The Memeologist Manifesto
Today I declare my personal views on Memeology, the study of Internet memes. Memeology and progressive meme views are held on 20 fundamental statements:
1) Memeology is not memetics. Memeology pays attention to Internet memes, especially the postmemes, as well as their memeogenesis (history of a meme), from the point of view of culturology, philosophy, sociology, and linguistics, regardless of relevance. Memetics studies the evolution of society and the concept of viral ideas.
2) A meme is an idea that spreads in the society. In the context of memeology, it is an Internet meme, including a postmeme, the wealth of web culture.
3) A single meme is a meme. In most cases, when a mememe reaches an exploitable form, it gives birth to a new meme. This process is called protomemization.
4) Perception of memes is subjective, but it does NOT prevent to analyze and evaluate them from different angles. Meme analysis is based on three branches: Context, Form/Content (or Idea/Shape), and Spread. When analyzing memes, researchers MUST consider all these factors. Sometimes a bad-looking meme can turn out to be a brilliant one, and a clear situation is quite ambiguous. It is unprofessional to look at memes from one point of view.
5) Memes are primarily creativity that MIGHT be monetized (Patreon, YouTube channels), but CANNOT be a business (large communities in social networks that practice theft of other people's content, or advertising own products).
6) Forcing memes devalues them from the point of idea, while online generators devalue them from the point of form.
7) The Meme Theory is the basis of life, death, and work of most of the memes in the virtual society.
8) Almost all the memes are needed and important, at least for studying.
9) There are NO "right" or "wrong" sides in meme culture, they are just different. Moreover, the main problem of the meme acceptance is ignorance which can be either from normies and memers. Simply saying, being a normie or a "meme nerd" is NOT shameful. It is shameful to deny the value of memes and consider them to be ordinary funny pictures, as well as not to see anything beyond the limits of the built cult of it.
10) Meme elitism is acceptable, but ONLY if it is objectively justified. Demonstrative meme elitism is a sign of posturing. The true memeologist should strive for objectivity and put the truth above their own preferences.
11) Cancer is real, and is caused by uncontrollable forcing of a meme. However, branding a meme with cancer for no reason is a sign of posturing.
12) Mindless use of memes by corporations without consideration of their cultural background is exploitation.
13) Memes CAN be art.
14) NOT all the memes should be funny. They can be filled with humor, absurdity, a specific message, or feelings. One CAN NOT blame the meme for not being funny if it does not initially have a purpose to make the user laugh.
15) Layers of irony are needed, BUT in moderation. They can strengthen a low-quality joke, add absurdities, but it is better not to overdo with them.
16) When using cancerous memes in an ironic way, one need to evaluate the consequences of their actions. Without a sense of proportion the jest on a cancer becomes the cancer itself, like the product of criticism becomes its object over time. Also, it is important to remember that ironic shitposting is still shitposting.
17) Meme wars should be limited to the "struggle of content". Such methods of warfare as espionage are permissible, but all the consequences resulting from this, for example, the theft of personal data or doxing, are absolutely unacceptable.
18) "A good meme challenges social norms", BUT a good meme does not try to purposely look edgy.
19) Memes can NOT be used as agressive political propaganda, either by the state or by any radicals. However, not all politically motivated memes are propagandistic.
20) Practice is above all. To properly understand the meme processes, the true memeologist needs to participate in them themselves, creating original content. Studying memes without practice and relevant experience is unprofessional.
Like any part of the mass culture at the beginning of its journey, now memes don't receive wide recognition, remaining only as a form of entertainment. Of course, sooner or later they will be recognized valuable. People will see the full potential of deep memes' ability to motivate people to study and expand their horizons. We can accelerate this process.
Memes are a value. Memes are knowledge. Memes are power.
We are on the threshold of a new generation. Soon everything will change.
1) Memeology is not memetics. Memeology pays attention to Internet memes, especially the postmemes, as well as their memeogenesis (history of a meme), from the point of view of culturology, philosophy, sociology, and linguistics, regardless of relevance. Memetics studies the evolution of society and the concept of viral ideas.
2) A meme is an idea that spreads in the society. In the context of memeology, it is an Internet meme, including a postmeme, the wealth of web culture.
3) A single meme is a meme. In most cases, when a mememe reaches an exploitable form, it gives birth to a new meme. This process is called protomemization.
4) Perception of memes is subjective, but it does NOT prevent to analyze and evaluate them from different angles. Meme analysis is based on three branches: Context, Form/Content (or Idea/Shape), and Spread. When analyzing memes, researchers MUST consider all these factors. Sometimes a bad-looking meme can turn out to be a brilliant one, and a clear situation is quite ambiguous. It is unprofessional to look at memes from one point of view.
5) Memes are primarily creativity that MIGHT be monetized (Patreon, YouTube channels), but CANNOT be a business (large communities in social networks that practice theft of other people's content, or advertising own products).
6) Forcing memes devalues them from the point of idea, while online generators devalue them from the point of form.
7) The Meme Theory is the basis of life, death, and work of most of the memes in the virtual society.
8) Almost all the memes are needed and important, at least for studying.
9) There are NO "right" or "wrong" sides in meme culture, they are just different. Moreover, the main problem of the meme acceptance is ignorance which can be either from normies and memers. Simply saying, being a normie or a "meme nerd" is NOT shameful. It is shameful to deny the value of memes and consider them to be ordinary funny pictures, as well as not to see anything beyond the limits of the built cult of it.
10) Meme elitism is acceptable, but ONLY if it is objectively justified. Demonstrative meme elitism is a sign of posturing. The true memeologist should strive for objectivity and put the truth above their own preferences.
11) Cancer is real, and is caused by uncontrollable forcing of a meme. However, branding a meme with cancer for no reason is a sign of posturing.
12) Mindless use of memes by corporations without consideration of their cultural background is exploitation.
13) Memes CAN be art.
14) NOT all the memes should be funny. They can be filled with humor, absurdity, a specific message, or feelings. One CAN NOT blame the meme for not being funny if it does not initially have a purpose to make the user laugh.
15) Layers of irony are needed, BUT in moderation. They can strengthen a low-quality joke, add absurdities, but it is better not to overdo with them.
16) When using cancerous memes in an ironic way, one need to evaluate the consequences of their actions. Without a sense of proportion the jest on a cancer becomes the cancer itself, like the product of criticism becomes its object over time. Also, it is important to remember that ironic shitposting is still shitposting.
17) Meme wars should be limited to the "struggle of content". Such methods of warfare as espionage are permissible, but all the consequences resulting from this, for example, the theft of personal data or doxing, are absolutely unacceptable.
18) "A good meme challenges social norms", BUT a good meme does not try to purposely look edgy.
19) Memes can NOT be used as agressive political propaganda, either by the state or by any radicals. However, not all politically motivated memes are propagandistic.
20) Practice is above all. To properly understand the meme processes, the true memeologist needs to participate in them themselves, creating original content. Studying memes without practice and relevant experience is unprofessional.
Like any part of the mass culture at the beginning of its journey, now memes don't receive wide recognition, remaining only as a form of entertainment. Of course, sooner or later they will be recognized valuable. People will see the full potential of deep memes' ability to motivate people to study and expand their horizons. We can accelerate this process.
Memes are a value. Memes are knowledge. Memes are power.
We are on the threshold of a new generation. Soon everything will change.
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