Why Do Memes Matter? - Glad You Asked S1

Memes are the language of the internet. At some point in the last decade, they became the secret ingredient for advertising, political messaging, and disinformation all across the world. Glad You Asked host Christophe Haubursin wanted to know why that happened — and what it means for the internet today.

Key Sources:
The Ambivalent Internet: Mischief, Oddity, and Antagonism Online
For this video, we spoke to Ryan Milner and Whitney Phillips, the co-authors of this book on the messy, antagonistic folklore constantly being created through memes.

Memes in Digital Culture
If you’re curious to read more about the academic study of internet memetics, Limor Shifman’s work is a great place to start.

The term “internet ugly” comes from this paper by Nick Douglas. It’s a great read on how 4chan’s design influenced the visual aesthetic of memes.

[barsoktay]

"a meme making job" that's completely the opposite of how internet humor works. The thing about memes is that they may be the best joke some random person could ever come up with and no more follow ups. Expecting one person to be constantly funny like a comedian is not a thing in the memes and that is the parts what makes internet humor so different.

[grandexandi]

Commercially producing memes is like trying to be cool: if you're trying, you're not. Memes are fun when they're genuine and spontaneous.

[sapphirefire]

the “meme” that the guys at the “meme company” made 1) made no sense, 2) had no backstory, 3) was basically an ad.

[Zach-qsbw]

What a meme actually is : a dense packet of cultural information a evolution of communication and a step towards a universal decenentralised language that makes abstract ideas easier to share

[victorunbea]

4:55 These fkrs are the ones who pollute our meme environment with ads disguised as memes

[kaen_tqk]

If you're actually trying, you're doing it wrong.

[tomfitzgerald]

Grown men making memes for a living are the greatest meme of all.

[ReglasdeOro]

But they’re not making memes, they’re just making ads

[april_]

I have a teacher that has a daily meme up on the board. they’re usually not bad because we can email them to her and she likes to stay up to date with the latest thing.

This is kinda unrelated but she’s so sweet, like a mom. I always feel so comfortable in the class. She’s relatable in a way and gives us a lot more freedom compared to other teachers. even creative freedom. such as if you have a different idea for an assignment she’ll say sure as long as it relates. best english teacher 10/10

[matthewthiellier]

Making memes souly for selling product instantly kills it

[nutman]

One thing about MEMES these people don't understand, is that talking about them, KILLS THEM.

[eslchannn]

Explaining a meme is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process

[ronripen]

This video explains memes as the exact opposite of what a meme should be

[sam-yxfr]

Reminds me of when my teacher tried to make us laugh with a grumpy cat meme, and the entire classroom was just dead silent.

[roswelllaurenciano]

"An inside joke amongst strangers" describes most of the memes in existance

[anshulbhandari]

Why Do Memes Matter?
Answer: *We live in a society*

[ash-bob]

“Meme community” and “safe space” at a... meme company.




*fellow kids have entered the chat*

[stormer]

*"Memes are the propganda of the Internet"* the most boomer thing ever said in the history of boomers

[sophiaa]

No-one can really make a meme. A meme gets created by the internet.

[dawamee]

It’s so weird to hear someone talkin politely about memes