At least once in a lifetime probably every one of us has woken up with some kind of disordered hair that we could not get control of. Bad hair days are normal; bad hair days are part of our life; so bad hair days should be considered as one of the most natural things in the world. Besides, millions of people, mainly males in and around their 60’s, have a comb over. That is just natural. So why has the spreading of such ordinary (bad) hair of the potential candidate for the 45Th US-presidency, Donald Trump, via the internet becomes so famous? Why has Trump’s hair inspired so many internet memes and aroused global interest? Does his hair also help to spark political interest in young internet users and potential voters who generally do not know much about politics? And what insights do these spreading online memes give people into contemporary socio-cultural and media issues?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. A Theoretical Approach to Trump Hair Memes
2.1 The Function and Success of Trump´s Hair Internet Memes
2.2 Hair Meme Message “We Shall Overcomb”
2.3 Trump Hair Memes as Part of Contemporary Media Culture
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the phenomenon of Donald Trump hair memes to understand how these digital artifacts function within contemporary media culture, analyzing their role as both tools for entertainment and potential vehicles for political discourse among internet users.
- The theoretical definition and characteristics of internet memes according to academic perspectives.
- The communicative functions and successful dissemination of viral content.
- The semiotic and political significance of the "We Shall Overcomb" slogan.
- The representation of Donald Trump within digital, participatory mass culture.
- The potential for internet memes to increase political engagement among younger demographics.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 The Function and Success of Trump´s Hair Internet Memes
Internet memes are according to Shifman digital items that share common characteristics: firstly by a content of a specific text, ideas and ideologies; secondly by the physical appearance and specific visual dimensions and thirdly by the tone and style of communication and its communicative functions (cf. Shifman 40 ff.). Applying this to hair memes of Donald Trump it is clear that a common characteristic is the visual appearance of his ginger-blonde hairpiece, either blown up by the wind, being overcombed in a neat way or by remixing strategies by detaching the hairpiece onto some animal´s head.
Even though these internet memes fulfil Shifman’s theoretical definition of sharing common characteristics, it is still debatable whether all such hair memes also fulfil the same common communicative function.
To make an internet meme become successful, it requires three important features: simple packaging, the use of humour and simplicity (cf. Shifman 95). Assuming that all three are fulfilled in the above images, one cannot state whether these memes serve only one communicative function of some funny gleeful humoristic and simple entertainment. It could be also considered by some viewers as a kind of hidden political provocation. This may stress the communicative function of sharing political opinions and enhancing critical political thinking among U.S. voters as well as in global society. Furthermore, it may also function to attract worldwide (young) people who have a high internet-literacy but little knowledge about politics. It could trigger their interest in finding out who this person Trump is and why he is a famous political object of many internet memes. Even though Trump hair memes could serve as an entertaining tool in the first place, these could in the second place take over the function of getting more people interested into politics, enhancing critical reflection even among some young internet users.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the study, introducing the emergence of Trump hair memes and establishing the research questions regarding their socio-cultural impact.
2. A Theoretical Approach to Trump Hair Memes: This section provides a theoretical framework for meme analysis, contrasting biological-evolutionary perspectives with theories of human agency and digital dissemination.
2.1 The Function and Success of Trump´s Hair Internet Memes: This chapter analyzes how specific visual characteristics and communicative strategies contribute to the viral success and diverse interpretations of Trump memes.
2.2 Hair Meme Message “We Shall Overcomb”: This chapter explores the historical-political adaptation of protest slogans and their semiotic transformation when applied to Donald Trump.
2.3 Trump Hair Memes as Part of Contemporary Media Culture: This chapter applies Roland Barthes’ concept of myth to analyze how Trump’s hair functions as a signifier within participatory mass culture.
3. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes findings, noting the ambiguity of meme interpretation and suggesting that memes may serve as a complex bridge to political engagement.
Keywords
Donald Trump, Internet Memes, Media Culture, Political Communication, Human Agency, Digital Technology, Semiotics, Roland Barthes, Participatory Culture, Viral Content, Socio-Cultural Issues, Political Engagement, We Shall Overcomb, Myth, Subculture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The paper focuses on the phenomenon of internet memes centered on the hair of U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, analyzing them as cultural and political artifacts.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The core themes include digital media theory, the semiotics of memes, the intersection of humor and political discourse, and the role of internet-literacy in political engagement.
What is the main goal or research question?
The aim is to investigate why Trump's hair became a global meme phenomenon and to understand what these memes reveal about contemporary media culture and its potential to spark political interest.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a qualitative analysis approach, applying established meme theories (such as those by Limor Shifman and Richard Dawkins) and semiotic analysis (based on Roland Barthes) to visual case studies.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the definition of memes, the "We Shall Overcomb" slogan, the lifecycle of these specific memes, and their structural significance in modern participatory culture.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Internet Memes, Donald Trump, Semiotics, Participatory Culture, Political Communication, and Digital Media.
How does the author define the "success" of a meme?
Success is defined by the interplay of simple packaging, humor, and simplicity, combined with the unmanageable speed of global digital dissemination across multiple media channels.
What does the "We Shall Overcomb" slogan signify?
It is a satirical adaptation of the historical civil rights protest song "We Shall Overcome," reflecting contradictory interpretations ranging from humor to political protest against Trump’s platform.
In what way do these memes function as a "myth"?
Following Roland Barthes, the author suggests that the physical sign of Trump's hair becomes a signifier in a secondary system, representing abstract concepts like a "shortsighted would-be president."
- Quote paper
- Verena Born (Author), 2016, We Shall Overcomb. An Analysis of Donald Trump Hair Memes, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/322058
