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Some final thoughts on the Bernie sitting meme
There’s a reason why I believe the Bernie sitting meme got quite so popular: relief. I’ve written before about how certain memesreflect the public unconsciousness, and the Bernie explosion is a perfect example of this.
First off, it’s not a coincidence that the meme came out of Biden’s inauguration. The last four years of Trump leadership has been traumatic in a myriad of ways, but I’m going to focus on the most relevant for this article: the ubiquitousness of his image.
The kindest way you can describe the previous American president is as polarizing — and seeing a constant flood of his pictures was, well, tough. It’s made much of the internet feel like a battle zone each and every day. And the Bernie sitting meme is a salve to this particular emotion.
Although Sanders is a political figure, the image itself is deeply unpolitical. There’s no self-awareness, no desire to make a statement; it’s simply an old man trying to keep warm. In many ways, the image represents the opposite to Trump, a figure who waged an endless war to make everything about him.
This picture of Bernie flooding the internet and social media is making someone who clearly doesn’t hold many ambitions to be the center of attention, the key narrative. Could you imagine how much Trump would love this good-natured meme-ing happening to him?
And that’s a key part of its success: not only reverting expectations, but the delightfully twee and innocent joy that has circulated around the Bernie sitting meme. It’s a sigh of relief, a release of tension, an unconscious desire to return to simpler times; in other words, an attempt to be apolitical in an overly politicized world.
It was beautiful, as though the whole world relaxed for a moment. Bernie sitting was the perfect meme for something that’s been lacking recently: hope. The meme’s time may have passed, but it was glorious while it lasted.Relive the nostalgia here.
Story byCallum Booth
Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting(show all)Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting was cited widely, including in VICE, the FT, and the BBC.
Callum’s writing has appeared in The Verge, The Daily Telegraph, Time Out, and many more. He covers the full spectrum of technology, with a particular focus on how it shapes our daily lives. And a lot of regulation stuff too.
Outside of work, Callum’s an avid bookworm, a Fisherman’s Friends addict, and resolutely unshaven. Follow him on Twitter @CallumBooth or visit www.callumbooth.net.
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