Political Irony in the Digital Age: Ethics, Axiology, and Ideology of Internet Memes

The article uses an interdisciplinary approach combining political science, philosophical and so-cio-cultural perspectives. The emphasis is on the moral, value, and ideological aspects of political irony in memes. The issues of moral responsibility of the subject are presented from the point of view of deontology and utilitarian-ism (Kant, Mill). The value conflicts encoded in the meme are analyzed through the ideas of the Frankfurt School and the “friend–foe” dichotomy (Arendt, Habermas). The ideological function of memes is interpreted through critical theory, taking into account the concepts of “hegemony” and “power” (Gramsci, Foucault). The following memes are selected for analysis: “Distracted Boyfriend”, “Drake Posting” (Drake Meme), “Bayan” (accordion), “Woman yelling at Cat” (Woman Yelling at Cat). These memes combine rational and irrational narratives, and irony is closely linked to the dynamics of the political process. The political irony in Internet memes is not ethically neutral. Political Internet memes accumulate value conflicts and changes in the subject’s value expectations. Memes have a high ideological potential. Despite their apparent lightness and superficiality, they reveal serious disagreements in society and point to the complex processes accompanying the formation of the political con-sciousness of Internet users.