memes.cjtrowbridge.com

Anti-Cryptocurrency

First Seen:

2023-05-10T21:03:33+00:00

Gemma-3-27b's Take:

Okay, let's break down this image using the requested theoretical lenses. It's a complex meme, blending financial data with pop cultural figures, so there's a lot to unpack. **1. Visual Description** The image is a screenshot of a financial chart displaying the price of Bitcoin (USD) over time, from roughly March 2022 to June 13, 2022. The line chart shows a significant downward trend, indicating a substantial loss in value. The price has dropped from around 45,000 USD to approximately 22,884 USD during this period. Superimposed on this chart are two figures: * A woman (seemingly, the actress Kate Winslet in her role as Rose in *Titanic*) standing on what appears to be the bow of a ship, with her arms outstretched. * Leonardo DiCaprio (as Jack Dawson in *Titanic*), who is standing in front of her, looking up at her. The visual composition is a direct reference to a famous scene from the film *Titanic*. The red line of the Bitcoin chart visually mimics the path of the ship, suggesting a catastrophic downward trajectory, akin to the sinking of the *Titanic*. The red dot is positioned to emphasize the final drop in Bitcoin’s price. **2. Foucauldian Genealogical Discourse Analysis** This image can be read through a Foucauldian lens by examining the *discourses* surrounding Bitcoin, finance, and risk, and how these discourses have *constituted* the current situation. * **Discipline and Control:** The price chart itself is an instrument of power/knowledge. It establishes a quantifiable reality of "value," disciplining behavior through the promise of financial gain or the threat of loss. It constructs "investors" as subjects governed by the logic of the market. * **Genealogy of "Value":** The image implicitly questions the *genealogy* of value in the digital realm. What *makes* Bitcoin "valuable?" The image points to the performative nature of value, relying on collective belief, speculation, and the construction of narratives. The use of the Titanic meme suggests the market is built on fantasy and ultimately destined for catastrophe. * **Power/Knowledge:** The image subverts the authority of the financial chart by juxtaposing it with a cultural reference. The *Titanic* metaphor introduces an emotional and narrative frame that destabilizes the "objective" presentation of financial data. It suggests that the language of finance is itself a form of power/knowledge that obscures the underlying irrationality. * **Subjectification:** The image positions those "invested" in Bitcoin as vulnerable subjects caught in a narrative of potential disaster, reminding them of past market collapses and human vulnerability. **3. Marxist Conflict Theory** From a Marxist perspective, the image embodies several key conflicts: * **Capital and Labor:** While Bitcoin *claims* to decentralize finance, it still operates within a capitalist system. The "investors" (represented by the figures on the ship) are driven by the pursuit of profit, a core tenet of capitalism. The dramatic loss of value highlights the inherent instability of capitalist markets and the exploitation inherent in speculative finance. * **Class Conflict:** The investors represented are likely those with disposable income, those who can afford to speculate in digital assets. The image, therefore, implicitly highlights the division between those who benefit from financial speculation and those who are excluded or disadvantaged by it. * **Contradictions of Capitalism:** The dramatic drop in Bitcoin's value reveals the inherent contradictions of capitalism: the drive for profit leads to over-speculation, instability, and ultimately, crisis. The "Titanic" metaphor suggests that the system is unsustainable and destined to sink. * **Commodity Fetishism:** Bitcoin is a digital commodity, and the image reinforces the idea that value is assigned to it through social constructs rather than inherent worth. The focus on the fluctuating price obscures the lack of tangible value behind the asset. **4. Postmodernism** This image is deeply rooted in postmodern sensibilities: * **Intertextuality:** The image is a powerful example of intertextuality, blending financial data with a well-known cultural reference. This layering of meanings creates a complex and ambiguous message. The meme itself is a post-modern form of communication. * **Simulation & Hyperreality:** The image suggests that the value of Bitcoin is more about *belief* and *perception* than any inherent quality. It becomes a simulation of value, a hyperreal commodity disconnected from tangible reality. * **Deconstruction of Grand Narratives:** The image challenges the grand narrative of technological progress and financial innovation. It suggests that the "disruptive" potential of Bitcoin is ultimately illusory. * **Irony & Parody:** The juxtaposition of a tragic historical event with a speculative financial asset is deeply ironic. It parodies the excessive hype and risk-taking that characterize the cryptocurrency market. * **Loss of Meaning:** The meme questions the stability of meaning in a digital age. The shifting values and instability depicted in the chart and the meme’s visual juxtaposition point to the fragmentation of value systems and the difficulty of establishing firm foundations. **5. Queer Feminist Intersectional Analysis** This is where it gets more nuanced. While not immediately apparent, a queer feminist intersectional lens can highlight some interesting points: * **Vulnerability & Precariousness:** The *Titanic* represents a tragedy with many casualties, and it can be read as a metaphor for the vulnerability of marginalized groups in the face of systemic failures. The image then applies this vulnerability to those investing in Bitcoin. * **Risk & Speculation:** Historically, financial systems have often disadvantaged women and people of color. The image could be interpreted as a critique of the inherent risk-taking in a system that disproportionately benefits those already in positions of power. * **The performance of masculinity:** The two actors – DiCaprio and Winslet – represent culturally prescribed roles (masculine and feminine), and the meme might be read as commenting on the gendered performance of confidence and risk-taking in finance. It can be argued that those who are overly confident in volatile markets, like cryptocurrencies, are often attempting to perform an exaggerated version of traditional masculinity. * **Critique of "Sinking Ships":** The image evokes the idea of "going down with the ship," and the meme can be interpreted as a refusal to perpetuate the logic of a failing system. It's a subtle nod towards the importance of recognizing when something is unsustainable and choosing to disengage. It's important to note that these analyses are not mutually exclusive. The image is rich with meaning and can be interpreted in multiple ways, depending on the theoretical lens applied. It's a powerful example of how memes can serve as vehicles for social commentary and critical analysis.

Llama-3.2-11b's Take:

This meme is a screenshot of a cryptocurrency market chart, with a dramatic drop in value (from $69,000 to $20,000). The text "Inflation is a form of taxation on money, money is destroyed when it is printed by an inflationary government" appears above the chart, but is not the focus of the meme. The image is meant to be humorous, with a cartoon image of a man and woman (Elon Musk and Grimes, but not actually them) in a dramatic pose, implying that they are falling from the sky due to the massive drop in value.