Headline July 06, 2017/ ''' *WHOLESOME MEMES WHOLESALE '''

''' *WHOLESOME MEMES 

WHOLESALE '''

''FOR LONG TIME,'' writes  JENNIFER Romolini,  ''I was pretty sure I would never make it in the world,  -that I would never become  ''successful' ''.

*The reason : she was just too weird, too sensitive, too far outside the realm of mainstream  office culture*.

But the former editor of    HelloGiggles  and  YahooShine  did eventually succeed, and in her new book,  *Weird in a World That's Not,'' she offers several tips to help misfits climb the  corporate ladder..............

ON JUNE 4 news broke that  Harvard University  rescinded at least  10 admission offers after  students  were  caught sharing  memes  that allegedly poked fun at-

*Child abuse, Sexual assault and  minority groups*.  

And last year  the Anti Defamation League  declared :

Pepe The Frog.......   -a fringe comic book character     -a  ''hate symbol''   after  alt-right extremists started modifying his likeness with swastikas  and Hitler mustaches.

But in recent months, interest has surged in so-called wholesome memes, which aim to promote earnest messages of empowerment.

There are now  hundreds spreading across Twitter, Facebook, Tumbir, Instagram, and Reddit, whose  ''Wholesome Memes'''    forum has attracted more than half a million subscribers since its September launch.

Among the best examples :  a photo of  SpongeBob SaquarePants shouting at  Squidward , overlaid with the text  I LOVE MY FRIENDS THEY HELP ME BECOME A BETTER PERSON and a photo of the wrestler  Stone Cold Steve Austin chugging drinks-

Except the beer is labelled  RESPECT WOMEN JUICE and Austin is labelled ME.

This newfound interest is uplifting memes in a direct response to the negativity of 2016 presidential election, much of which played out online.

For most of the past year, many people's social-media feeds have been filled with vicious   -and often misleading     -commentary about partisan politics.

''A lot of that has made the consumption of more positive emotions desirable,'' says Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the  non-profit  Media Psychology Research Centre:

''We're self medicating in a good way.'''

*Reddit CEO Steve Hufman agrees, ''Our platform is very much a reflection of what's going on in the world,'' he says. And when people are tired of being angry about politics, you see that play out as well.''

Of course, there are still a lot of angry people on the Internet, and the culture of hate isn't going to change overnight. 

But  wholesome memes may resonate on a grander scale by virtue of being, well, memes:

Pieces of content that change and evolve as more people try to make them relatable.

''It's this sense of somebody else gets it,'' says  Goal Auzeen Saedi , an Oregon-based clinical psychologist who recently used a  wholesome meme to motivate a teenage student/patient  to try exercise as a  coping mechanism.

[It was a drawing of a  woman holding a  yoga pose, with text that read, ''I really regret going to  yoga today.......said no one ever,'']

In any case, Huffman says he hopes  wholesome memes     continue to spread   -and not just because they're driving traffic to Reddit.

''Most people just want to get along,'' he says. ''We don't have to be angry all the time.'' 

And to round off,  Weird in a World That's not :  Jennifer Rumolini, offers several  tips  to help fellow  Misfits   climb the corporate ladder:

If you're socially awkward,  she writes, try overpreparing for even the most mundane workplace situations   -rehearsing compliments for small talk with co-workers, for example, or writing scripts for major meetings.

Romolini also advises turning  weirdness  into an asset, as she did when she became a  fad in New York City, she drew upon her  unusual new-age upbringing to  corner the best as freelancer-

Which soon landed her a a  full-time  job. :

''If you are a card carrying weirdo,'' she writes, '' [it's]  not a detriment, it's an asset.''            

And then,  Memes or no Memes, the students of  Venezuela are battling for their lives in Caracas. The latest wave of growing unrest is the greatest challenge to the Venezuelan government.

All just so, heads for the Tipping Point. And may I add, Just as the Internet is getting a little nicer.  *one meme a time'. 

The World Students thanks Lisa Eadicicco for her insights. Yes, earnest, uplifting memes have surged in popularity since the 2016 elections in US.

With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the world. See Ya all on  !WOW!    -the World Students Society and...........     Twitter-!E-WOW!   -the Ecosystem 2011:

''' LightUP '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless