Attached is a selection of examples the internet meme known
as "Ordinary Muslim Man" from the website know your meme. Stemming
from the dissemination of personal computers and freedom of internet autonomy,
internet meme's have become a new way cultural expression. Internet memes take
form in pictures, written expressions, hyperlinks and websites. Due to their
anomimity of the internet these meme are sometimes expressing thoughts and
ideas that might not be expressed in public.
This meme follows the form of a "Image Macro",
which is a image with accompanying text. The picture in the foreground was
taken by Pakistani Photographer Aman Kahn of a unidentified fifty-year-old
Pashtun Muslim. The text that typically is placed with this meme follows the
"bait and switch" format with the first line making a remark that
follows the stereotypes of Muslims and the second line explaining the statement
as normal situation. This meme first developed in the social news website Reddit
in January of 2011 and spread in other social media sites such as Facebook and
Tumblr.
This meme brings up many questions about how stereotypes are
developed and reinforced. What does this Meme express about the underlining stereotypes
about Muslim in America? How does the feeling of Internet Anonymity effect what
people create and express online?
This picture is a screen shot from http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ordinary-muslim-man
Interesting post! It definitely reminds me of the "Successful Black Man" meme http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/successful-black-man. Not unlike this meme, the setup plays upon the audience's (supposed) tendency toward stereotyping along racial/ethnic lines, and then those stereotypes are undercut with the second line of text, as you explain in the post.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your questions, I think this is very clearly describing a stigmatized stereotype by implying that the audience is thinking something along the lines of "all Muslims are terrorists." Clearly, such a statement is inflammatory and straight up wrong. And the authors of the memes seem to be conscious of these being stereotypes rather than reflections of reality (how else could they undercut them so precisely?). But this leads to me to wonder what, exactly, these memes are supposed to be doing rhetorically? What argument are they making with these memes? I'd like to think it's more than just pointing out "hey, you're (or the culture as a whole) kinda racist/xenophobic," but I don't know what the argument might be beyond that? And if that is the argument, do memes like this do anything to change our thinking and/or behavior?
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ReplyDeleteIm not sure that the meme has a direct impact on thinking or changing behavior. Though someone might feel a bit of momentary embarrassment that they even get the joke and feel a bit racist, the images seem to be more about creating humor than making an actual statement. Though they dont change the way of thinking, they still DO point out the issue of Muslim stereotypes in a timely fashion that people will pay attention to. In that regard, I think the memes have indeed accomplished something anti-racist.
ReplyDeleteThere is much to be said about the initial reaction and final reaction that these memes create. The first line of text is usually a "common" stereotype that makes one think, "wow, a middle eastern mad would say that." However, the second line of text turns the first line completely around and makes it sound like something normal and acceptable. By doing this, the author makes the reader feel like he judged the "ordinary Muslim man" too early. In fact, the title of the meme, "ordinary Muslim man" is a stereotype in itself by using the word ordinary.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that memes like this do much to change our behavior or feelings about a specific group of people. Yes, they do bring out the stereotypes that middle eastern people are terrorists, but we all know that it is not true. After 9/11, the way the Muslims and middle eastern people was so terrible. It almost seems that memes like this are to make how Americans treated them seem more like a joke. This could be because Americans know the stereotypes are wrong and are almost embarrassed for their behaviors and feelings towards middle eastern people.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is familiar to me because my ASP is also about online memes. Pointing out "bait and switch",which means providing an unexpected contradiction inconsistent with the stereotype image,is a smart move since the contradiction is normally the reason why the reader burst into a laugh. One of the commonness of these memes is the implied association between Muslims stereotype image and terrorism, which may interfere with normal communication and cause hostility towards innocent people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that memes have effected in our way of change. May be the first purpose of this is to make a joke and amuse people. But in the long term, it makes people think in that way. After 9/11, it seems people tend to connect Muslin and people in Middle East with terrorists. And their different culture in inequality of gender. But we can not treat them as same way, because every religion has its extremists.
ReplyDeleteI feel that memes have been very popular lately and have mostly been about stereotypes. I feel that these memes do not change people's feelings towards a group, but they do rise current stigmas. These memes attach negative stigmas to muslin/ Middle eastern people and portray them negatively. To me these memes are just a joke and they do not change my opinion about a certain group of people. I don't think these memes are trying to say Americans are racist, but are just starting current stigmas that are attached to them due to 9/11.
ReplyDeleteI think this Meme expresses that America as a whole believes that Muslims in general, after the attacks on September 11th, 2001, are terrorists. But I think that if anyone else had committed the attacks we would have stereotyped them just the same. Though I think we as a whole (America) are stereotyping the Muslim population incorrectly based on what only as select number of people chose to do. I don’t think that Memes like this really change anyone’s view point on a particular subject. However I think it is easier for someone to express their opinions on such things as this now through Memes because they are not like paintings or pieces or writing that are usually only done by and artist or writer, these can be created by any individual and produced rapidly.
ReplyDelete