Coarse and Coping

The Role of Memes in Teen Culture by Jennifer L.W. Fink
The New York Times, February 6, 2020

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This article discusses the role of “meme humor” in adolescent culture. The author, Jennifer L.W. Find, an expert on adolescent boys, notes that “there’s a generational gap between how [she learns] about and perceive[s] the news, and how [her] teenage sons learn about and react to the same events.” Understanding that gap is an essential part of helping teenagers to process the complex and jarring news of the day. Fink observes that what may seem like coarse, insensitive humor is in fact a coping strategy for navigating the destabilizing, whiplash-inducing, overwhelming nature of our contemporary news environment. She offers guidance for parents and educators to help unpack that response by focusing on asking open-ended questions, reinforcing the values of digital citizenship, and sharing their own vulnerability and emotional responses. Teenage meme humor, though it can certainly be a symptom of immaturity or lack of understanding, more likely stems from teens trying to cope with a world outside their control. Fink’s article is a helpful guide to thinking about how to support children in these chaotic times while understanding their complex emotional responses to the world around them.