Thousands flooded the streets of multiple states on January 30th for an ICE Out protest that rallied against the expansion of ICE and anti-immigration policies. Chants and footsteps echoed not just in their cities but online as well. It’s an understatement to say that social media has changed the way the average person interacts with social justice movements. Surveillance is everywhere, and you can easily be posted on the internet at these protests. However, there has also been an influx of people posting themselves at protests. Mainly, these posts included pictures centering on the posters that protesters carry at these demonstrations.
This led to the controversy of mainly Gen Z protests carrying funny or lighthearted posters. The posters included memes or even pop culture references like “Heated Rivalry.” Comments under these posts opposed the posters, expressing frustration at the lack of seriousness from these protesters. Other comments argued that these posters were bringing awareness by being attention-grabbing. In addition, some claimed that it was not bad to find humor in dark times. This discourse echoes the ongoing question, “ Has Gen Z become too desensitized?”
Gen Z had an explosive introduction to the internet during the early 2000s and 2010s. Music videos and vlogs started to be posted on YouTube. Content creators and social media influencers started to become actual jobs. The internet hosted fandom spaces for fans all around the world. Growing up with the internet almost seemed inescapable. However, this online usage also came with concerning attributes. Young teens and children were exposed to problematic spaces like Tumblr ED culture and apps like Kik, where inappropriate connection with adults could easily occur. Also, the concepts of Lolcows and Cancel Culture contributed to a rise in hate campaigns and cyberbullying. Gen Z has had first-hand experience of the cruelty that can be found on social platforms.
These experiences can affect how Gen Z takes in information online and offline. When seeing routine images of tragedy, it can start to seem as though these tragedies are normal and inevitable. A sense of disconnect from the communities affected by these tragedies can begin to form. This disconnect can be seen in common jokes or memes spread online. One example is teens from the United States making jokes about the recent bombing of Iran. Many make posts with the caption, “First world war, kinda nervous,” or making jokes by asking Iran to bomb them after their favorite artist’s album comes out. All while actual Iranians are brutally murdered in a blink of an eye.
This is not to say that social justice movements have to be filled with sadness and grief. The article “Joy as Resistance: Why Feeling Good is a Radical Act” by Mindless Labs explains that, “In a culture that profits from your exhaustion and thrives on your anxiety, feeling good becomes an act of rebellion. Choosing joy isn’t just personal healing. It’s reclaiming your right to exist fully in this life.” Displays of joy have their place in social movements. There’s been many examples of the spread of joy in these movements. Jingle dress dancers performing during the pro-Palestine protest gave people a sense of hope and unity. Volunteers teaching or tutoring students from less privileged backgrounds shaped by racism and classism.
People from multiple generations joining their local grassroots movements. These acts and many more let us know that there’s joy and strength in community. This joy outlasts the surface-level laughs we get from memes online. In times of political tension and uncertainty it is important to feel all the emotions that come up within our society. The emotions anger, sadness, love, and joy are what make us human. It’s when we sit in these emotions that we can fully show up for each other as a society.