Memes are surprisingly telling about the midterm elections.

By Autumn Harris

Social media presents itself as the latest tool for Black folk to interpret and share the world as they see it. Taking the internet by storm, the use of memes and reaction gifs have provided another visual to associate with a number of expressions, moods, and responses.

The internet has a way of making light of serious events and the 2018 midterm elections were not excluded from this phenomenon. Internet users used distraught images of Spongebob Squarepants, gifs (or looped videos) of pop stars like Ariana Grande dancing, and even a photobombed photo of Mitch McConnell unable to vote.

What does this tell us? For starters, nothing is sacred within the realm of Twitter. But also, what do people know about the midterm elections?

This gif of spongebob reads, “y’all only told me to vote for Stacey Abrams WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THEM OTHER NAMES AND THOSE AMENDMENTS.”

Comments under the meme agreed to the meme’s sentiments. One user commented, “Yup! Was studying for voting like it was a final! Had to see which candidates were Black which ones had made racist statements or were anti police reform or anti rights for my people, the homeless, my lgbt folks – it was a lot!!! The ballot was four pages 2 sides…”

Others commented in agreement saying, “I swear this was me,” and “They purposely word them to have folks vote in the way they intend. Trickery.”

me at everyone I see on the subway who’s also wearing an “I Voted” sticker pic.twitter.com/cKaR89LhTk

— julia reinstein ? (@juliareinstein) November 6, 2018

OMG. Mitch McConnell photobomb. Background Voter Guy is everything!! ?? pic.twitter.com/BFVo9ncLfx

— Michelle ♎ (@1nvisiblePink) November 6, 2018