Meme Post: Mohamed

 What is Patriarchy?

    Patriarchy is the social system where men dominate and are the superior of the sexes, exerting dominance in political, economic, and cultural spheres.

What is Activism?

    Activism involves bringing about change in social, political, economic, or environmental issues through protest and direct action. It involves challenging existing systems, raising awareness, and working towards justice. 

Understanding Patriarchy 

"I tried to warn you. You need to accept that you are just a little girl and girls can't do what boys do"

"Women can be as wedded to patriarchal thinking and action as men"

    In Understanding Patriarchy, Bell Hooks shares her experience growing up in a patriarchal household, where these beliefs were imposed on her and her brother from an early age; beliefs that go back even before her parents’ time. Patriarchy was reinforced everywhere: in homes, schools, churches, media, etc. Even in households that reject patriarchy, it’s nearly impossible to escape its influence because it’s deeply woven into our society. The system teaches that men are supposed to lead, be aggressive or violent, and suppress their emotions because showing vulnerability is a sign of weakness. Meanwhile, women are expected to be feminine and supportive of men. Through her own experiences of trauma and abuse, Hooks demonstrates the impact of living in a patriarchal household. I appreciate how she also points out that patriarchy isn’t solely men’s fault, both men and women play a role in upholding it and must be held accountable.

MEME AS RESISTANCE POST

How CAN memes act as a form of resistance and advocacy? 

    Memes are our generation's way of protesting; they're simple, funny, quick, and easy to understand. Almost anyone can grasp a meme's message, and it spreads like wildfire, making it a powerful tool for raising awareness about social, political, economic, or environmental problems. As the article What Memes Owe to Art History states, “Memes aren’t an innocent process—they carry serious political weight, and not always of the activist variety.” This means anyone can use memes whether for political reasons or not, for good or bad. Whenever I think about that, it reminds me of the famous Spider-Man quote "With great power comes great responsibility." However, the biggest drawback of memes is that their impact is often short-lived. Just as quickly as they gain traction, they fade from public attention. Due to memes being so fast and easy to consume, their influence rarely lasts.

Mohamed Camara

Scott Bram