"We live in a society" - meme.
Can you explain its origin and overall meaning as well as the debates and controversies this phrase and meme of the past year or so has generated, thanks.
shareI think it was originated in 9gag, but then Zack Snyder's Justice League made it popular by making The Joker saying it.
It is said elliptically, meaning "we live in a society, where... (insert some percieved injustice againts yourself)" but shortened into simply "we live in a society."
And the humor is supposed to signify the fact that...??
shareIt's a meme. The humor depends on how it is being used. In fact, the Zack Snyder's Justice League usage was not humourous at all.
shareTrue its a meme, or should I state, it has become a meme in recent times.
But what does it mean to state or signify, even as a "meme"?
That nothing really matters? That not all societies are good and equal? That some societies put social pressure on us to do wrong instead of right? Or...?
You don't understand meme, do you?
Ok, let me educate you on memeology. A meme by itself is nothing funny. The usage of the meme that may make it funny.
For example, nice guys can't have girlfriends because hot girls always choose jerks instead. Then you say, "we live in a society."
It means the society is rigged againts nice guys. You'll be forever single because you're not a jerk, because that's what the society (the system) wants. That's an injustice.
OK I get it. By the way, I didn't know a "meme" had something to it apart from its basic dictionary definition and that it officially isn't meant to be funny but its usage can be, and also, can it have some truth from it from time to time?
So maybe society isn't generally rigged against nice guys. But can some portions of it be? Maybe its also rigged against nice guys for other reasons and not just because it doesn't like nice guys, maybe it suspects them of something?
But OK OK I am probably looking too deeply into it and with own personal wishful thinking to boot. :)
"For example, nice guys can't have girlfriends because hot girls always choose jerks instead. Then you say, "we live in a society."
And no one who heard it even THOUGHT about say dismissing it as non-sense, spitefully waving an arm and say to themselves and others - "Nah, you know nothing, what a load of non-sense" and move on, correct?
Or maybe human nature don't always allow it, right?
The beauty of this particular meme is that it's kinda true for some prespectives, but also obviously nonsense at the same time.
Dismissing it would just ruin the joke. A 'wooosh' moment.
All good jokes have some truth in them. If a joke is totally 100% untrue it wouldn't be funny.