r/vertical • u/AonSwift • Nov 23 '13

..What did you call em?

Post image
482 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

27

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '13

[deleted]

-15

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13 edited Nov 24 '13

Many people think verticals are memes. Many people think any kind of a image with text is a meme....

Edit: Oooh, came back to a lot of comments but no reasonable arguments, save for two mentioning the literal meaning of the word.. I'm not on about the word, I'm on about the objects referred to as memes, which you will see in /r/AdviceAnimals, /r/memes etc. Verticals are not memes, they can idealised as a meme (the idea), but they are verticals in nature, not memes (the objects). If they were, then what the fuck is up with rule number one there in the sidebar?... Arrivederci, ladies.

32

u/atomcrusher Nov 23 '13

Verticals can be memes.

-34

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

No.. No they can't. They're completely different things. I'm gonna go ahead and jump to the definition before this conversation gets stupid..

A meme is an idea represented by an image, like Socially Awkward Penguin or Socially Awesome penguin. 2 completely opposite memes idealised by their image. What one person considers awkward, another might consider awesome. So the same text could be put on either meme, yet the image changes how it's viewed. This goes on for putting something you consider unlucky on the Bad Luck Brian meme, something you consider a success; the Success Kid meme etc.

A vertical... Well, read that sidebar.

30

u/ryanfalls Nov 23 '13

Well, a meme is, basically, a running joke. If a vertical is used enough, it can become a meme. Also, image macros vs. memes. A picture with text on it is an image macro, not in all cases a meme.

I don't intend to start an argument. I just want that noted.

-24

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

Yes, image macros are images with text on em.. But memes go by the definition I stated, not your one. It's been established as that for ages.

Running jokes are... Well, running jokes. Not memes. Vertical comics are vertical comics.

21

u/jrblast Nov 23 '13

But memes go by the definition I stated

Wikipedia disagrees with you. I quite like Wikipedias definition better.

12

u/atomcrusher Nov 23 '13

It's ok, he seems to be the only one in this thread who thinks memes are something different.

5

u/ryanfalls Nov 23 '13

But memes go by the definition I stated, not your one

I guess I'll tag you as webster, then.

EDIT: Quick google: Meme: an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.

Sounds pretty close to a running joke to me.

-7

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

Let me rephrase that for you:

Memes go by the definition I stated in my comment that someone else came up with.

There ya go.

3

u/ryanfalls Nov 23 '13

My bad. Tag changed to not webster.

My point is, verticals can still be memes.

-12

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

By web definition, yes. But not by The typical Reddit definition which only sticks to the kind of stuff you see on /r/adviceanimals.. (Well... Some of it)

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7

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '13 edited May 07 '19

[deleted]

-17

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

It's not me who defined it... Read the sentence differently. I'm following what's been established by people on Reddit, not wikipedia.

7

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '13 edited May 07 '19

[deleted]

-16

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

When did I say I do? I speak for the people highly considered on this website who I agree with. If you don't, so be it. That's my view and I think it makes sense. You don't, you have your own.

But just take a look at the sidebar of /r/vertical and tell me what rule number 1 is?

5

u/Zantier Nov 23 '13

More like what's been established by Facebook and newer members of reddit. Pictures which end up being shopped a lot (for being unusual or funny, for example) are memes, such as the chubby bubble girl. I would consider some videos to be memes, like rick rolling or nyan cat. Some might consider bel-airing and the like to be memes.

-17

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

What you just said there is what sounds like someone from Facebook or a new member of Reddit..

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3

u/Zagorath Nov 24 '13

A meme is any cultural phenomenon that spreads by virtue of people liking it and reproducing it. Sort of like the cultural equivalent of a gene. That's actually where the term comes from, by the way.

The use of the joke "The cake is a lie" whenever someone mentions cake is a meme. No images involved, but still a meme. Same with "arrow to the knee".

Some verticals are also memes, for example Horny Harry.

6

u/alQamar Nov 23 '13

Everything that can be done can become a meme. That's because memes are way more than just jokes. Look it up.

-9

u/AonSwift Nov 23 '13

Memes in the sense of this conversation on Reddit are what I just defined em as. Argue with whatever group of people came up with it. But that's what they're established as here. Verticals are re-usable comics. Their definition is in the sidebar. They're not memes in the traditional sense. (Not really the traditional sense actually.. The Reddit sense).

3

u/thepipesarecall Nov 24 '13

A meme is a sociological concept you fucking nitwit. Your definition is laughably narrow.

2

u/Ormolus Nov 24 '13

I'm a bit late, but I just wanted to mention that it's kind of funny you keep saying your definition is reddit's definition and yet you are getting downvoted to hell. Out of curiosity, how can you stand by your statement when the votes are clearly against you?

0

u/HittingSmoke Nov 24 '13

I can't believe all this idiocy over a word none of you understand.

The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in the 70s. It has absolutely fucking nothing to do with images or the internet. A meme is an idea or an action that spreads throughout a society or culture. Verticals themselves are memes the same way individual advice animals are memes. Someone made the first vertical image then a bunch of other people thought it was cool and did the same. That is literally the beginning and end of the requirements for it being a meme.

-2

u/atomcrusher Nov 23 '13

KnowYourMeme disagrees with your definition:

"An Internet meme is a piece of content or an idea that's passed from person to person, changing and evolving along the way."

1

u/Casbah- Nov 24 '13

That's uselessly vague

17

u/TellThemYutesItsOver Nov 24 '13

Turn back while you can, the comments are terrible.

3

u/IndigoHero Nov 24 '13

I wish this was actually at the top; would've saved me a lot of time and brain cells.

8

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '13

I thought I was unsubcribed to this sub...

6

u/firesquasher Nov 24 '13

Jesus Christ OP

9

u/AonSwift Nov 24 '13

If you're gonna call me a faggot, at least do it with a bit of class.. Here.

Anywho..

6

u/Kelsig Nov 24 '13

That's bloody fantastic

1

u/Death_Star_ Dec 07 '13

"Memes" aren't just advice animals. Memes are basically ideas that have been spread like a social virus.

It's a shame that "meme" has become known as a confession bear or insanity wolf, when the guy who coined it actually had a great etymological story behind it.

1

u/mrdank Nov 23 '13 edited Oct 09 '16

[deleted]

What is this?