Memeology As A Way Of Explication Internet Ideology: The Methodology of Decomposition of a Political Internet Meme

Abstract

In this study, the author considered the methods of explication and analysis of political "Internet memes", abbreviated as PIM, which are common communicative units in the Internet space, as iconic constructions. First, the author considered the the "meme" concept and the semiological system correlation persistence through the refinement of these concepts and the transition from the accepted designation of memetics to memology. In this study, the author put forward a hypothesis about the significant relationship between the political Internet meme and ideological prerequisites, as well as about ways to intensify them in the Internet space.

In the methodological part, the author considered a code-shaped system for presenting information and knowledge based on it, also the author assumed why they called artificially formulated ideological constructs. After that, the author proceeded to the identification of the presented iconic forms – memes as non-neutral elements in relation to the translation of this knowledge using ideological attitudes and represents the Internet ideology as a way of knowledge, and the Internet meme as a way of broadcasting this knowledge.

In the next part, the author showed and consolidated the idea that relevance, brevity, metaphoricity and universality are the necessary conditions for a popular Internet meme and proceeded sequentially to the criteria for PIM classification in the appropriate order and divided them into categories: axis, message function, rhetorical techniques. The author considered approaches for evaluating the effectiveness of PIM, such as: context, response, and emotions, i.e., formulated the main criteria for categorization and analysis of Internet memes. Using examples from the Internet, the author formed a table with subsequent analysis and legitimate conclusions.