My immediate reaction to this photo is one that I think many share; a chuckle that is supplemented with the cuteness of cat in the image trying to take a photo of itself. As this initial reaction faded for me I became more aware of the anthropomorphic nature of the photo and how it coupled with the tag line “You are capable of more than you think.” These two together, for me at least, transformed the meme from something very sweet that makes you smile to something that you are made to think about.
Looking at this cat taking a photo of itself I think what resonated with me the most lay in the contrasting of the simplicity of taking a photo for a human and the complexity of such an act for a cat. This illustrated almost perfectly the cliché message which comes with the photo whilst also making the viewer think about the value of perspective. Moreover, it shows us how sometimes no matter how impossible a task may seem if we are able to gain perspective then often we are able to surprise even ourselves with our capabilities.
