A man wearing protective gear roams the streets of what can only be described as a cross between a city and a gas chamber. This way, a still from Chernobyl is making the rounds on the Internet — not to promote the show, but to show what Delhi looks like after Diwali. As the Delhi Government declared a public health emergency following the severe level of pollution on Thursday, the Internet blew up with memes as well as tweets that, while putting a humorous touch to the grim situation, highlighted how bad things are.
So, tweets comparing smoking to breathing in Delhi are being recycled throughout the online community — even Shashi Tharoor joined the game! In a witty warning labelled “Delhi is injurious to health”, Tharoor shared the following lines: “Kab tak guzaaroge zindagi cigarette, bidi, cigar mein.. Kuch din aake bitao Dilli NCR mein. (sic)”
Around the world, the meme culture is quick to encapsulate current trends. Be it MET Gala outfits or the layer of smoke that has engulfed the capital, your social media feed is sure to fit them into your favourite meme format. The sphere of memes and tweets about the pollution in Delhi is rather humourous, creative and, unfortunately, accurate. Many active social-media users of the Gen Z agree to this. “I think memes are the best way to spread awareness about a serious situation in our generation,” remarks Khushi Khurana, who travels from Ghaziabad to Gole Market everyday and faces the brunt of Delhi’s pollution. “It will evoke a laugh — and then encourage people to do something about it.”
Saloni, a Green Park resident who is an avid twitter user, agrees. She says, “Memes that gain attention are not only funny, but also informative. It’s actually a smart way of advertising. As long as they’re not offensive, I think the meme culture is a positive development.”
Perhaps the warmest aspect of this culture lies in its ability to lighten a serious situation. Look up hashtags like #DelhiPollution and #DelhiChokes and you will find news updates on the capital’s pollution levels — but also jokes that will prompt a laugh. As long as there is news, the meme culture will live on.
