Is it just me or do you feel like the content of memes and social media posts are at an all-time high during this quarantine? It’s definitely not just me. It could be that we are all stuck at home and have watched everything on Netflix. Access to content is now readily available to us at the tip of our fingers and all with one push of a button. Mass media also have made a big move from live studio audiences to filming at home. The amount of content is evolving every minute of this social distancing movement and is a ray of light in the dark times that we are experiencing right now and I am living for it.
Let’s start with the different types of content we are seeing. Workouts, concerts, mass media shows, and viral content – specifically memes and TikToks.
Social distancing and quarantining can be very isolating and lonely. One way to combat the loneliness is to get moving, stay active, and get those endorphins pumping. Workouts have gone from gyms and studios to on-demand classes and even live Zoom conferences. Instructors are now offering more work out content readily on your Instagram feed, whether it is through stories or IGTV. Gym studios are now also offering on-demand content for their members. Live streaming workouts on a Zoom conference call also offer similar class-like vibes to the workouts that their members once had.
Those of us who are coping with social distancing and quarantining by turning to music are feeling the withdrawal of live concerts of your favorite band and artists. Artists are now offering concerts to promote different causes that help aid COVID-19 relief and urging people to stay at home. For the rave-goers, some DJs are putting on free shows for their fans, while others are uploading official footage of their old sets on YouTube and Twitch. Enjoy the free shows for now until ticket sales start back up!
Mass media shows such as broadcasting networks have also evolved. Late-night shows and the news have now gone remote via video conferencing instead of in-person with a live studio audience. SNL has taken their show and skits completely remote for the past month. They’ve taken on the challenge to produce skits in a way that makes sense for viewers to consume. Late-night shows are filmed at home, with celebrity interviews done via Zoom, with the occasional (but very adorable) interruption from children, showing us that parents are all one and the same when working from home.
Viral content like memes and TikToks are on the rise. Mostly because they are time-consuming to create, but what else do we have to do with our time nowadays? For those who are not doing well being cooped up and going stir crazy, this is where they thrive. With a creative outlet and access to all sorts of news concerning COVID-19, amazing and hilarious memes are ready to be made. Before these viral content were based on everyday events, such as drunken mishaps, annoying coworkers, or dating mistakes. Now we have crazy news reports, random thoughts in the back of our heads, and curiosity as the driving force behind these viral memes and TikToks. TikTok dances are time-consuming to learn but now we actually have the time to learn these dances and even create our own choreography. Re-enactments and lip-syncing are another great way to enjoy the platform if you don’t have great hand-eye coordination.
While this is a once in a lifetime occurrence (fingers crossed), we’ll probably never experience this time of quarantining again. I’m focusing on the good that has come from it. We have now car parades, virtual happy hours, and of course, these amazing content that’s come from it. Let’s all do our part to flatten the curve by staying home, practicing social distancing, and enjoying the evolution of the content this pandemic has given us.