INTERNET POPC

ULTURE:

MEMES

L U I S O

R T I Z

WHAT IS A MEME?

MEMES DEFINITION• A meme is an idea, behavior or style that spreads from

person to person within a culture. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate and respond to selective pressures.

• Condensing it: a meme is a virally-transmitted cultural symbol or social idea.

TYPES OF M

EMES

TYPES

• Humorous Memes• For Shock-Value Memes• Dramatic Memes• Related to Urban Myths• Involve Social Commentary

HUMOROUS MEMES• Most memes regard humor itself and have as a basis the

concept of just having a laugh. • Many memes fall under more than one category.• Humor usually reaches the most people, and is the most

attractive to forward to others.• Some kind of humorous memes are:

• Rickrolling• Lolcats• Numa Numa Dance• ALL THE THINGS• Etc.

SHOCK-VALUE MEME• This kind of memes are present in the form of what is known as trolling.• Trolling: is trying to get a rise out of someone. Forcing them to respond

to you, either through wise-crackery, posting incorrect information, asking blatantly stupid questions, or other foolishness. However, trolling statements are never true or are ever meant to be construed as such. Nearly all trolled statements are meant to be funny to some people, so it does have some social/entertainment value.

• This concept is also related to the concept of trolls.• Trolls: One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a

newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument.

DRAMATIC MEMES• This memes are ones that have to do with drama, by that

they require the use of catharsis.• Catharsis: the release of emotions. • By this the meme is required to exhibit certain strong

emotions that the viewers reacts to.• A very well known one is the video titled: Gingers have souls

which was a reaction made by a redhead boy to the claim that gingers posses no souls.

RELATED TO URBAN MYTHS• These are memes that tout some kind of life lesson through

the use of an urban myth. • A common one is: The Littlest Fireman

• This myth claims that that a dying child was made an honorary fireman by the Phoenix Fire Department.

INVOLVE SOCIAL COMMENTARY• A few Internet memes are about deep content, and involve

social commentary and intellectual absurdity .• These memes serve as a social critique to the culture

around us, these may be regarding current events, religion, etc.

• Some examples are:• The Flying Spaghetti Monster• Pepper Spray Cop• Occupy Wall Street• Etc.

TRANSMISSION

SPREAD• Memes are transmitted through the virtual world of the

internet.• Today, memes travel much faster than simple speech. • As Internet email forwards, instant messages, and Web

page links, memes now travel instantly via the Internet.

CREATORS• The majority of Internet memes are transmitted by

adolescents and post-adolescents. • This is largely because these two demographics like to

message, and have a playful curiosity about memes. But today, the average age of meme-transmitters has increased, as users over 30 years old discover the chuckles and humor about forwarding memes to their friends.

REMARKABLE MEMES

WIDELY SPREAD MEMES1. Philosoraptor2. Rage Faces3. Rick Roll4. LOLcats5. FAIL6. Chuck Norris7. ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!8. DEMOTIVATIONAL POSTER9. NYAN CAT10.Advice Animals11.My Little Pony Friendship is Magic12.Success Kid

CONCLUSION

• The bulk of Internet memes will continue to be humor and shock-value curiosities, as these grab people's attention more quickly than deeper meme content. But as users become more sophisticated in their thinking, expect memes to become progressively more intellectual and philosophical.