At the heart of memes’ influence is their capacity to distil complex ideologies into digestible messages that resonate emotionally and intuitively with audiences. Memes have become ideal vehicles for a form of psychological and ideological warfare. Hence, the meme becomes the weapon, influencing public thought through humour, satire, or fear. This perspective reframes the way we think about conflict in the digital era. Unlike traditional forms of warfare, which rely on physical force, memetic warfare operates on the cognitive level, using images and symbols to affect public opinion and sway ideological perspectives.

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