Meme Therapy: Laughing Through the Pain<\/b><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ text_font=”Montreal Medium|500|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”15px” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_font_size=”80px” header_5_font=”Raleway|700||on|||||” header_5_text_color=”#000000″ header_5_font_size=”20px” header_5_letter_spacing=”0.5em” header_5_line_height=”1.8em” width=”83.3%” min_height=”0px” custom_margin=”15px|129px|-22px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”10px|0px|0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”0px|63px|||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px|||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” animation_style=”zoom” animation_intensity_zoom=”5%” text_line_height_tablet=”” text_line_height_phone=”1.8em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”48px” header_font_size_phone=”32px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_5_font_size_tablet=”14px” header_5_font_size_phone=”12px” header_5_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Join Geoy Kai Lin as she uncovers how youths \u2018cope\u2019 with the uncertainty of the world through memes<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ custom_margin=”-194px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.4″ min_height=”84px” custom_margin=”-80px|auto||auto|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-145px|auto|-100px|auto|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ transform_scale_tablet=”” transform_scale_phone=”” transform_scale_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate=”0px|-22px” transform_translate_tablet=”” transform_translate_phone=”” transform_translate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate_linked=”off” transform_rotate_tablet=”” transform_rotate_phone=”” transform_rotate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_skew_tablet=”” transform_skew_phone=”” transform_skew_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_origin_tablet=”” transform_origin_phone=”” transform_origin_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_styles_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” transform_styles_tablet=”” transform_styles_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”About Us” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ min_height=”1420px” custom_margin=”-136px||-433px|||” custom_padding=”107px||44px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ custom_padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”-55px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-35px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”2px|0|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px||true” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” header_5_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_5_text_color=”#b3b3b3″ header_5_font_size=”14px” header_5_line_height=”0.5em” header_6_font=”Raleway|700||on|||||” header_6_font_size=”16px” header_6_letter_spacing=”5px” header_6_line_height=”1.8em” max_width=”659px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|79px|104px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-40px|79px|0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|0px||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”15px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”35px” header_2_font_size_phone=”25px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”] <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BY Deputy Editor<\/b><\/p>\n Hype Issue #61<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Memes aren’t exactly news to the average internet user <\/span>\u2013<\/span> <\/span>they\u2019re a staple of internet culture<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>Short, snappy, and witty, they find their way onto our social media feeds, often earning a quick chuckle without much thought. From \u201cDistracted Boyfriend\u201d to \u201cItalian brainrot\u201d, these memes are shared, remixed, and reposted at lightning speed, becoming part of our everyday digital language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For many Gen Zs, memes go beyond just being funny or relatable. They have become a way to cope \u2013 a way to process the world\u2019s messiness through humour. From international events like the <\/span>Southern California wildfires<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>Trump tariffs<\/span><\/a>, to local inconveniences such as the <\/span>East-West Line train breakdown<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>inflation<\/span><\/a>, memes allow youths to poke fun at upsetting incidents. In doing so, they make heavy topics feel a little lighter, or at least more manageable.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n During the LA fires, users turned a photo of a burning McDonald\u2019s into a meme by overlaying it with the popular video game, Call of Duty’s loading screen, blending real-world disaster with dark humor. Photo taken from<\/span> @FearBuck on X<\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off” sticky_enabled=”0″] <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n To understand this better, I spoke to two youths regarding their use of memes not just for entertainment, but as a coping mechanism in an increasingly volatile world.<\/span><\/p>\n Ivan Oh, 18, a final year <\/span>Information Technology student at Nanyang Polytechnic, shared that he mainly discovers memes through Reddit and the popular YouTube channel <\/span>Lessons In Meme Culture<\/span><\/i>. \u201cIt covers trending memes almost every day,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter a busy day, I\u2026check it out because I don’t really have the time to keep up with the constant flood of memes across all my social media platforms.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2.-KYM-stats.png” title_text=”2.-KYM-stats” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” min_height=”140.4px” custom_margin=”||3px|||” custom_padding=”1px||0px|||” locked=”off” inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}”] \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As of 2022, most memes come from Tik Tok and X (formerly known as Twitter), with Tik Tok seeing a rapid surge in meme creation from 2019 onwards. Photo taken from Know Your Meme<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}”] Ivan added that when his studies felt especially overwhelming during his secondary school days, looking at funny posts and jokes on the \u201cSGExams\u201d subreddit became a source of comfort. \u201cIt made me feel like I\u2019m not alone,\u201d he confessed. \u201cIt’s not just you, everyone\u2019s going through such things as well. The memes made it easier to laugh off the stress, even if just for a while.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, for Berwyn Han, 24, a business undergraduate at Nanyang Technological University, memes helped ease his frustration when he was stuck on the train during peak hour last year. He shared that the memes joking about the terrible transport system made his experience more bearable, as it \u201ctook the seriousness out of the actual event\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, <\/span>why<\/span><\/i> exactly do youths turn to memes when facing bad news or uncertainty?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unpacking the \u201cLOL\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In an interview with Teen Vogue<\/span><\/a>, Jamie Cohen, a digital culture expert and assistant professor at CUNY Queens College, noted that with the increasingly widespread use of social media encouraging public processing of difficult events, users are communicating their feelings through graphical language and memes. \u201cWe\u2019re posting through it, so to speak, as a coping mechanism to prevent hopelessness,\u201d he said. \u201cIt’s doubtful that any meme posts will change the world, but they provide a respite against more traditional forms of media like TV news that are one-way and often feel heavier and difficult to process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond the normalisation of using memes to express negative emotions online, memes also contribute to <\/span>psychological compartmentalisation<\/span><\/a> \u2013 a defence mechanism in which thoughts and feelings that seemingly conflict are kept separated from each other in the mind. In this way, memes can serve as a tool for deflecting or avoiding unresolved trauma and emotional discomfort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Also in the interview, Joshua Klapow, a clinical psychologist, highlighted how <\/span>the inherently filtered nature of social media encourages emotional distancing. \u201cBecause there are often little to no direct consequences (other than replies), social media is a way to be as raw as possible\u2026to say what we think to the world, without having to look the world directly in the eye.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The idea of emotional distancing resonates with Ivan, who views memes as a temporary distraction. \u201cThey\u2019re just jokes, and sometimes they\u2019re exaggerated or not based in reality,\u201d he said. \u201cIn the end, the problem doesn’t solve itself \u2013 it’s only a temporary coping mechanism (in which) you have a short laugh and move on with life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yet, this sense of emotional detachment can raise ethical concerns. When memes are made about serious events, they can come across as insensitive \u2013 especially when a specific group bears the brunt of the joke or when real emotional pain is involved. This raises an important question: where <\/span>should<\/span><\/i> we draw the line between humour and sensitivity?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n LMAO\u2026Within Reason<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n When asked about the recent viral TikTok featuring an <\/span>NUS student \u201ccrashing out\u201d in public<\/span><\/a>, Mr Han admitted that while he found the clip \u201crelatable\u201d and even amusing, he was mindful that the deeper issue of deteriorating mental health shouldn\u2019t be taken lightly. \u201cThere\u2019s not really a clear line between humour and insensitivity,\u201d he reflected. \u201cMost of the time when you make a joke…it\u2019s going to be at least a little insensitive.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mr Han suggested that memes referencing mental health could be made more responsible by including support resources or subtly integrating them into the content itself. \u201cIf you look at articles on Mothership or <\/span>The Straits Times<\/span><\/i>, anything about suicide or mental health usually links <\/span><\/span>hotlines for IMH, Samaritans of Singapore, and others<\/span><\/a>. So I think it\u2019s okay to make a joke, but there should also be a way for people who relate to it to seek help.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Similarly, Ivan noted the personal disconnect he felt when encountering memes that made light of the <\/span>Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) tragedy<\/span><\/a> and the <\/span>September 11 attacks (9\/11)<\/span><\/a>. While he believed the creators likely had no intent to disrespect the lives lost, he acknowledged that such content inevitably downplays the gravity of the events and desensitises audiences, making it harder for affected families to grieve with dignity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/3.-optional-Spongebob-MH370-1.jpeg” title_text=”3. (optional) Spongebob MH370″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ transform_scale_tablet=”” transform_scale_phone=”” transform_scale_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate=”0px|-22px” transform_translate_tablet=”” transform_translate_phone=”” transform_translate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate_linked=”off” transform_rotate_tablet=”” transform_rotate_phone=”” transform_rotate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_skew_tablet=”” transform_skew_phone=”” transform_skew_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_origin_tablet=”” transform_origin_phone=”” transform_origin_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_styles_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”31px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” transform_styles_tablet=”” transform_styles_phone=”” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”] A meme referencing MH370 with a dark twist on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon. The gravity of the tragedy is often lost when such content is reduced to internet humour.\u00a0 Photo taken from @BodaciousFish1211 on Reddit.<\/a><\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”1px||0px|0px||” inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}” width=”100%”]
Geoy Kai Lin<\/b><\/p>\nPublished on<\/h5>\n
May 16, 2025<\/h5>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Montreal Medium||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” inline_fonts=”Montreal Medium” global_colors_info=”{}”]
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