Pretty on the Inside (Clip Art on the Outside)

By Haley

Let's talk about memes again. What are they used for? Some memes want to amuse you, others serve as a shorthand for human interaction (easier to post a happy birthday pic than to type out all those annoying letters). Some serve to illustrate a point or convey a message.

But many, many memes exist to make the poster feel better about themselves through useless nonsense.

Here is a good example.

First off, note the classic meme tactic of random capitalization and punctuation. The sentences don't even end or begin on the same lines. Also, the graphic (which appears to be bridal themed?) that has nothing to do directly with the text. Of course we also have our obvious and obnoxious promo blurb on the pic- always a gamble. Will it direct you to the best case scenario or to the worst case? Worst case being some virus riddled "meet singles in your area" internet hellhole, best being a page full of similarly shitty memes.

But what about the message? Based on the content- the beauty is on the inside stuff, the prayer bit at the end- this is is a meme for ugly passive aggressive religious women*. I added on the passive aggressive part because I have never seen/heard/experienced anyone saying that they would pray for the people who don't them in a non-passive aggressive way (the word "sweetie" tends to get thrown around in those situations a lot also, as I have noticed). 

Moving away from the religious part, I just want to reiterate how icky this meme makes me feel overall. The message here is smug and self-serving for anyone who posts it- the subtext of a post like this is always " . . . and I am this kind of beautiful, me, right here, the poster of this meme." Plus, if it's posted by a conventionally attractive woman then it is doubly self serving because it's pretty easy to preach the gospel of inner beauty when you have already experienced the benefits of outer beauty. It's kind of like people with rich parents talking about pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. I guess I just think that some of the power behind turning the other cheek is removed when the other cheek is just as perfectly contoured as the first.

So this is a shitty meme and you need to help out here because of it. Do your part: don't pass this kind of crap around and don't encourage those who do. Positive OR negative reinforcement for people who post this stuff will not help (because boy, do religious people love negative reinforcement- "hell" and all that). And, if you are a religious person reading this, please send a little prayer out for the artist or clip art designer who made the graphic that ended up on this dumb meme. They are probably really hungry and sad right now and could use all the help they can get.

* This is a joke. Don't get mad at me uggos, for I am one of you.

Lady Strikes

By Haley

Updates for 3/6/16

By Haley

This week, after the robust greetings we gave to our new contributors, Ann and Libby, everyone was allowed to go back to their corners and start writing some new pieces, which will start appearing tomorrow (3/6/16).

Also, I changed the commenting system to allow for easier commenting. You don't need a blogger account to comment anymore, and you can even comment anonymously!

Otherwise just please don't forget to check out our affiliates, Accidentally Awesome Art and Martin Newman's Art, for new items weekly.

Also, Throw Back Thursday drawings, which used to be featured on this blog, are now here and have a NEW drawing- #28: Zoe (shown above).

That's all for this week but stay tuned for more!

-Haley

Trickle Down Scratchenomics

By Haley

An Interview with Annonymous

By Haley

Well . . . here is my interview with this blog's other new contributor, Annonymous (Ann). We met over video chat, though her side was so darkened that it was hard to make out her face or her surroundings. The interview didn't last long, but she gives great clues as to what she is going to be writing about. Kind of.

Beginning of Interview

2/25/16

Haley: Thanks Ann for agreeing to video chat with me on                              .

Ann: Omit that please. People don't need to know what chat platforms I use.

Haley: Ann, you have decided to join this blog anonymously. Why is that?

Ann: The things I want to write about are not necessarily things I want the whole world to know about me. But I still think they need to be said. Simple as that.

Haley: Well that makes me feel a bit nervous, heh heh.

Ann: I'm OK with that.

[Awkward pause.]

Haley: OK, well, what types of things are you going to be writing about?

Ann: Well I'm certainly not Edward Snowden if that's what you're thinking. I don't know any state secrets or anything like that. I just have a lot of thoughts about certain topics that exist in legal grey areas.

Haley: Are you talking about, like, having dirt on other people? Or is it drug stuff? Sex stuff? Please don't let it be sex stuff.

Ann: Maybe the second one.

Haley: So you're basically Walter White, is what you're saying?

Ann: No. I'm just an average person who has a lot of experience with a very politicized topic, one that even in our current cultural climate puts people at risk to acknowledge their involvement with.

Haley: Average person, huh? An average person who lives in the city of . . . ?

Ann: I think you are hung up on the anonymous part. Let it go. It is what it is.

Haley: My husband hates that phrase

Ann: Good to know. I care very deeply about what your husband, a person whom I have never met, thinks about a random phrase.

Haley: Ann, you're sassy and I love it.

[A small crash is heard in the background from Ann's side.]

Ann: I have to go.

Haley: Ok but-

[Ann's screen goes blank.]

So there you have it. Ann wants to keep her background secret to avoid being connected directly to the topics she wants to discuss. Fair enough. I don't know how often she will be contributing but you can find her future works under the label "Ann".

Porn Names and Ugly Students: An Interview with Dr. Libby Newman

By Haley

Today I would like to introduce one of my new contributors, a person I know very well and am excited to be collaborating with: my mom, Dr. Elizabeth Newman.

An Arkansas native, Libby (as she likes to be called by people other than her children), moved to Pueblo, Colorado in the back half of 2015. Recently retired from teaching sociology at the University of Arkansas, she brings an insight and expertise into evaluating modern society.

To learn a little about Libby and what she's all about I conducted a formal-ish interview with her recently to learn a little bit more about what makes her tick.

New Attributions

By Haley

Just a quick note. Two new contributors have joined The Curious Conscience: Libby and Ann. You can click on their pictures to the right to learn about them.

Please note that on all posts there will now be an attribution byline/ending tag for each contributor. However: I am not going back through eighty-odd posts and adding my name to every one by hand so previous posts will just be tagged under my name with no byline. Future posts will say who the author is and will be tagged under their name so you can easily find all the work by that author.

Please check out the new bios and get ready for to meet Ann and Libby!