Context is crucial
Conveying intent is a constant issue when communicating because language evolves over time and meanings can change based on context. Context can be the difference between saving or ruining a reputation. Unfortunately, there have been some egregious instances of selective truth and disregard for context in recent months.
Selective truth can be as destructive as a complete lie, especially when the removal of context could harm someone’s reputation. The Wall Street Journal used selective truth when it published an article Feb. 14 about Felix Kjellberg, also known as PewDiePie, a Swedish gamer and comedian who hosts the most subscribed channel on YouTube. The authors of the article approached Kjellberg’s sponsors about alleged anti-Semitic jokes and Nazi imagery in some of his videos. Following this attempt for comment, Kjellberg was dropped by Maker Studios and lost Google Preferred advertising and his YouTube Red series “Scare PewDiePie.”
The main video receiving criticism, which Kjellberg has since deleted and apologized for, admitting that the joke went too far, shows him making requests on Fivver, a website where people can advertise services they are willing to provide for approximately $5. Kjellberg submitted several extreme orders to see if users were actually willing to do anything for $5. One of the services Kjellberg paid for was to have two men in a jungle hold up a sign reading “Death to all Jews” and say “Subcribe to Keemstar,” who has an infamous YouTube drama channel and a history of making racist statements.
It is not unreasonable for companies to cut ties with Kjellberg for the sake of brand image following a joke made in poor taste. The greater issue is the misrepresentation and selective truth in the article by The Wall Street Journal. Had the article focused solely on the Fivver video, which understandably crossed the line for many people, there would not be an issue with the piece. Instead the article includes other supposed evidence, most of which has been taken out of context.
One clip shows an image of Adolf Hitler used as a transition in a video, which was from a parody of drama channels, such as the one operated by the aforementioned Keemstar. Another clip shows Kjellberg viewing swastikas in fan submissions from his mobile game “PewDiePie’s Tuber Simulator,” which is behavior he condemned in the full video. Another clip shows Kjellberg wearing a Nazi uniform as a Hitler speech plays, which he did to satirize the potential fascist-like censorship that could result from the YouTube Heroes program’s mass flagging ability.
Technically The Wall Street Journal is not incorrect. The article states that Kjellberg’s videos contain anti-Semitic and Nazi imagery, and those images of swastikas and Hitler were used in PewDiePie videos. However, the mere presence of a symbol does not necessarily equal an endorsement of the ideas and beliefs it represents. By removing the video clips from their original context of criticism or satire, the article changes the intended message and impact, leaving only the historical implications of the images. This misrepresentation of Kjellberg presents him as a proponent of ideas he does not actually support instead of the satirist he actually is.
Context is sometimes even ignored when people are explicitly told that it shouldn’t be. This disregard was seen when the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) added the Pepe the Frog meme to its hate symbol database. The database entry clearly states that the majority of the meme’s uses are non-bigoted and context should always be used when determining whether a particular version of the meme is racist. Despite the entry’s clarification that the meme is not inherently racist, headlines and articles quickly started calling it an “anti-Semitic meme” and the “racist frog.”
Fast-food chain Wendy’s felt the impact of this false labeling Jan. 4 when it tweeted a Pepe meme that looked like its mascot. By the ADL’s standard of evaluating within context, the meme is obviously innocuous. However, Wendy’s received upset replies and news articles, causing the chain to remove the tweet and apologize for the misunderstanding.
From a public relations perspective, the best course of action was for Wendy’s to remove the tweet and appease the people who were upset. However, since the meme was non-bigoted in context, deleting the tweet reinforced the misconception that Pepe is offensive in all circumstances. There is a campaign, #SavePepe, started by the ADL and the meme’s creator, Matt Furie, to reclaim it from the groups making racist variations. However, it is difficult to restore the reputation of the meme if people are attacked for using it in any context, even non-bigoted ones.
In regards to Kjellberg and Pepe the Frog, some journalists and bloggers argue that intentions and context do not matter if the outcome is negative. It is true that some racist groups praised Kjellberg and Wendy’s for their actions, but that praise was for the promotion of ideas that neither Kjellberg nor Wendy’s intended to promote. If too much reliance is placed on intention then there is no longer accountability for the consequences of actions, but if intent is disregarded entirely then self-censorship occurs out of the fear that words or actions will be misinterpreted. There must always be balance, and context will always be a necessary part of this balance if judgments of character are to be fair.
