With Chuck Norris, the Meme Was the Message
Jacobin • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Chuck Norris passed away at 86 in Hawaii, prompting a mix of sincere and ironic tributes online, highlighting his unique legacy shaped more by internet culture than his film or TV roles.
- Norris's career evolved from Air Force veteran and martial arts champion to 1980s action star embodying Reagan-era American militarism, with films like Missing in Action and Invasion USA promoting pro-military messages.
- His popularity waned after the Cold War, but he gained renewed fame through the early internet meme phenomenon "Chuck Norris Facts," which humorously exaggerated his toughness and invincibility.
- These memes, originating as lighthearted jokes, are now seen as early examples of memetic power that foreshadow the weaponized,
