Author: Chloe Bryan / Source: Mashable
There’s a meme going around called “Savage Patrick.” The image features Patrick Star from Spongebob in the middle of an evil laugh, and the caption alongside the picture is generally something mildly diabolical. (“Me kicking ice under the fridge” is an early, safe-for-work example.
)But on the popular Facebook page Wholesome Memes, Savage Patrick isn’t diabolical at all. Yes, he’s still making that conniving face, which is disturbing coming from such an earnest fan of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. But this caption is really encouraging! Maybe even… inspiring?
Such is the beauty of the wholesome meme, in which the meme-r employs the usually snarky format to convey a message of love and support. Wholesome internet content is generally seen as a way to escape the harshness, the coldness, and (especially) the politics of standard memes, which can be pretty brutal — even harmful — in the wrong hands.
Wholesome memes are not harmful. They are helpful.
But the line between wholesome and political isn’t as stark as it appears. In fact, wholesome memes centered on self-care and compassion are the perfect microcosm of the personal as political: the idea that caring for ourselves and others can move humanity’s needle.
Consider, for example, this nice meme of a cat “celebrating the little successes.” It posits, earnestly, that self-care is wholesome.
Surprise, surprise: we live in a stressful era. And as the news piles up every day, self-care — which can and should include taking pride in completing everyday tasks — is important. It’s particularly…
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