ENRICHMENT
Memes
(From the article What are Memes by Sean Rintel)
Meme is simply a humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., that is copied (often with
slight variations) and spread rapidly by Internet users. However, we can hardly explain our use
of the internet as clearly as the concept of the meme (pronounced as “meem”).
Some early memes are shown below: LOL cats (see in the internet); „Happy Cat‟- first
LOL cat (2007); 1905- taken by Harry Whittier Frees (1st photo);Success Kid with different
slogans (2nd photo).
According to history, in early 1920s, Richard Semon, a biologist used “memes” in
theorizing biologically inheritable memory. Then, in his 1974 book, “The Selfish Gene,”
Richard Dawkins took a different tack, shortening the Greek term “mime s” (imitator) to coin
“meme” as a cultural analogue to the biological gene: “self-replicating unit of information.”
As argued by Dawkins, genes are subject to the forces of evolution: variation, mutation,
competition and inheritance. On similar principles, certain ideas seem to rise and fall in
cultures; the base concepts of arts, religion and politics are memes, as more fleeting trends,
fads and fashions.
But not all memes are successful, and even “new” memes often bear traces of those that
have passed. Nor all memes static, memes have three properties by which they evolve
existing variations:
Intertextuality- memes reference other memes or other concepts (example:
Joseph Decreaux 18th century- Photo a)
Indexicality- an element in one meme can be used to commend on many
situations (Example: “Exploitable” memes such as Disaster Girl- Photo b )
Templatability- memes have recognisable structures with spaces for new
content. e.g. “I am in your base, killing your doodz” becomes I am in your (noun
1), (verbing) your (noun 2),” to be reused in multiple contexts (Photo c & d)
A meme may be created by
an individual or an institution
deliberately.
Internet is “networked public”
The internet has four features, as follows:
Replicability- digital objects are infinitely reproducible and exploitable across a
range of platforms.
Searchability – Finished versions of memes as well as raw materials and
templates are easily found`.
Scalability- Digital objects are created for a particular audience but with the
knowledge that they can spread to an unknowably large audience wherever the
internet is available.
Persistence- although individual digital objects may not last as long as analogue
objects, they are infinitely transferable and storable in many locations.
You can find huge number of memes posted
daily at user-generated content sites. Hence, lot
of variations on a them are unlimited as seemed.
Engines such as memegenerator.net and Imgur
and Cheezburger‟s Rage Comic LOLBuilder
have been developed at sites to provide both the
raw materials and editing capabilities to rapidly
produce new instances of common memes.
It is important to understand memes to keep
a finger on current trends or the appeal of long
term trends. Memes tell us about new literacies,
how people understand crises and how they
attempt to effect social change through
movements such as so called slacktivism, or
electoral engagement.
User generated content is the key concept because memes are indicative of a
change from the last century‟s passive read-only culture to an active read-write or
produsage-oriented culture, in which very few resources are need to broadcast a
message to entire world.
Memes are indicative of a change from last century‟s passive read-only culture to an
active read-write or produsage-oriented culture, in which very few resources are needed
to broadcast a message to the entire world
Memes have value and must be protected as form of expression; government and
corporations attempt to chill fair use of “copyright” materials via treaties such as the
Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
References:
Suarez, C.A, M.R.G. Perfecto, M.L.E.N. Canilao and D.B. I.Paez. 2018. Purposive
Communication in English. Ateneo de Manila University Press, Quezon City.
https://www.google.com/
