Presentation Slides Template - SGAG & Pop Culture

GREEN EXITpresents

ADVENTURESIN ASIANPOPULARCULTURE

DARYLL DISA | ENNA SEAH | NADIAH MOHD | NURUL SHAHIDAH | SOPHIE HONG

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O R D I N A R Y | R E L E V A N T | S I M P L I C I T Y

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O R D I N A R Y | R E L E V A N T | S I M P L I C I T Y I N T E R A C T I V E | A L T E R N A T I V E N E W S


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P R O L O G U E C H A P T E R I C H A P T E R II C H A P T E R III

INTERNET MEMEMemes that are spread via social web (email, blogs, social networking sites etc)

Dynamic content that are managed collaboratively among Produsers (Bruns, 2007)

Ordinary, Humour, Simplicity, Repetitiveness and Whimsical Content (Shifman, 2011)

Highly visible at a global scale (Shifman, 2011)

MEME

Ancient Greek word “mimeme” - to imitate

Daily objects and elements such as

songs, ideas, art, words and even

architectural structures.

Transmission of cultural ideas, symbols

or practices that were easily spread/

imitated between people (Dawkins, 1976)

Local satirical meme site, spin-off from the

popular international 9Gag

Founded in 2012 by 25 year old Adrian Ang

who was tired of his “Singlish” memes being

rejected by 9Gag

500 - 600 likes on FB daily (151,000 likes on

FB) with average of 10 memes everyday

Present news in lighthearted, satirical manner

instead of traditional text-and-image format

Research Area

How Internet Memes (SGag) became part of

Popular Culture in Singapore?

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SGAG in Our Daily LivesChapter I

Culture is ordinary and it represents common meaning within a specific context linked to the arts and learning, resulting in a process of “discovery and creative effort”. (Williams, 1958)

Memes on SGag represent the issues that Singaporeans face in their “ordinary” lives. These include humorous and light-hearted takes on political, social and economic issues.

Satirical mode of communication reflects the process of discovery and creativity.

S O C I A LSGAG in Our Daily Lives

Friendly SMRT “makcik”

Singapore Haze

E C O N O M I CSGAG in Our Daily Lives

High Cost of Living in Singapore

P O L I T I C A LSGAG in Our Daily Lives

Salary of Ministers

SGAG in Our Daily LivesChapter I

Why SGAG is Popular

Culture in Singapore?

We are able to relate to SGag’s light-hearted takes on social, economic and political issues in our “ordinary” lives.

SGag provides an alternative source of news for Singaporeans

• Memes are timely and current

• Depicts central issues that are of concern among Singaporeans

Satirical mode of communication shows the humour aspect which is a central component of salient memes, reflecting the process of discovery and creativity.


A L T E R N A T I V E S O U R C E O F N E W S

W H I M S I C A L C O N T E N T

HOW POPULAR IS SGAG BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS LISTED BY SHIFMAN?

P O P U L A R I T Y B A R 100% 0%

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Creating & Recreating Internet Memes (SGAG)

Chapter I


Chapter II

Fiske (1989)Bruns (2007)

Active audience, people do not just blindly accept signs and messages

Meaning-making and interpretation by audience influenced by political, social, economic and cultural backgrounds

Shift from static to dynamic content, from hierarchically managed to collaboratively and continuously developed material, and from user-as-consumer to user-as-contributor - Produser (Producer + Consumer)

People created local memes, post them on the internet so others could see the satires, submit their own and share among friends

People interpreted memes differently

Simple on-the-surface meaning VS hidden agendas, deep-lying meanings

eg. funny images of politicians with sarcastic captions could hint at the public’s attitude towards the government

Pieterse (1980)

“Hybridization is a factor in the reorganization of social spaces...unsettles the introverted concept of culture and...ushers in a transcultural cut-and-mix”

“The doors of erstwhile communities are opening up across space and time...(traditional) fixities have now been superimposed onto images of experience and structures of familiarization”

Reproduced images from 9Gag with localised content

Ang mohs with hokkien captions

Local politicians, celebrities, current affairs etc become easily “reached” compared to traditional media

People can easily create a meme to make a statement about their minister or favourite actress online

Original Static Content

“Downlow” watched the post-game press conference in May 2009. Yao Ming made the face after teammate Ron Artest left the site of interview “Downlow” made a meme of the static

image in 2010 and submitted to Reddit with an interpreted caption that said Yao Ming said, “B***h Please”

Widely-use and one of the most prominent Internet memes.

SGag uses Yao Ming meme to illustrate various instances based on local context and culture.

Downlow who was a consumer became a producer. He is a Produser (Consumer + Producer)

Creating Meaning Based on Original Static Content

Recreating Meaning Based on Local Context

Hybridization


Chapter II

Meme can be interpreted based on the leader’shardhitting leadership and tendency to hunt his opponents down viciously


Chapter II

Original Static Content

Lee Kuan Yew speaking during a regional forum on government policies

Recreating Meaning Based on Local Context

Lee Kuan Yew addressing the crowds at the recent General Elections, during his speech at his ward

Meme can be intepreted as a joke on the 87-year-oldnever fading away from the limelight and politics inSingapore

Original Static ContentRecreating Meaning Based

on Local Context


Chapter II

Prime Minister Lee speaking at a community event in 2012

The electorate’s interpretation VS our own group’sinitial interpretationMeme can be interpreted as PM Lee not doing enough for Singaporean commuters about the major disruptions to the train service in December 2011.

Creating & Recreating Internet Memes

Chapter II

Why SGAG is Popular

Culture in Singapore?

Participatory culture. Higher visibility for produsers compared to just being an active consumer

Allows produsers to interpret and reproduce content in any way they want to

Simplified content allows easy consumption and sharing among a larger audience


I N T E R A C T I V E | W H I M S I C A L C O N T E N T

HOW POPULAR IS SGAG BASED ON CHARACTERISTICS LISTED BY SHIFMAN?

P O P U L A R I T Y B A R 100% 0%

MEMEINTERNET MEMES



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SGAG & Public Sphere and Discourse

Chapter III

SGAG as a New Public Sphere

The Internet has created a new public sphere, and SGag is part of it through its online channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Website)

The public sphere is a “realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed” and “access is guaranteed to all citizens”. (Habermas, 1964)

Preconditions for the emergence of the new public sphere: Disregard of status, domain of common concern, inclusivity. (Habermas, 1989)

SGAG & Public Sphere and Discourse

Chapter III

SGAG and Public Discourse

“Publics act historically according to the morality of their circulation” (Warner, 2002)

The ease and speed of spreading memes online gives them a longer circulation time

This ensures that the Internet memes are current, timely and relevant

Additionally, Internet memes are a fun and easy way to discuss matters of public concern in comparison to the primp and proper-ness of traditional media

Internet memes are a significant contribution to public discourse because it can engage more people

CONCLUSION

Features of SGAGthat made it a popular culture in Singapore

Ordinary People & Relevant (Shifman, 2011)

Whimsical Content & Humor (Shifman, 2011)

Simplicity (Shifman, 2011)

Engaging & Interactive (Green Exit, 2013) - Just Kiddin

Platform for Alternative Source of News (Green Exit, 2013) - Just Kiddin Again

Current & Timely (Green Exit, 2013) - Ok, not funny anymore

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D A R Y L L D I S A | E N N A S E A H | N A D I A H M O H D | N U R U L S H A H I D A H | S O P H I E H O N G

G R E E N E X I T

Presentation Slides Template - SGAG & Pop Culture

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