Memes Do Not Move Us Ahead - #NoMoMemes

Lefties use 'em.
Righties do, too.
Russian bots use 'em - as do me n you.

NOT ANY MORE FROM THIS BOY. Memes can kiss off.

Imagine, if you will, an internet with no memes.

Close your eyes - inhale for 4 seconds - hold that breath for 4 seconds - exhale for 6 seconds. Repeat.

Now imagine your daily internet-social media experience sans memes.

One of the driving forces behind the internet was to foster communication. It was supposed to open a world of possibilities - broaden our horizons - instead it is narrowing our scope to the point that we express ourselves in tweet size bites of sarcasm. We sum up hugely complex issues with one or two short sentences juxtaposed on a picture(s) that PROVES OUR POINT.

Touche. Game. Set. Match. For MY side. I won - we won - we won. Who can dispute the irrefutable, solid as a rock, uber-genius line of shizzle our side just laid down on that issue with that bad ass, rockin' meme? My meme is better than your meme - my meme is better than yours. I can pee further than you. My missile is bigger than your missile. Neener, neener, neener.

Repeat after me: Memes are not communication. No how; not no way.

Here is how COMMUNICATION works. In the past few months I have attended a total of five city council meetings covering two very, very contentious, divisive issues: the potential of having a medical marijuana facility in Lowell and the effort to connect Lowell with several other regional cities and towns with a trail system - which happens to be 10 feet wide and might have to go in the front yards of a few people who do not want said 10 ft paved trail on their property.

The meetings were long and were attended by people who were about as far apart on the issue at hand as it is possible to be. Our City Council uses a set of procedural rules during the meetings. What they boil down to is that everyone gets an opportunity to state their piece in the allotted time (5 minutes). I came away from every one of those meetings with a better understanding of my "enemies" on the other side. I was also impressed as hell by the fact that no one called anyone any names nor said anything even remotely rude, condescending, or dismissive toward any person who had the courage to approach the microphone and speak their mind.

When one is on a certain "side" of an issue, it is hard as hell to listen to someone who holds an opinion 180 degrees opposite of your own. Sitting quietly in one's seat while listening to someone with an opposing point of view is hard work.

THAT IS THE ENTIRE BLOODY POINT - Communication takes work; mental and even physical effort, a good dose of patience and a heaping helping of civility with a dash of courtesy.

Memes are the antithesis of the aforementioned qualities. 

Memes require no true effort to communicate. 

Communicating with people who hold different views involves activating your compassion gland. When it squeezes out a spritz of compassion all of the sudden "the other side" is actually a person(s). If you allow the compassion dose to work its wonder - low and behold, the other side actually has a point of view with merit. Not saying you have to jump ship, but appreciate that others are just as passionate as you are. Politics USED to be about compromise - I give a little, you give a little and together we get stuff done. Not any more - any form of compromise is seen as weakness. (Anybody got a meme for that?) Guess what boys and girls, that is why nothing much moves forward on any of the issues. Guess what - you are not right all the time. Your opinion is not the be all, end all.

When I attended the first meeting about the trail system, I went there as a local business owner who wants to see all the benefits of being a trail town. In meme terms, my attitude was: Trails are great - only idiots would oppose them. Then I listened to some people who might lose a good portion of their front yards to a 10 ft wide paved trail. They made their points and they had legitimate concerns. I modified my remarks before speaking - I referenced their concerns and urged the City Council and the trail people to work with home owners and find a solution amicable to everyone. I still want to see the trail completed, but now my communication about it has been tempered with concern for people who are going to be the most affected by it. That is how communication works. I spoke my mind and they did the same. Good points were made all around and I am confident a solution will be found.

Sure, there are some kick booty memes out there - but for the love of Pete, to pretend that hugely complex issues can be dealt with, or summed up effectively, in a meme is pure bullshit - be you left, right or a Russian bot.

So - do you have the stomach to join me in saying #NoMoMemes?