the emergence of memes in online discussions about scandinavian economics

Laurie Prange-Martin 1

The Emergence of Memes in Online Discussions about Scandinavian

Economics

Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada (AASSC) http://aassc.com/category/conference/

Conference 1 June 2016 Laurie Prange-Martin

Laurie Prange-Martin 2 Laurie Prange-Martin 2

Presentation Outline Introduction •  What are memes? •  Why am I so excited about this case study? •  What is emergence? Social media context? Value to AASSC •  Examining the 3 most popular memes about

Scandinavian economics •  How we can shape the content of future memes

about Scandinavia •  Value to us as faculty and researchers


What are (Internet) Memes? •  “A meme is a packet of information that is

spread within a culture.” –  Source:

http://memedocumentation.tumblr.com/definition

•  Generally, an image that goes viral on

social media •  But, unlike text-based posts, rarely used

in news stories •  Often quoted by people in debates


There’s even a Meme Librarian

•  Amanda Brennan at Tumblr –  http://memelibrarian.com

•  Tumblr is the micro blogging site for people who like to communicate with images, sound, and minimal text to entertain and sometimes educate

•  Featured in The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/12/21/tumblrs-meme-librarian-has-the-best-job-on-the-internet/


Dissertation Case Study: Memes

•  Studying the emergence of new sectors •  What do I mean by emergence? – The very spark of when new sectors start

•  Wholly new sectors •  Old sectors in a new regions

– The conditions that made it happen

– The pre-legitimization phase


How did Internet Memes Emerge?

1.   Software improvements 2.   Instant sharing via social media

a.   Far faster than forwarding an email 3.   Looking for new way to promote and

persuade 4.   Looking for new revenue streams

a.   Social analytics = sell information on what people are thinking and discussing

b.   Web analytics = sell ad space based on traffic c.   Byproducts = books, t-shirts, notecards, etc.


Why do Memes go Viral? 1.   Truth-telling

a.   Funny because it’s true b.   Believable because the data are true c.   Persuasive because answers “angry” questions

2.   Start at grassroots level 3.   Continue because derivations are possible

BONUS: Noticeable increase in viral-ity around election periods. Maybe because that’s when people are trying to be the most persuasive?


Arguably the most viral meme •  Posted immediately a4er

2012 US federal elec<on •  “…my original graphic was

being adapted, modified, and repurposed in a mind-‐blowing variety of ways, and then shared and redistributed all over the place.”

•  Source: hGps://medium.com/@CRA1G/the-‐evolu<on-‐of-‐an-‐accidental-‐meme-‐ddc4e139e0e4#.3iqdgupv7

The original image — December 19, 2012 — h7ps://plus.google.com/+CraigFroehle/posts/AdKcNKesXwa


Theoretical Lens •  Social Movement Theory •  Four phases (source:

https://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-1248.pdf ) 1.   Emergence 2.   Coalescence 3.   Bureaucratization 4.   Decline


Social Movement Theory – Characteristics of Emergence

•  Very preliminary •  No organization, standardization, rules,

frameworks, etc. •  High level of discontentment •  People are becoming motivated •  Actions taken are not strategic or

collective


Methodology

•  Case study – Examining the the emergent phase of a

social movement – Focused sample size

•  By popularity •  By subject matter

•  Unobtrusive data collection •  May lead to answers applicable to the

readers


Choosing Study Sample

If popularity equals success… Popularity as defined by Tumblr 1.   Popular, but not too mainstream 2.   Potential for others to make derivations 3.   Occur spontaneously –  i.e. not from a corporation

4.   Humourous element Source: http://memedocumentation.tumblr.com/definition


Further criteria for sampling

1.  For study sample 1.   Must be about Scandinavia, or at least

Nordic countries 2.   Must related to business or economics

2.  For recommendations write-up 1.   If possible, example from academia


Meme #1 •  Posted by Mint Press News Oct.

2, 2014 •  Independent, non-‐par<san news

website hGp://www.mintpressnews.com

•  Only meme in sample that doesn’t seem to be about promo<ng the creator

•  Most well-‐known and sparked a discussion on Reddit hGps://www.reddit.com/r/Shitsta<stssay/comments/2i2jet/why_is_denmark_the_happiest_country_in_the_world/


Meme #2 •  Created by a branch of the

Occupy Movement, USA Uncut, and first posted Feb. 4, 2013

•  Clearly about promo<ng the creator, note that the URL can’t be cut-‐off the image

•  Most specific informa<on of the sample.

•  Only one that seems not to have any deriva<ons

•  hGps://www.facebook.com/usauncut


Meme #3 •  Least informa<on given

in the meme, but it’s also the funniest

•  Also, the one with the most deriva<ons online

•  “added 4 years ago” MemeCenter.com

•  Unsure about creator –  Name = Serkan –  Loca<on = Turkey –  Age = 35 years


Themes from Data Analysis

So, why were these memes created and then shared by thousands of people?

1.   Persuade voters 2.   Mobilize knowledge 3.   Promote creators 4.   Gather data •  But this goal wasn’t obvious to the people

sharing the memes


Recommendations: Why would an academic create memes?

1.  Departmental and program promotion 2.  Knowledge mobilization

a.   Disseminate data b.   Answer questions, clear up untruths

3.  Data collection for research a.   What people are discussing about

Scandinavia


Example of Academic Program Promo<onal Meme

•  Created by a professor to promote the Literature department at Purdue University via Dept. Facebook page

•  Posted Oct. 20, 2015 •  1.4K Likes •  5,000+ shares •  As a comparison, other pictures

on that Dept. Facebook page have 7 Likes and 0 shares

•  Source: hGp://fordhamenglish.com/news1/2015/10/22/fordham-‐english-‐post-‐goes-‐viral


We joke about using a meme to present findings, but…


…Memes are excellent for Data Dissemina<on and Knowledge Mobiliza<on

•  Dr. Nick Falvo, Director of Research and Data at Calgary Homelessness Founda<on

•  His focus is on sharing visuals of analyzed data, and posts on a regular basis from mul<ple sources (all references provided)

•  Source: hGp://www.parl.gc.ca/CommiGeeBusiness/CommiGeeHome.aspx?Cmte=FINA&Language=E

•  Nick’s note: Using Adobe’s ‘snapshot’ func<on, I have taken the above visual directly from page 14 of the report.


Example of a Truth-‐Telling Meme •  Meme base on a leGer to the editor in

The Toronto Star in 2004 •  Dr. Silvia D'Addario and her students at

York University manipulated the meme to tell the truth in a new version for circula<on Dec. 2015. Source: hGp://ccrweb.ca/en/pensioners-‐myth

•  The Toronto Star has responded to the meme: hGps://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/12/11/a-‐mistake-‐that-‐travelled-‐around-‐the-‐world-‐and-‐back-‐again-‐public-‐editor.html?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=postplanner&utm_source=twiGer.com

•  The Canadian government has also responded to the meme: hGp://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=105&top=11


Example of Using Memes for Research & Data Collec<on

•  Research Wahlberg (hGps://www.facebook.com/researchmark/ ) by the same person running Shit Academics Say (hGps://twiGer.com/AcademicsSay ).

•  Dr. Nathan Hall, Associate Professor at McGill in Dept. of Educa<on and Counselling Psychology

•  In 2015, ran 3 studies and recruited 9,000 study subjects thanks to his social media work

•  Source: hGp://chronicle.com/ar<cle/AcademicsSay-‐The-‐Story/231195

•  Source: hGp://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-‐ar<cle/the-‐mcgill-‐prof-‐behind-‐shit-‐academics-‐say/


So, how and why again did so many memes about Scandinavia

emerge recently? •  To communicate information quickly to a

community •  To persuade voters •  To collect data on peoples’ online

behaviour and discussions •  Because we are not making and sharing

our own

Laurie Prange-Martin 26

The End

Thank you for your time! I welcome all feedback to translate this

presentation into a journal article.

Laurie Prange-Martin [email protected]

the emergence of memes in online discussions about scandinavian economics

Economy & Finance