As the presidential election creeps closer and closer, and debates continue to happen, new memes will emerge from noteworthy moments. For a lot of people, humor is a way to cope with the anxiety and fear that is often associated with elections, and especially with everything that has happened this year and in the build-up to the election, meme pages are gaining traction doing just that.
One example of this is @yeetcorygardner on Instagram and Twitter, a page dedicated to poking fun at Republican Senator Cory Gardner, using Colorado-relevant topics. Some examples include “Cory Gardner goes to Casa Bonita for the food,” or “Cory Gardner skis in jeans,”
This account has gained 16.2k followers since it was made in September (more than Cory Gardner himself) and along with posting about Gardner and how he’s not a “real” Coloradan, the creator of this account has linked resources about voting and how to register to vote on their profile as well.
Even though the message in the beginning of this account was to tell people how Cory Gardner should be voted out because of what he wears when he goes to the mountains, since it has gained so many followers, it’s become a completely different account.
Instead, it’s become a place to go for resources about the election and information about what is on the ballot, as well as staying true to the original humor and light-heartedness it began with.
Accounts like these are a testament to the feelings of Americans during this time–this election is one of the most important that some people may ever face in their life, and the results could change so many things about our nation. No wonder people feel anxious and scared.
With a bit of humor, they encourage people to vote and let their voice be heard. Even if they believe that Cory Gardner likes the food at Casa Bonita, this account encourages them to think about what he and other politicians like him do in reality, and encourage them to vote. Since this account came from a joke, it now encourages people more to take action and pursue the topic further, especially with the more popular meme culture that has exploded in social media.