Reconciling The Failures Of Speech Through Ideograms or LOL Gifs
By 
The President of the United States has fired FBI Director James Comey. The FBI has been investigating the allegations of the Trump administration’s ties to Russia, who attempted to hack and influence the 2016 election. The President has also been organizing his party to take away the healthcare of millions of Americans, including pregnant women and veterans. His family has been caught using their political connections to sell foreign business deals. The list from just the last week goes on from there.
We live in unprecedented times. Maybe some of us who are more well traveled in the world and in the general movement of time aren’t as perturbed by the recent events in the United States, but I am. Watching my home country and the people I love suffer from a great physical distance, words feel cheap. Indian anthropologist Veena Das has done a lot of work involving the inadequacies of language and silence. Some of my favorite texts of hers include “Language and Body“, Life and Words, and Violence and Subjectivity.
What possible speech could I offer that wouldn’t be a hollow reverberation for my own gratification? How can I express my rage, sorrow, and sympathy with such primitive mortal tools?
Gifs.
British gifs.
British TV gifs.
Veena would (not) agree.
What it feels like watching the news from abroad while everyone around you has that “stiff upper lip” thing going on. (The IT Crowd)
Every time Sean Spicer opens his mouth. (Blackadder II)
The Trump voters who are disappointed by AHCA and the airstrikes on Syria. (A Bit Of Fry and Laurie)
One day, your Trump voting friends and family who were concerned “about the economy” will see the skulls on their uniform. One day. (Mitchell and Webb)
Getting into competitions with your friends over who can be the most indignant. (Never Mind The Buzzcocks)
What does The Kremlin have on Trump anyway? Oh… (The Mighty Boosh)
Trumpcare. (Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace)
There. That should do it.
