The Variety of Memes On the Internet and the Emotions They Elicit

Whitney Phillips, assistant professor of communication and rhetorical studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, was quoted by Mashable, “Choose your memes carefully. They might change your mood.”

Phillips explained, ‘COVID discourses overlap with other political views, like the Stop the Steal movement and vaccine refusal. While cute animal memes are a pleasant way to encounter commentary about COVID, and may indeed elicit positive emotions.’ She continued by saying that ‘so many other memes on the subject are “upsetting, false, or outright dangerous.”‘