Introduction

Hey, My name is George Ghattas, this is my first Art Class you can say, I chose this class because I wanted to try something new and learn more about the Artist Community. My major is Criminal Justice in NJCU, I been a student in NJCU for 4 years now. One thing that I am interseted in doing in this class would probably be the memes that I have seen in the sylabus, I think that this class is going to teach me things I did not know myself and I will learn a lot in this class.

Quotes:

Chapter 2 Understanding Patriarchy:

“There is the perspective that men oppress women. And there is the perspective that people are people, and we are all hurt by rigid sex roles.”

1. This quotation emphasizes two important viewpoints on patriarchy, one that emphasizes the disparity in power between men and women, and another that emphasizes how inflexible gender norms hurt people of all genders. It questions the notion that patriarchy just impacts women, arguing that by limiting men and women to predetermined roles, these social norms can limit and harm both sexes, resulting in inequality and mental distress for all parties. It serves as a reminder of the multifaceted and intricate repercussions of patriarchy.

“Patriarchal rules still govern most of the world’s religious, school systems, and family systems.”

1. This claim highlights the pervasiveness of patriarchal systems in society, which have an impact on institutions such as education and religion in addition to the home. It illustrates how these structures are frequently based on hierarchical gender norms, in which women are either confined or subservient to men in positions of power. Because these systems form the cornerstone of many society structures and reinforce patriarchy in many facets of life, it also emphasizes how difficult it is to challenge or alter them.

What Memes Owe to Art History:

“Memes are essentially 100 years of text art boiled down into your feed”

1. In this quote, the lengthy history of text-based art is linked to memes, implying that memes are a contemporary development of easily assimilated and accessible creative expression. Similar to how text art did in its day, memes, in a sense, condense comedy and intricate cultural allusions into easily shared material. Consider memes as a part of a larger artistic tradition that extends over a century, rather than merely as sporadic internet jokes.

“Like modern art… our internet age moves fast, BT infinity fast, and people are always looking for the next big thing and the next laugh”

1. People are always chasing the next trend or viral moment, which is how memes and modern art are similar in their feeling of freshness and urgency. The changing movements and styles of modern art, where creativity and the need for something new were crucial, are reflected in the internet's rapid pace, particularly with memes. It serves as a reminder of the pressure to create and consume information at an ever-increasing rate in order to stay ahead of the curve in both art and digital culture.

Memes Are Our Generation’s Protest:

“You can express yourself with one picture of a meme better than a whole page of text”

1. This quote emphasizes how effective pictures are in contemporary communication. Memes are more effective in drawing attention and getting a point across than lengthy prose because they distill complicated concepts, feelings, or cultural criticisms into a single, instantly identifiable image or structure. It is evidence of how, in the digital age, visual media has developed into a highly effective means of expressing ideas, annoyances, and identities.

“They can say it easier, faster, and more to the point than they can with almost any other way”

1. The quote emphasizes memes as a means of rapid, unambiguous communication. Memes break through the clutter in a world when people have short attention spans and are constantly exposed to digital noise by providing incisive criticism or humor that is clear and concise. Memes serve as a sort of digital shorthand for complicated concepts or social protest, reflecting our generation's appreciation of efficiency and immediacy in communication.