Memes are a lot more than just silly images that we can share and laugh at. They’re complex ways to communicate a variety of ideas. Sometimes those ideas are simple, like raccoons being trash goblins. Other times, they’re complex political messages disguised as something innocuous, like how Pepe the Frog came to represent something far more nefarious than the frog by himself. 

There’s a reason that memes can be a stepping stone to reactionary belief. Memes dress up every idea, no matter how serious, as something silly. It’s pretty easy to defend nefarious dog whistles with «it’s just a joke» or «it’s just a meme» because two things can be true at the same time. Something can be a meme and cause harm, as silly as that may sound. Luckily for you, the following memes are not those kinds of memes. You should watch out for these memes, but only to avoid spraying your phone screen with spit-filled laughter.