this post was submitted on 02 May 2024
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Science Memes
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A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
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Memes are just the newest iteration of establishing shared ideals and interests and are also a way to establish in-group status. For example, if I posted a meme that says something like, "TFW Anos Voldigoad enters into a zect." onto an anime board; I manage to establish both an interest and in-group status to people that I have never met and will likely never meet. Memes are the inevitable result of people desiring to have in-group status and sharing their interests in the age of the internet. Sometimes, a picture, even a silly meme, really is worth a thousand words.
The disconnect for me happened when memes started being made for the masses and I don't mean that in a "I liked them before they got popular!" way. I mean when they changed from being in-jokes to attempts at virality.
Does that make sense? Genuinely asking because I don't know how exactly to phrase what I mean. Like a meme made for your group chat is an in-joke and one made "for the public" is...content. I'm not asking anyone to agree with me but I'm hoping my point is understood
[Edit] fixed autocorrect changing virality to vitality
Tbh, I'm not quite sure what you mean by, "attempts at vitality." Unless, that's a typo and you meant popularity. If that's the case, then I suppose I understand even if I don't necessarily agree that that's the purpose of memes in general.
Autocorrect got me! I meant virality. Like they're being made for the upvotes. To become viral and be seen by as many people as possible or to be monetized by a meme account on Instagram.
Alternative and in the same vein, people rush to make the obvious joke... Not because it's a good joke or even one that has to be told. Just because they want to be the first one to say it
I think I largely agree with your broader point. The analogy I go to music. The difference is between drawing your largest possible audience within a niche versus trying to reach the largest possible audience with whatever has worked before. Very few people are actually creating or using them creatively. Most are just recreating or sharing what appeals to them.
Or rather because they want to be the first one to take part in the comedy ritual this time.
Not a fan of memes or jokes in titles/general for semi serious publications. Not entirely because srsbusinessonly but more clarity in communication. Leave the excessive meme usage for the science communicators in order draw the groans that sustain their life essence.
I'm not sure the music analogy quite fits what I was trying to get across - appealing to the lowest common denominator isn't a bad thing.
It's that memes takes no effort compared to making something original and they appeal to the lowest common denominator so they get the most attention (and upvotes/likes/whatever feel good). This does two things: incentives people to make template memes instead of expressing original thoughts and drowns out the original thoughts of others.
I see the value of memes as "conversation starters" (like this thread) so I don't hate them, I just think it's made social media worse and a lot more boring.
I totally agree with your point on publications. It's one thing to have a creative title with a built-in pin but adding fluff just to get laughs...I dunno, I'm not saying they shouldn't have fun but it distracts from the point.