No one takes memes seriously; you shouldn’t either
July 16, 2019
A Facebook event calling for a raid on Area 51 is a one silly, fake event in a long line of silly, fake events.
Remember all the event posts about Cloud Gate, also known as the Chicago Bean? There were probably dozens of events all surrounding the sculpture, each more ridiculous than the previous, from cleaning it with Windex to painting it all black to pushing it into water to see if it floats. And none of them ever happened.
The Area 51 event has been featured in pieces by Vox, CNN, and the New York Times. Even the Air Force has released a statement warning people about the ramifications of trying to storm the base. People are treating this as a tangible and meaningful event. While the military is probably better off playing it safe, but we civilians needn’t worry.
What people should remember is that much of what people say on the internet is just a joke, no matter how elaborate or inane. Even if people create plans of attack and talk about what to do once the aliens have escaped, we can rest assured that it’s all in good fun. There is even a pinned post from the event’s organizer clarifying that it is a joke. Even if hundreds of thousands of people have indicated their interest, there will be no storming of Area 51.
The event is currently set for Sept. 20. By then, everyone will have moved on to the next crazy event. I don’t know what it will be, but I’m sure it will be hilarious.