Item 2 – QAnon Meme
Collected From: Reddit/Originally posted on Twitter
Date Posted: On Reddit – 2019/On Twitter – Unknown
Original Poster: “@ScottHobbes” (account has since been deactivated)
Collector: Alex Hunt
Analysis of Texture
This, like many internet memes, is a picture made up by different layers of text and images compiled together. It involves various amounts of QAnon imagery, such as the flaming “Q,” and the white rabbit. There is a small series of statements covering the first half of the image that relate directly to QAnon ideology, as they specifically reference an event commonly known amongst Q supporters as “the Storm.” It seems as though these statements, though all dealing with the same conspiracy theory, are seemingly jumbled: They do not seem to form a coherent paragraph but are instead a simple collection of thoughts. The hashtag #WWG1WGA translates to “When we go one, we go all” and is a commonality among many QAnon memes. The mention of “indictments” and “these people” are most likely referring to the pictures located in the bottom half of the image. These are all various politicians who have been accused of being satanic pedophiles by followers of QAnon. In the right side of the bottom half of the image, we see a man identified as AG Whitaker, and his picture was implemented into the meme in a way that makes it seem as though he is pointing at the pictures of politicians. The blurb above his head is meant to be a potential quote of Whitaker whenever “the Storm” ‘actually happens.’ At the bottom of the image, we see the original poster plug his Twitter: This is done so that when the meme circulates around the internet, people are aware of who created it. The phrase “I follow back all Patriots” acts as an encouragement to follow the original account while also directly stating the targeted demographic of this meme. Despite the clip art imagery, there is somewhat of a stern, accusatory tone found within this meme.
Context
This post was originally made on Twitter, and, though the original account has since been suspended, I was able to do some digging to find out exactly what setting this post would occur. Due to numerous instances of various alt-right accounts tagging the creator of this meme,
@ScottHobbes, I was able to infer that he was a part of a smaller community within QAnon on Twitter that shared various memes and pieces of information with one another. In its original context, this post was most likely made with a more solemn tone than the typical internet meme. Instead of attempting to encourage a laugh in its audience, the creator was using the meme format as a mode of conveying their own personal beliefs to others who share such beliefs. Being that I found this meme in a different context on Reddit, I believe it is important to reference its function there as well. This meme was posted into a Reddit group named Qult_Headquarters and operates with the purpose of debunking the concepts found in the QAnon conspiracy theory. It was posted with the caption “QAnon memes are wild,” which is using the term “wild” in a derogatory way. The comments of this Reddit post were filled with various users making fun of the different aspects of this meme, making jokes about both the content and the presentation of the image.
Interpretation
I believe memes almost always contain folkloric elements, as they are usually an artistic representation of an individual’s thoughts and beliefs formulated in a way that is relatable to other internet users. This specific meme acts as a narrative of sorts, furthering concepts understood by the QAnon movement in a way that involves an individual’s personal touch. This meme involves the folkloric elements of art, tradition, and community. It is an artistic creation in itself, regardless of the context it finds itself in, as it is an image constructed with deliberate symbolism and meaning. The original creator chose the specific images he wanted to use in order to best convey his intended message and did so in a way that made it somewhat accessible to other users. It involves elements of tradition through its mere existence, as it follows the understood format of memes that exists within the internet. Though it is done in a fairly sloppy
way, it is easy for all internet users to understand this is a meme based off of the traditional artistic elements it uses: Images compiled next to and underneath stock text. There is also an element of community at play here in that it was posted with the goal of encouraging user participation. Especially in the context of the original creator’s group, this meme most likely involved a number of comments where individuals could use the shared experience of viewing the meme as a method of bonding. It conveys ideals that are shared by a number of QAnon supporters, allowing it to make sense to those in the movement without any explanation. It inspires a sense of togetherness whenever one person is able to post a meme that is understood by even a handful of other individuals. This is of specific interest to folklorists because it provides a snapshot of the views expressed by the QAnon movement, operating as a material manifestation of the thoughts and beliefs shared by its followers. It shares the qualities of many folkloric narratives in that t is capable of being passed around to anyone with an internet connection and is open to individual interpretation as well as communal commenting.