Quo Vadis?
For a few weeks already, I am thinking about a frog. Almost everyone knows Pepe, if not by name, at least they know the image. If you are interested in the origins and evolution of that meme, you can dig deeper here, but, to me, a few things stood out during the years. So, just some associations that still linger in my mind as of today.
I became aware of Pepe when I came into contact with MAGA and alt-right meme-sphere before and during Trump, Season One. It didn’t surprise me one bit, then, when I later found out that Anti-Defamation League (ADL) lists it as a hate symbol. Which does not surprise me either because, as ADL writes on their website, “our founders established ADL based on their Jewish values.”
It is basically the same situation as with swastika (i.e. cross with hooks) — it’s so much more than a hate symbol, but you simply can’t deny the association with hate too.
Something similar as when The Economic Times noticed lately that, “Elon Musk flummoxes internet with ‘Kekius Maximus’ persona,” observing that, “It also sent internet sleuths hunting for answers: Was the name change just for the laughs? Was there a hidden message? Was this another thinly-disguised attempt to jolt the crypto markets? More troublingly, was it a wink and a nod to online hate groups?”
Indeed, a multilayered expression without a definitive answer offering as much plausible deniability and wiggle room as possible.
Yet, in recent days another association occurred to me too: “Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle […]” (Revelation 16:13–14)
Well…
I don’t want to jump to conclusions because, as I was reminded and I fully agree, time will tell. I also don’t want to ignore what I see. In any case, I have to say that human mind is beyond fascinating. Like, seriously wtf :D
I guess I’m starting to understand why humanity may need a narrative. Not for the present moment, but in order to move toward future. Then again, the natural need to celebrate and enjoy together the fact that we are here to begin with, which comes with knowledge of our true nature, may be enough as it can encompass and motivate any story that leads us on a path that has a heart.
And that’s not a bad way to be.
