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I'm really, really hoping that this will allow me to have a conversation with someone in my life who hasn't been able to understand the ways "innocent" memes can be turned into symbols of hate. https://kotaku.com/pewdiepie-calls-for-end-to-the-subscribe-to-pewdiepie-m-1834365026 …
It's easy to just say that we, as white people, should take responsibility and cut racists out of our lives, or confront them every time we see them. I can see that working with older adults- but, what if the problematic person is young, disabled, or otherwise dependent on you?
The poisonous part of these memes used as hate symbols is that what seems obvious to you- that the "just joking" camouflage is the sugary coating to make the racism go down easier- may be incomprehensible to someone else.
Telling someone to stop laughing and think about racism has not been an effective strategy so far. Getting angry is even worse- pushing them more towards the wrong side. If you can't talk to them, and you can't kill them, and they can't survive on their own wtf do you do?
That's why, as much as I dislike and distrust Pewdiepie, I'm relieved to see him publicly recognize what "Subscribe to Pewdiepie" has come to mean. If even he is recognizing this, maybe just maybe we won't look like insane people for leaving the room when an OK sign is flashed.
Maybe, just maybe, the incredibly tense conversations we've been trying to have about how memes that originally meant something innocent can become symbols of hate will start to make sense.
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