The Memes are Catching on to the Coronavirus!
For those in the unknown, first of all, how the f…ish are you still in the unknown?
Secondly, Coronavirus is a type of virus which has symptoms ranging from mild cold to severe Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Starting in China, the world is currently grappling to cope up with the pandemic.
And what’s helping to cope up?
MEMES!
While a serious pandemic which has killed thousands doesn’t really seem like a polite topic for humor, but meme-makers ain’t gonna stop.
Humor is known to relieve anxiety and stress, but how appropriate is it in times like these?
The memes have caught on to certain topics surrounding Coronavirus such as sanitizers, face masks and…toilet paper!
But what has led to a surge in the memes surrounding Coronavirus?
The fear. The anxiety.
The world is scared but no one would admit it.
Such memes offer a momentary respite from the stress.
Gen Z is shit scared right now but they aren’t having any of it. They have employed dark humor and memes as their social distancing weapon.
But what is so unique about Coronavirus memes?
It is a globally shared ’emotion’.
Starting from China, the memes have spread faster than the pandemic. With cases springing up in India, the memes have found a spot here as well.
Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are flooded with dank memes err day, err night.
The Indian meme community started the meme shenanigans when several educational institutions declared suspension of classes for 2 weeks. What followed was a storm of memes targeted at students. A favorite was:
What followed this was an unprecedented move by the Indian telecom sector. They set everyone’s caller tune to a PSA of a person coughing and explaining the situation around COVID-19.
Along with awareness, it helped in spreading a lot of laughter!
Indeed, that caller tune is nothing short of torture!
Every morning, Instagram is flooded with innumerable memes bringing newer aspects of Coronavirus into light. After hand sanitizer and face masks were declared essential commodities by the government, memes just couldn’t control anymore!
And obvs, Bollywood couldn’t be left behind!
Enter: Travel Bans.
To curb the inter-transmission of the virus, various countries including India have imposed travel restrictions.
A new term has been doing rounds during this time — social distancing. It is a term used to urge people to maintain a minimum distance of one meter from others and stay at home until this subsides.
But wait, who won here?
Introverts!
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Ever heard the above phrase?
It is high time that we acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and start practicing basic precautions.
It is essential to spread awareness, not panic.
Memes are certainly doing their bit towards reducing anxiety levels.
It is medically proven that one can’t feel anxious or nervous while laughing. Barring some exceedingly dark and inappropriate memes, the memes around Coronavirus are helping the world cope with constant anxiety and fear. To those staying at home and finding ways to pass their time, memes are nothing less than a blessing.
Say NO to Misinformation
Jokes apart, any and every situation can be easily worsened through misinformation. While the main purpose behind most of the memes is inducing laughter, some memes systematically spread misinformation, false news, panic and fear.
It is crucial to curb the spread of such memes and posts through a collective effort.
After all, we’re all here to spread laughter, not misinformation, right?
On an ending note, I just have a random thought:
Happy sanitizing!
In conclusion, this is a perfect example of how the meme community is holding a huge chunk of attention on the internet. And with great attention, come great advertising possibilities!
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