The way that communication has evolved has been revolutionary. We have the means in 2016 to communicate with individuals around the world through the technology that has emerged within recent years. The development of the Internet, especially social media platforms have allowed for a new form of sharing to occur in a new era that doesn't rely solely on face-to-face communication like in the 16th century.
It's argued that Luther was the first to bring 'social media' to 'life' through the message being nailed onto the doors of the church, which allowed for an audience to emerge. Luther allowed for individuals to become interested on the protest that was happening against the Catholic Church which allowed for his message to get shared within the community. The idea of Luther's 95 Thesis' was to evoke and move people to social action, by the sharing of the message through different media platforms by different individuals that were involved in the community (Herman, 08-11-2016).
Luther was able to begin a movement of social interaction between different bodies of communities through the propaganda that was occurring. Through the religious activism it allowed for people to be affected by the message that was being shared and it got numerous of people involved.
Medium - Print and Paper
Message - Luther's 96 Thesis
Agents - Got people involved (Publisher, worker, the PEOPLE who read and shared it with friends)
Luther was able to share a message to a mass audience that broadcasted a movement about social interaction between communities. Today, we have technologies that allow for conversations to happen without needing to be physically present. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow for people to voice their opinion on an issue (like Luther did with the church) to an audience that has the ability to respond instantaneously. Memes as we have learnt in class are an effective was that bring a mass audience to partake in different issues around the world whether that be political, social, economical or just for entertainment. Pepe The Frog is a well known meme that has been shared on numerous social media platforms that was brought into the 2016 Presidential Election referring to Donal Trump. The meme when it began to be affiliated with Donal Trump's (controversial) camp again began to be labeled as a white supremacist symbol that was noted on a national scale (KnowYourMeme - Pepe The Frog). When Pepe The Frog began to be linked to the Trump campaign it gained a lot of attention from different communities that were geographically located in numerous parts of the world. People began to get involved in this revolution of Pepe The Frog meme through sharing and talking about the problematic issue through the Internet. Pepe The Frog would not have received the same attention that it did if it was not affiliated with Donal Trump, it allowed for the message to be broadcasted to a mass audience that affected people around the world differently when they came across the meme online.
Medium - The Internet/Social Media
Message - Pepe The Frog being affiliated with Trump's Campaign
Agents - People who continued to transform the Pepe The Frog meme with different text/pictures also the people who reacted to the meme and shared/liked/retweeted it on social media platforms.
Luther's example of his 95 Thesis going 'viral' in the 16th century can be seen through today's online platforms that have allowed for individuals to communicating with one another and be able to share content like Pepe The Frog in a matter of seconds. Although that Luther's 95 Thesis and Pepe The Frog meme are different through the medium, message and agent, the core value of sharing the message to different people through a medium is the exact same, it allows for things to be seen by a community.
Work Cited.
"Pepe The Frog Meme." Know Your Meme. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016. <http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pepe-the-frog>
Herman, Andrew. "SOCIAL MEDIA (TIONS) OF EVERYDAY LIFE." CS371. DAWB 2-108, Social Media & Social Life. 8 Nov. 2016. Lecture.
I think its interesting to look at how Luther was able to circulate his message in early times without the internet showing how much we have progressed since then. However, Luther still was able to circulate his message through modes of communication allowing him to gain a following. It is important to look at the history behind communication and where it started.
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