Blog Post #3 - Katherine Fitzpatrick

    In the final blog post of CS 371, I will be looking at Articulation 2 and how it is reflected in both Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and the “Woman Yelling at a Cat” meme. Both have gone “viral” and therefore received a large amount of traction and attention from many. The second articulation describes how producing media enables individuals to communicate with others, how emotion is portrayed in certain media, and how one can receive power and wealth through the production of media. 

Martin Luther was able to spread his ideas and main messages through the use of nailing his work to the church doors, the distribution of pamphlets, and the distribution throughout the public (for example, individuals reading out loud to one another) (Mohn, 2016). While media technology played a significant role in this, Martin Luther’s opinions, views and understandings were the driving force behind the popularity of his work/message. In other words, his message resonated with a large number of people (mode of affect). On a similar note, this relates to the production of media enabling communication with individuals, as throughout the publication and dissemination of Martin Luther’s work, he was able to communicate and connect with the public (mode of communication). This can be seen in an article published in 2016 by The New York Times, as Mohn writes, “The ideas of the Reformation happened because of Luther’s words, and because of all the imagery that went along with it,” said Dr. McQuillen of the Morgan.” This quote is further proof that Martin Luther’s main message captivated many, and was one of the main reasons why his work became so popular. 

Martin Luther was “... the most published author in the history of publishing, up to that moment” (Mohn, 2016) and his work is a benchmark in history. This connects to mode of accumulation in the second articulation, as Martin Luther was able to gain fame, recognition, and power throughout the creation and production of his theses. 

On a similar note, the cat meme operates in a similar manner. While both images in the meme are unrelated, when they are placed beside each other with the inclusion of text, they create an image with a distinct and humorous message. Ritzen (2021) describes how the Twitter user “@MISSINGEGIRL” essentially created the meme by placing both images beside each other. Various instances of this meme have now been created, with many concluding with the same humorous message. I interpret the message as an individual becoming very passionate about a certain topic (the woman yelling), while the second individual is confused/disinterested (the cat). This is a very relatable situation for many, which can explain why the meme became so popular.

The virality of this meme has given the opportunity for many creative individuals to put their own spin on the images, and has allowed many viewers to connect with the message of the meme(s) (mode of communication/affect). Finally, the Twitter user who initially started the meme has generated a large social media following, and the cat from the meme (Smudge) has garnered thousands of followers and likes on Instagram. 

References

Mohn, T. (2016). Long before Twitter, Martin Luther was a media pioneer. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/arts/design/long-before-twitter-martin-luther-was-a-media-pioneer.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=wide-thumb&module=mini-moth®ion=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0 

Philipp. (2019). Woman yelling at a cat. Know Your Meme. Retrieved from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/woman-yelling-at-a-ca

Ritzen, S. (2021, May 20). How an unlikely marriage of memes gave us 'woman yelling at cat'. The Daily Dot. Retrieved November 26, 2021, from https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/woman-yelling-at-a-cat-meme-origin/.