In the ever-evolving landscape of online communication, memes have emerged as potent tools for influencing public opinion. This qualitative study explores the motivations, intentions, and strategic approaches of six meme creators through semi-structured in-depth interviews. It analyses how meme creators perceive and recognize their evolving roles as political actors, challenging traditional communication paradigms, resonating with audiences, driving conversations, and democratizing political engagement. The results reveal meme creators’ nuanced understanding of their content’s educational potential and ability to sway and influence perceptions. Meme creators view themselves as agents of change and perceive their role as crucial in the landscape of contemporary political communication, where they can shape public discourse and influence collective attitudes. They strategically frame political messages and set agendas, viewing their work as a continuation of political satire’s rich tradition. This study highlights their awareness of the ethical complexities involved and analyses how these meme creators turned into modern political actors and grapple with concerns around the monetization of memes and the spread of misinformation. Overall, this research offers a rare glimpse into the world of meme creators as it sheds light on their innovative strategies, their role in democratizing media, and their ability to transform the way we engage with politics. It underscores the transformative potential of memes and highlights that the meme creators’ work is not just about humor, but about making a significant impact on political engagement and public discourse.

中文翻译：

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永远不要惹“模因”：模因创作者如何重新定义当代政治


在不断发展的在线通信环境中，模因已成为影响公众舆论的有力工具。这项定性研究通过半结构化的深入访谈探讨了六位模因创作者的动机、意图和战略方法。它分析了模因创作者如何看待和认识他们作为政治参与者不断变化的角色，挑战传统的传播范式，与观众产生共鸣，推动对话，并使政治参与民主化。结果揭示了模因创作者对其内容的教育潜力以及影响和影响观念的能力的细致入微的理解。模因创作者将自己视为变革的推动者，并认为他们在当代政治传播领域中的作用至关重要，他们可以塑造公共话语并影响集体态度。他们战略性地构建政治信息并设定议程，将他们的工作视为政治讽刺丰富传统的延续。这项研究强调了他们对所涉及的道德复杂性的认识，并分析了这些模因创作者如何转变为现代政治参与者，并努力解决对模因货币化和错误信息传播的担忧。总的来说，这项研究提供了对模因创作者世界的难得一瞥，因为它揭示了他们的创新策略、他们在媒体民主化中的作用以及他们改变我们与政治互动方式的能力。它强调了模因的变革潜力，并强调了模因创作者的工作不仅仅是幽默，而是对政治参与和公共话语产生重大影响。