JESSICA D’NONSENS
Lampoonist
Bernie Sanders is every millennial’s wet dream. He promises free tuition, limited warfare, higher wages and now, he offers the dankest of memes.
“Bernie Sanders’ Dank Meme Stash” (BSDMS), a Facebook group created to get the Internet involved in the democratic socialist’s campaign, has recently surpassed the official Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders Facebook page.
Donning over 300 million supporters, the Facebook page centers on Internet phenomena, talking about the issues and the occasional Hillary Clinton belittlement.
When he first started his campaign, Sanders’ supporters could barely fill up a taxi, let alone an entire Internet subculture. So how does a man go from voter deprived to “Bernie or Bust” overnight?
Memes, of course.
“I come to the BSDMS to get away from my problems,” said Bernadette Sanderino. “When I come here, I am immersed in all that is Bernie. I can see no wrongs in him. He is my savior.”
While many supporters find this stash of memes cathartic and soothing, others find it troublesome and dangerous.
“What really is a meme?” asked Clillary Hinton, a person who gave a false name to protect her identity. “What makes a meme dank? These questions have been driving me crazy. I must connect with the youngins. How do I connect?”
Well, Hinton, here’s your answer: a meme is “an idea, belief or belief system, or pattern of behavior that spreads throughout a culture vertically by cultural inheritance … or horizontally by cultural acquisition,” according to www.urbandictionary.com.
Long story short, a meme is its culture. In Internet speak, a meme is something that may defy comedic conventions yet still induces a chuckle.
The issue with memes for Sanders is that they may end up making a joke out of his campaign. Never fear, though: Where memes exist, so does hope.