An unexpected example of Kairos.
A very recent hot topic swirling around the internet for the past few weeks has been the seemingly endless wildfires of the Amazon Rain Forest. In response to the initial lack of mainstream media coverage of the event, the internet’s reaction was impactful. An extensive catalogue of memes of varying formats geared towards the devastating event not only provided much needed comedic relief, but inspired thousands of online users to talk about the wildfires. These memes, particularly the one above, are actually carrying considerably strong appeals of Kairos. Kairos, which refers to the “timeliness of now”, is prominent in the image above by way of its culturally relevant visual elements and intentional usage of blunt language. The result of the two aforementioned elements creates a subtle call to action by viewers to realize what is happening in the Amazon and why it should be making headlines.
The image’s visual appeals are drawn from the recent film Avengers: Endgame, which was wildly successful. The film soon become the highest grossing of all time, and thus the subject of many memes throughout social media. The meme format used is that of a scene at the end of the film, featuring an older self of a protagonist passing on the mantle of his superhero title to a close friend. The scene was very emotional (and in effect popularized) for many of the young viewers who witnessed it around the globe, so for the thousands of these same people to encounter this meme format is enough in itself to attract immediate attention. Ultimately, such a strong visual element provides an excellent complement to the Kairotic undertones of the meme.
Coupled with clever, highly effective visual appeals is the equally effective blunt language used in the meme. The meme’s first section features what Reddit has to say, which is not twisted in any obviously comedic way. Rather, the statement is intentionally straightforward and somewhat aggressive as a way to both hook the viewer’s attention and provide a subtle comical undertone. Then, the bottom half represents the old character as the “Media” responding with the original line from the scene in Avengers: Endgame (“No, I don’t think I will….”). This clever play of the original dialogue from the film helps add to the already eye-catching format, further developing the meme’s push to get online users actively thinking about the Amazonian wildfires.
The meme’s call to action is formed out of the two aforementioned building blocks of the meme itself. It should be acknowledged that the meme does make a point of the media’s incessant coverage of violent video games being partly to blame for the vile acts of the shooters of El Paso and other shootings (a claim very commonly disputed today). However, this is a more obvious, less complex call to action for the media to shift focus towards the devastating wildfires. The truly Kairotic appeal is to the online users who see the meme. It is the collective effect of the image’s relevant, cultured format and impactful word choice that accomplishes more then causes a chuckle or two. The meme creates a sense of urgency – masked by aroused curiosity – to engage in discourse about the wildfires and provide such a situation the attention it deserves.