Many internet denizens have noticed a new phenomenon cropping up on the internet, namely funny motivation posters. These posters, created by various anonymous comedians, feature everything from house cats to hilarious screw-up's caught on camera. They may not motivate, but they do entertain, and as such there has been a rush to create them as various people try to go for the biggest laugh.
What goes into a funny motivation poster?
Though the images in these posters vary, the format is the same. A simple black border, separated by another black border with a white (or other lightly-colored) line, with an image inside and a few large words at the bottom. The large words are always followed by a brief comment to ensure the viewer gets the joke, and this setup mocks more proper (but less entertaining) motivational posters. Such an image is easy to make, and many people have created easily modified images and blank templates to ensure that anyone can quickly and easily make their own.
Can I make a funny motivation poster?
Sure! It's the internet, who'd wanna stop you? Let's say you took a picture of your cat standing atop your mailbox. After cropping it and centering it inside the frame, you might decide that it looks like he's guarding your mailbox. So you put in some big text at the bottom which reads "GUARD CAT" and then include the subtitle "He protects us from bills." There you go, it's that easy and simple.
But it isn't motivational at all!
Most of these posters aren't. In fact, some are decidedly depressing, or thick with dark humor, and are even referred to as "Anti-Motivation Posters." The phenomenon of funny motivational posters (known as a "meme" in internet jargon) extends well beyond the bounds of merely providing motivation. Many times they are used to succinctly make a point, comment on a picture, or otherwise entertain. Sometimes they even comment on other motivational posters! While the earliest ones kept with a motivational theme, that has long since been discarded in favor of pure humor, and now it's rare to find a poster that has anything to do with motivation.
Then why are they still called "funny motivation posters"?
The meme started with a motivational format, and the name has stuck even if the name has not. The fact is, they are still meant to appear similar to motivational posters found and ignored in offices around the world, and as such they are quietly poking fun at the idea that a poster could make a place more fun to work at. Many still work as motivational posters, non-standard as they are, and many people who are big fans of this meme have printed them out to post on the cubicle walls.
Is this legal?
Provided that the image used in the poster has an open copyright or is one you made yourself, it's fine. So come on in and join the fun, and see what others have made, and maybe even make a poster or two yourself?
Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about motivation posters visit Motivation Now for current articles and discussions.
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