Unpacking the myths and memes of spring 2014 ~ Myths are powerful abstraction devices allowing easy transmission of culture. Digital media lies on a base of code which is often invisible but also mythical. In his book ‘Myth Today’, Roland Barthes describes how myths are constructed. In April a bug was discovered in Open SSL security which became the first ‘Bug 2.0’ bug and the most significant. It became mythical. In May, glamorous bearded lady drag act, Conchita Wurst won Eurovision amid Russian outrage. She carried a message of tolerance and acceptance by highlighting issues of sexual discrimination using a neatly trimmed beard to go along with her sequinned dress.
