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Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Advertisement Democracy Dies in Darkness Help DeskTech in Your Life Future of Work Your Data and Privacy Internet Access What's New Ethical Issues Ask a Question Help DeskTech in Your Life Future of Work Your Data and Privacy Internet Access What's New Ethical Issues Ask a Question AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RATTLED THE NATION. THEN CAME THE MEMES. Social media platforms were flooded with dark jokes in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. 5 min 872 Sorry, a summary is not available for this article at this time. Please try again later. (Illustration by Elena Lacey/The Washington Post; Jabin Botsford/TWP; iStock) By Tatum Hunter Updated July 18, 2024 at 3:26 p.m. EDT|Published July 18, 2024 at 11:43 a.m. EDT Alayna Cowan, a college student in Savannah, Ga., learned about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump from a news alert on her phone. She read the accompanying article, which reported that Trump’s health was stable. Then she opened TikTok. Subscribe for unlimited access to The Post You can cancel anytime. Subscribe Skip to end of carousel TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING The Washington Post built a 3D model of the site of the attempted assassination at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania based on more than 40 videos and photos. The Post’s analysis found that two Secret Service countersniper teams may not have been able to see the shooter at first. End of carousel The first thing she saw was a TikTok edit — a video splicing different clips together — featuring images of President Biden talking about trying to reach Trump after the event set to the lovesick Chappel Roan song “Casual.” As she scrolled, she saw video after video in the same vein: The point was that there is no point. “I laughed,” said the 21-year-old. “I think my generation doesn’t feel seen by either political party, and we’ve dealt with so much during the last eight years. People feel pretty hopeless, so it’s like, let’s just make a joke.” Story continues below advertisement TikTok, X and other social media platforms were flooded with dark humor in the aftermath of the shooting, which killed one spectator and injured two others. Some expressed glee, disappointment or grief at the attempted assassination of Trump, who escaped with a grazed ear, but many were apolitical, poking fun at mainstream reactions or U.S. presidential politics in general. Advertisement The wave of jokes and memes reflect apathy toward presidential politics and a desensitization to violence, especially among younger generations who grew up with rampant political polarization and mass shootings, experts tracking social media and politics say. Many young people say they feel disenfranchised by a two-party system that doesn’t make room for their values. The ripple effects are playing out on social media in the form of memes and screenshots — the jokes are deadpan, often without a clear political point, and appearing moments after the event they’re referencing. > “Give me a song and I’ll reply with either of these,” reads a tweet with two images: One of an ear coated in gold, another of Trump bleeding from the ear. A reshared screenshot got 73,000 likes and 1.4 million views. Story continues below advertisement A tweet with 79,000 likes shows a person talking to a costumed character at a Disney park: “Me letting Ant Man know Trump has been shot.” Advertisement “I would worry a great deal if the significant portion of the American public feels sufficiently disaffected from politics that even when somebody is targeted for assassination, all that it elicits is a sense of the absurd,” said William Howell, a professor at the University of Chicago, who studies U.S. presidential politics. “A lot of people feel like politicians are out of step and ineffective, the legislative process is all but broken, therefore politics becomes a thing of theater,” he said. 💻 Follow Technology Follow More than half of Generation Z teens don’t identify with a major political party, and the majority of Gen Z and millennial adults say America’s political problems require a generational change in leadership, according to 2024 data from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute. But on the internet, memes and jokes about the Trump shooting got reshared by the young and old alike. Story continues below advertisement Of course, people have always used gallows humor to cope with national violence — when then president-elect Abraham Lincoln changed his travel routes in 1861 to stay safe from would-be assassins, the magazine Harper’s Weekly published a series of cartoons showing him traipsing around in goofy disguises. Satirical news site the Onion put out an issue dedicated to 9/11 two weeks after the attacks. But the speed of online discourse and the design of social media platforms has changed the way we react to tragedy, said Delia Cai, who writes the popular internet culture newsletter Deez Links. Advertisement Bleak humor about national violence — from 9/11 to school shootings — used to play out in niche corners of the internet, Cai said. But now it’s infused the dominant culture, to the point that no matter the political bend of your particular feed, you’re likely to see callous jokes or disassociated commentary. This may reflect broad political sentiment, but it also reflects the incentives of the online economy, Cai said. On social media, attention is currency, and saying something funny draws more eyeballs than saying something earnest. GET CAUGHT UP STORIES TO KEEP YOU INFORMED PreviousNext What to know about the Democratic convention now that Biden’s out of race * Many Democrats endorsed Vice President Harris, but they must make a formal nomination. * This can be done through a virtual vote in early August if there is enough of a consensus. * If there’s not, there would be an “open” convention where contenders woo delegates for votes. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content Heat pumps, EV chargers and more: U.S. unveils $4.3 billion in local climate funds * The funding from the EPA will go to 25 projects across 30 states. * The projects aim to reduce emissions and create jobs. * The administration is racing to use the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate money before November. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content ‘Magical’ self-portrait was hidden for decades — until the canvas was flipped * Norman Cornish’s self-portrait was found when a board was removed from the back of another artwork. * Cornish, a former coal miner, was known for his evocative images of other British miners. * The portrait, hidden for at least 60 years, is now on display at the Bowes Museum. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content How can I get healthier hair? Here’s what the science says. * Your scalp microbiome is affected by numerous factors, such as your age, gender and behavior. * Wash less frequently and massage shampoo into your scalp for healthier hair. * Hair loss is normal with age but treatments like topical minoxidil have been shown to be effective. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content Two dead in listeria outbreak linked to deli meat. Here’s what to know. * The CDC says there have been at least 28 cases in 12 states since the end of May, and likely more. * Investigators are still working to determine which specific products may be contaminated. * Those who are pregnant, 65 and older or otherwise high-risk should reheat deli meat to 165 degrees. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content Over time, those dynamics shape online culture. Millennials were more likely to type a sincere post about national politics, Cai said, but the posts didn’t change how politicians operate. Now, such online sincerity feels performative, and nihilism comes with some serious “cultural capital,” Cai said. Story continues below advertisement “The prevailing feeling is like, ‘This is like so stupid that it’s below me to comment,’ or, ‘I’ve given up taking things seriously so I’m just making tweets until the asteroid hits,’” she said. Humor can be a way to dissociate, but it can also be a way to engage, says Ben Collins, CEO of the Onion. His team started writing jokes immediately after the shooting Saturday and put out a digital edition Monday evening, he said. One headline was “Congress bans roofs,” poking fun at politicians’ failure or reluctance to pass sweeping gun reforms. He said the funniest jokes usually come when writers “take a breath,” step back and try to put events in their larger context. In this case, the context was constant gun violence. Advertisement “Jokes get us through these moments because otherwise that helplessness can turn into rage,” Collins said. Story continues below advertisement Some jokes called for a second assassination attempt or berated the shooter for poor aim — both potential violations of a law prohibiting threats from people wishing harm on political figures. Donald Trump may have encouraged such takes with his own habitual flippancy toward important national topics, said satirist Percival Everett, but it doesn’t mean the rest of us should follow suit. Everett, who has written his share of bloody, ironic humor about American society, said the numb, knee-jerk jokes after Saturday’s shooting struck him as hollow. “An innocent person died that day. He will not see or be seen by his family again,” Everett said. “Absurd as it is, it is no joke.” TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING The shooter: The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is now dead, as the gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump at a rally. The 20-year-old Pennsylvania man had searched online for information about Trump and President Biden and had photos of both men saved on his phone, according to lawmakers and others briefed on the investigation. Victims: The man killed at the rally was Corey Comperatore, a married father of two daughters who Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) said died trying to protect his family. The two rally attendees who were critically injured were identified as David Dutch and James Copenhaver. Layout of shooting site: The Washington Post built a 3D model of the site of the attempted assassination at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania based on more than 40 videos and photos. The Post’s analysis found that two Secret Service countersniper teams may not have been able to see the shooter at first. Secret Service: Growing evidence that law enforcement were made aware of the shooter before he opened fire has put the Secret Service under pressure to explain what analysts have described as a major security failure. Show more Share 872 Comments More Tech in your Life HAND CURATED * This is the most pointless website on the planet. It’s fantastic. July 2, 2024 This is the most pointless website on the planet. It’s fantastic. July 2, 2024 * Is that app sketchy? Here are 3 easy ways to check. June 28, 2024 Is that app sketchy? Here are 3 easy ways to check. June 28, 2024 * Is an Instagram ‘like’ micro-cheating? Gen Z embraces digital sleuthing. June 26, 2024 Is an Instagram ‘like’ micro-cheating? Gen Z embraces digital sleuthing. 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