A World Cup of memes, fake news and propaganda in the post truth world

World Cup football, the biggest show on earth, has returned among us after more than four long years. The 22nd edition of the tournament comes with myriad of controversies, tension and excitement. The best football players will fight for the coveted silverware, the most cherished relic in the modern world. Some will make their name in the arena that will steal all the spotlights for a month or so. And everybody knows, football, especially the World Cup is such a huge event that its effect and impact is not confined to the stadium or a mere game. Sports and sports events have become such a pivotal weapon of diplomacy that the dictionary holds a new word- sportswashing.  

The Qatar World Cup, by far the most expensive event in human history, will be a prime example of sportswashing and will create tremours beyond the boundary of the football pitch in the already biforked, post-truth world.

Thanks to the modern information technology we can now communicate with the people half the world away within a blink of an eye but that also brings perilous consequences. The fake news, propaganda and battle of beliefs have become ever more intense. People normally subscribe anything that complies with their belief and the bias most often resist them from checking the true facts beyond the veil of fake ones.

Indeed, these facts are clichés and the internet-educated people are well-aware. But this World Cup will again test our senses in a big scale once again. Already the social and mainstream media is flooded with in-favour and against many decisions of the authority of Qatar. Many are still urging to boycott the event that they claimed it is marred by the suppression of human rights, tinted with mega corruption and most importantly built upon the blood of hapless workers tantamount to slave of yesteryears. And naturally, the other corner is claiming it is all about the norm and tradition of a Middle East Muslim country and the Western media and people alike are trying to demean it as part of their ongoing clash of civilizations.

In short, the heat is getting hotter even than that of Arab desert.

But, let us focus on the good thing. This World Cup will be a World Cup of memes. Over the last few years internet meme has not only become an integral part for netizens but also the most effective weapon to mock, deride and indeed friendly banters.

Around three decades ago, when television was gradually consuming the game, many feared that the spectators will gradually become a passive element. The footballing industry, the big behemoth one may imagine, obviously made the television viewing as the mainstay albeit people’s craze to feel the atmosphere of the stadium with their friends and foes. Even the schedule and arrangements are done accommodating for better and more effective television viewing.

However, like many other things in history, the technology that detached the spectator from theater, is somehow reversing it in a different way. Thanks to meme culture, ubiquitous social media presence, people are again becoming a live agent expressing their views and creativity in real time.

Internet meme is an outstanding ‘democratic’ weapon. Creating memes does not require much skill and almost everybody may express their creativity and views through it. A major aspect of meme, normally the juxtaposition of different media like texts and image, texts and videos and so forth along with the often-weird match-up of two absolutely different things make them most effective communication tool. As a result, it generates instant emotions, fun and rage alike.

Again, in short, thanks to meme people will be empowered to invoke the emotions of their friends and foes despite not having the physical proximity.

So, as said earlier, this power comes with disastrous consequences. In the guise of fun and spreading our belief and support we may disseminate unnecessary hatred and lies. The result may be unimaginably horrible.

Social media was taken aback recently with an image of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, most popular and arguably the best footballers, posing for an advertisement together. They spread the words of friendship and respect.

One may easily see the resemblance with the football match. Players fight to win but whatever is the result, they are expected to shake hands and even share jokes and exchange shirts.

Unfortunately, the staunch followers often forget this grand narrative. They seem to incense with the enmity and damages the respect of one-self and others. As mentioned above, it may bring even more harrowing ordeals.

Indeed, the global politics, the uneasy situation of the Qatar World Cup will create an extremely difficult situation for one to hold the temper, even sanity. But, as Buddha said, when you want to throw a burning coal to other the first thing you burn is your own hand.

The World Cup of memes will be an outstanding opportunity to colour our otherwise dull life. The next one month will give us the chance to indulge in fun and excitement to forget our plights and despairs.

Let us make innumerable memes, let us banter each other to the fullest. But, beware not to burn and burned out.