2008-08-03, 03:24 PM
Different memes are created for different reasons. The "Why so Serious?" meme came about thanks to viral marketing for the new Batman film. This itself mutated into other things (such as multiple iterations on the concept "why so dead").
Other memes could be created for fun. Not necessarily intending to create a meme, but to create a single instance of humor, or to get a certain particular idea across. Then, other people might pick up on it and take it to new limits.
Other memes are naughty. They're the ones you two are talking about. People who go out of their way to try to make "the next big meme". "Forced memes" is what they're often called. These memes can sometimes achieve a bit of greatness themselves, but they're really just created by someone so they can balloon their sense of self-worth. These people do it for the fame... a bit ironic when one considers the forced anonymity of these sites, but they feel this fame regardless of whether they get personal glory or not.
Actually, here. There is a section in the Wikipedia article specifically detailing different sorts of memes as they're applicable in real life, not the limited defintion as applied where /b/ is specifically concerned. I know the full article is quite a bit to swallow (I honestly haven't sat down and read it entirely myself), but there are some good heavy nuggets, like this following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme#Examples_of_memes
Other memes could be created for fun. Not necessarily intending to create a meme, but to create a single instance of humor, or to get a certain particular idea across. Then, other people might pick up on it and take it to new limits.
Other memes are naughty. They're the ones you two are talking about. People who go out of their way to try to make "the next big meme". "Forced memes" is what they're often called. These memes can sometimes achieve a bit of greatness themselves, but they're really just created by someone so they can balloon their sense of self-worth. These people do it for the fame... a bit ironic when one considers the forced anonymity of these sites, but they feel this fame regardless of whether they get personal glory or not.
Actually, here. There is a section in the Wikipedia article specifically detailing different sorts of memes as they're applicable in real life, not the limited defintion as applied where /b/ is specifically concerned. I know the full article is quite a bit to swallow (I honestly haven't sat down and read it entirely myself), but there are some good heavy nuggets, like this following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme#Examples_of_memes
Quote: * Common sense, as spread from generation to generation
* Popular works, such as music, literature, and video; often transmitted in the form of specific quotes and scenes.
* Technology and technological artifacts: cars, paper-clips, etc. Technology demonstrates mutation as well as transmission, which memetic (or genetic) progress requires. An often-cited example of "technology as meme" involves the building of a fire. Some researchers sometimes refer to memes concerning technology as "temes", which rhymes with "memes".[6] Also see Moore's Law.
* Traditions, including religion, fashion, proverbs, epic poems, stories, music, dance, and children's culture
* Theories, including scientific, pseudo-scientific, and conspiratorial
* Medical and safety advice: "Don't swim for an hour after eating", "Stop, drop, and roll".
* Popular concepts: these include Freedom, Justice, Ownership, Open Source, Egoism, or Altruism
* Group-based biases: everything from antisemitism and racism to cargo cults.
* Programming paradigms: from structured programming and object-oriented programming to extreme programming.
* Phrases, slogans, and expressions. May come from advertising ("Whasssssup!"; sometimes accompanied by melodies), the Internet ("all your base are belong to us!") or politics ("mob rule")
* Viral marketing: a type of marketing based on memes and using "word of mouth" to advertise (see the recent example of Snakes on a Plane).