David Boles: Human Meme

Our focus centers on Sigmund Freud's interpretation of the "Three Caskets" motif from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." We'll take a look into how Freud's psychoanalytic lens sheds light on the choices represented by the gold, silver, and lead caskets and what these choices reveal about human nature and desire.    But we won't stop there. We'll extend this analysis to see how these age-old concepts resonate with today's digital culture, especially in the world of memes. Memes, in their essence, are the folklore of the digital age – snapshots of our collective psyche, revealing our hidden fears, desires, and the humor that binds us. Through this lens, we'll examine how the caskets represent different facets of our online behavior and interactions.