MEMIRONY: REBOUND OF RELATIONSHIPS IN MEMES
Abstract
The study researches the mutual influences of memes and love or sexual relationships. It displays, that, on the one side, the topic of relationships is one of the most common and in many ways defines Internet memetics as a whole. On the other side, creating and sending memes became an important part of contemporary relationships and support them. Memes help to remember key point of successful relationships and this knowledge is a constituent of their background and allow develop them and, at the same time, strengthens their sustainability through good emotional context. Regarding this, the study displays, that memetic humour, even in its most sharp or black forms plays a positive role. Based on this the research introduces and considers the new concepts of memirony and metahumour. So, the study affirms, that memes are part of post-postmodern eventuality, more relatable and sincere than postmodern. Relatable, truth-to-life memes, in comparison with too intellectual memes, helps maintain closer relationships through genuine love game. The research put special attention to a linguistic component of memes, meme «languages» in particular. Except for basic memetic conceptions by Limor Shifman, Douglas Hofstadter, Susan Blackmore, etc., and the cognitive approach of Daniel Dennet, the study is based on the conception of love as a comedy by Alenka Zupančič and laughter as a linguistic appearance by Mladen Dolar, the conception of the relationships between sincerity, comedy and charm by Graham Harman, etc. The research was conducted on the material of Internet memes, as well as other works of contemporary art that demonstrate the importance of humour for relationships.
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