Mr. Rodland argued, memes have shifted from the irony that characterized the LOLcats — an online joke in which silly text was superimposed over images of cats — toward something more personal and sincere, and more akin to his work. “Memes now are about seeing yourself in the ridiculous imagery online,” he said. “It’s all about this represents me — this is my spirit animal, this is my mood — and so it’s not about critical distance, it’s about seeing this is the only language I have.”
