Style
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Call me a boomer but I feel kids growing up now are missing something that those of us who grew up before TikTok had.
They're missing a lot of things, especially including having a childhood where your mistakes weren't forever preserved online.
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A meme (/miːm/ ⓘ; MEEM)[1][2][3] is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme.[4] A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices, that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures.[5]
That's the Dawkins version of a meme, not an Internet meme. An internet meme is typically defined differently:
By some definitions some viral videos would count, if they're viral because they're funny. By those definitions, if they're viral because they're critical news like the George Floyd murder, they're not memes because they're not humorous.
Personally, I don't think it's an internet meme unless:
- It's intended to be funny or at least wryly amusing. So, serious news items or shocking things don't count.
- It is remixed. A funny viral video isn't a meme until people start remixing it.
What made image macros into internet memes was people taking the same macro and using different text. Otherwise it's just a viral item of internet context.
My definition is not necessarily "right", but I like it.
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What are you talking about, my dude?
The definition of the term "meme" was given by Richard Dawkins in 1972. That's what the word means.
What's your point?
Definitions change. Dawkins didn't define an "internet meme". People who were spreading certain kinds of viral content on the Internet found Dawkins' word and adapted it to match the things they were doing.
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Definitions change. Dawkins didn't define an "internet meme". People who were spreading certain kinds of viral content on the Internet found Dawkins' word and adapted it to match the things they were doing.
An "Internet meme" falls smack in the middle of Dawkins' definition. I really have no clue what your point is.
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That's the Dawkins version of a meme, not an Internet meme. An internet meme is typically defined differently:
By some definitions some viral videos would count, if they're viral because they're funny. By those definitions, if they're viral because they're critical news like the George Floyd murder, they're not memes because they're not humorous.
Personally, I don't think it's an internet meme unless:
- It's intended to be funny or at least wryly amusing. So, serious news items or shocking things don't count.
- It is remixed. A funny viral video isn't a meme until people start remixing it.
What made image macros into internet memes was people taking the same macro and using different text. Otherwise it's just a viral item of internet context.
My definition is not necessarily "right", but I like it.
All three definitions you provided are well within Dawkins' definition.
By some definitions some viral videos would count, if they’re viral because they’re funny. By those definitions, if they’re viral because they’re critical news like the George Floyd murder, they’re not memes because they’re not humorous.
The reason for their spread is irrelevant. The fact that it's "a piece of culture that is spreading" is what makes it a meme.
What made image macros into internet memes was people taking the same macro and using different text
Again, this is well within the definition of "meme".
My definition is not necessarily “right”, but I like it.
You're arguing that "Internet meme" should be it's own thing, when it fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "meme".
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An "Internet meme" falls smack in the middle of Dawkins' definition. I really have no clue what your point is.
Smack in the middle, but the definition is narrower.
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All three definitions you provided are well within Dawkins' definition.
By some definitions some viral videos would count, if they’re viral because they’re funny. By those definitions, if they’re viral because they’re critical news like the George Floyd murder, they’re not memes because they’re not humorous.
The reason for their spread is irrelevant. The fact that it's "a piece of culture that is spreading" is what makes it a meme.
What made image macros into internet memes was people taking the same macro and using different text
Again, this is well within the definition of "meme".
My definition is not necessarily “right”, but I like it.
You're arguing that "Internet meme" should be it's own thing, when it fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "meme".
You're arguing that "Internet meme" should be it's own thing, when it fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "meme".
Yes, just like "motorcycle" fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "vehicle" but it's still useful to have a more specific term.
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You're arguing that "Internet meme" should be it's own thing, when it fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "meme".
Yes, just like "motorcycle" fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of "vehicle" but it's still useful to have a more specific term.
But there already is a "more specific term" - "internet meme". It's a meme that (mostly) originates/spreads over the Internet. Job done.
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Smack in the middle, but the definition is narrower.
Elaborate?
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But there already is a "more specific term" - "internet meme". It's a meme that (mostly) originates/spreads over the Internet. Job done.
That's my point, that's not a good definition of an Internet Meme.
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That's my point, that's not a good definition of an Internet Meme.
I'm so confused... It's like you wanted a separate definition of "internet news article" because these often have click-bait titles, unlike (most) TV or newspaper articles.
It's the same thing. Just the medium is different.
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I'm so confused... It's like you wanted a separate definition of "internet news article" because these often have click-bait titles, unlike (most) TV or newspaper articles.
It's the same thing. Just the medium is different.
It's not the same thing, it's not just the medium that's different. That's my whole point.
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It's not the same thing, it's not just the medium that's different. That's my whole point.
You keep saying that, but you haven't explained the difference yet.
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You keep saying that, but you haven't explained the difference yet.
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OK, let's break them down.
an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video)
(...)
form of expression that relies on images and other types of text-based media
(...)
a humorous image, video, piece of text, or GIF that is spread across the internet"Image", "video" and "GIF" are the same thing - an image. It's just moving in some cases.
So we're left with "humorous, amusing or interesting form of expression that relies on images and text, and spreads across the Internet".
"Humorous, amusing or interesting" can be skipped, because if it "spreads across the Internet" means there's a reason for it. For that matter, the reason could be that people feel angry or infuriated, and a lot of others. So let's just skip these altogether and just leave the fact that it's spreading.
We're left with "a form of expression that relies on images and text, and spreads across the Internet".
Where "a form of expression that relies on images and text" is "an idea".
So, your "unique" definition of "Internet meme" is just: "an idea that spreads across the Internet".
Which is to say: it's a meme. The method of spreading is irrelevant, the important bit is the spread itself. Doesn't matter if it's by word of mouth, newspapers, TV broadcasts, radio, or the Internet, it's just the transportation method.
