Contrary to the title, this is not a music review for the 1999 album by the Bloodhound Gang. Sorry fellow music enthusiasts.
Now that I have your attention, this week, we’re talking about the breast cancer awareness meme popular on facebook every October. The confusing one where women used to post a random fruit, or cryptic phrases like “I like to do it on the garage floor”. Yeah, those ones. The attempt at cyberactivism, like several other attempts (see: ALS ice bucket challenge), doesn’t quite reach the level of activism and donations it should.
According to the textbook, “Humans want to do the right thing, and if the call is to simply ask you to push a button to “like” a status, we don’t mind obliging”. The accuracy of this statement really hits home in the cyber age where most things online we can get done with the push of a button.
So let’s dissect it and see what makes it so successful and where it tends to fall short.
Why so Viral?
There are several reasons why memes like the breast cancer meme (and so many others over the years) go viral. The secret is in the subtlety and vagueness of its nature. It’s the same idea as if someone posts something like “Nothing lasts forever”. We, as humans, are curious about what the message could possibly be about and depending on how interested we are, could fall down the rabbit hole of “deep research” into that person’s profile.
The viral breast cancer meme brings up the same idea. A vague post where it brings users deeper into “What could it mean?” and more importantly: “What important social media trend am I missing?”
So the viral urge is there, and the call for cyberactivism has spread quickly every October when the mysterious posts begin showing up. Everyone engages with or posts their own version. No matter the format, whether it’s which fruit corresponds with your breast size, where you put your purse, or the color of your bra. Every year, the meme seems to go viral.
But that doesn’t mean that the cyberactivism is working.
Where does it fall short?
There are several places where the meme falls short.
The first and most glaring is the vagueness of the post. If you aren’t fortunate enough to be included by one of your facebook friends in the message detailing the trend, you as a user have no idea what’s going on.
If you’re not the gender that gets breast cancer, then you are even more out of the loop. That’s the first place where the meme falls short. It leaves out more users than it includes, and because it’s so vague, it doesn’t include a call to action. Therefore, people think they’re engaging in cyberactivism by simply clicking the like button, but are really not.
Another place where the meme falls short is not including men. By only including women, and turning the meme into something sexual, especially with the “where you put your purse” addition a few years ago and the phrasing of “I like it behind the couch”etc, the meme misses the other half of the people who can be affected by breast cancer.
Yes, men can get breast cancer too! By not including men, and opening the conversation to men, it’s like erasing the fact that men can also get breast cancer (and are not routinely screened, which is another issue entirely).
While the meme is doing it’s best to build activism and help bring awareness to breast cancer, it tragically falls short.
So where does that leave us?
How to Truly Increase Awareness
The breast cancer meme is a good start. Posting a fruit, or where you put your purse, or the length of your hair, or the color of your bra is a helpful start. It’s a conversation starter and builds interest. However, to build more engagement and actually engage in cyberactivism, there needs to be more. Including more ways to include men.
Sure, the inital post can be vague. Post a fruit name or a color. But then, do more. Add a post after with a call to action. “Hey, if you liked this post, it was for breast cancer! You can donate to the cause, and learn more at (Insert link here).” That would truly build awareness and hopefully increase donations.
So Now What?
As we reach the end of September and the beginning of October, by all means, post the memes, but also consider donating in other ways. Build awareness on social media, donate to breast cancer awareness, ThinkPink or whatever, donate to Susan G. Komen (Which has its own issues which we can explore another day).
As for today? Go to Breastcancer.org and make sure your donation for breast cancer is going somewhere worthy.
