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What Are Memes Really? | Marcus . | TEDxYouth@HCIS


[Applause]

[Applause] so before the start of the school year I

so before the start of the school year I

so before the start of the school year I made a daily routine plan and promised

made a daily routine plan and promised

made a daily routine plan and promised myself to follow it over the next two

myself to follow it over the next two

myself to follow it over the next two years well some of you here might have a

years well some of you here might have a

years well some of you here might have a similar schedule to mine in the first

similar schedule to mine in the first

similar schedule to mine in the first few days everything well went as planned

few days everything well went as planned

few days everything well went as planned but one day I decided to turn on my

but one day I decided to turn on my

but one day I decided to turn on my phone scroll form maybe five minutes and

phone scroll form maybe five minutes and

phone scroll form maybe five minutes and this meme showed up followed by this

this meme showed up followed by this

this meme showed up followed by this meme then this meme and there goes my

meme then this meme and there goes my

meme then this meme and there goes my schedule for the whole day now a lot of

schedule for the whole day now a lot of

schedule for the whole day now a lot of you have probably heard of the name Yao

you have probably heard of the name Yao

you have probably heard of the name Yao Ming but how did you guys get to know

Ming but how did you guys get to know

Ming but how did you guys get to know him well most of you probably know him

him well most of you probably know him

him well most of you probably know him through his career as a professional

through his career as a professional

through his career as a professional basketball player while most of the

basketball player while most of the

basketball player while most of the others are probably netizens or Internet

others are probably netizens or Internet

others are probably netizens or Internet citizens who are introduced to him

citizens who are introduced to him

citizens who are introduced to him through a famous meme called the yawning

through a famous meme called the yawning

through a famous meme called the yawning face whenever we enter an internet

face whenever we enter an internet

face whenever we enter an internet community be it the anime community the

community be it the anime community the

community be it the anime community the 9gag community or even the Ivy community

9gag community or even the Ivy community

9gag community or even the Ivy community we will surely be exposed to memes and

we will surely be exposed to memes and

we will surely be exposed to memes and these memes are propagated through a

these memes are propagated through a

these memes are propagated through a multitude of platforms such as social

multitude of platforms such as social

multitude of platforms such as social media forum post and even text messaging

media forum post and even text messaging

media forum post and even text messaging apps now to understand internet memes we

apps now to understand internet memes we

apps now to understand internet memes we first have to understand memes in

first have to understand memes in

first have to understand memes in general so the term meme was first

general so the term meme was first

general so the term meme was first coined by Richard Dawkins in his book

coined by Richard Dawkins in his book

coined by Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene first published in 1976

The Selfish Gene first published in 1976

The Selfish Gene first published in 1976 in his book he referred to a meme as an

in his book he referred to a meme as an

in his book he referred to a meme as an idea or concept that replicates

idea or concept that replicates

idea or concept that replicates contagiously from one human mind to

contagiously from one human mind to

contagiously from one human mind to another and in a 2008 TED talk by Susan

another and in a 2008 TED talk by Susan

another and in a 2008 TED talk by Susan Blackmore a British parapsychologist she

Blackmore a British parapsychologist she

Blackmore a British parapsychologist she argued that internet memes shouldn’t be

argued that internet memes shouldn’t be

argued that internet memes shouldn’t be classified under memes instead there are

classified under memes instead there are

classified under memes instead there are teams technological memes this is

teams technological memes this is

teams technological memes this is because instead of the human mind they

because instead of the human mind they

because instead of the human mind they live and spread

live and spread

live and spread via technology well this is all this is

via technology well this is all this is

via technology well this is all this is something we all can’t disagree next I’m

something we all can’t disagree next I’m

something we all can’t disagree next I’m going to outline a process I call the

going to outline a process I call the

going to outline a process I call the meme cycle which is basically the

meme cycle which is basically the

meme cycle which is basically the process of how memes came to be memes so

process of how memes came to be memes so

process of how memes came to be memes so the first step of the meme cycle is the

the first step of the meme cycle is the

the first step of the meme cycle is the meme inspiration this is the initial

meme inspiration this is the initial

meme inspiration this is the initial source of your idea where you suddenly

source of your idea where you suddenly

source of your idea where you suddenly tell yourself to make a meme out of it

tell yourself to make a meme out of it

tell yourself to make a meme out of it and the second step is the mean

and the second step is the mean

and the second step is the mean generation basically the production of

generation basically the production of

generation basically the production of your mean by picture editing or

your mean by picture editing or

your mean by picture editing or videography or even using any online

videography or even using any online

videography or even using any online mean generators available the third step

mean generators available the third step

mean generators available the third step is the meme posting which is basically

is the meme posting which is basically

is the meme posting which is basically uploading your memes to platforms such

uploading your memes to platforms such

uploading your memes to platforms such as Facebook YouTube or 9gag and this is

as Facebook YouTube or 9gag and this is

as Facebook YouTube or 9gag and this is where people will start looking at your

where people will start looking at your

where people will start looking at your memes and last but not least the mean

memes and last but not least the mean

memes and last but not least the mean breakout well this can be considered as

breakout well this can be considered as

breakout well this can be considered as the most crucial step of the meme cycle

the most crucial step of the meme cycle

the most crucial step of the meme cycle because it determines the success and

because it determines the success and

because it determines the success and popularity of your memes well how do

popularity of your memes well how do

popularity of your memes well how do memes get popular memes get popular when

memes get popular memes get popular when

memes get popular memes get popular when they receive a lot of positive or

they receive a lot of positive or

they receive a lot of positive or sometimes negative feedback from the

sometimes negative feedback from the

sometimes negative feedback from the viewers this will encourage the number

viewers this will encourage the number

viewers this will encourage the number of likes comments and shares to increase

of likes comments and shares to increase

of likes comments and shares to increase and thus encourages the spread of the

and thus encourages the spread of the

and thus encourages the spread of the meme and question why did I refer to

meme and question why did I refer to

meme and question why did I refer to this process as a cycle well this is

this process as a cycle well this is

this process as a cycle well this is because your memes can actually

because your memes can actually

because your memes can actually influence other memes kickstart trigger

influence other memes kickstart trigger

influence other memes kickstart trigger their creation of course there’s no

their creation of course there’s no

their creation of course there’s no permanence in the popularity of the

permanence in the popularity of the

permanence in the popularity of the memes living in a modern globalized era

memes living in a modern globalized era

memes living in a modern globalized era technology is accessible to most of us

technology is accessible to most of us

technology is accessible to most of us and in turn exposure to memes get even

and in turn exposure to memes get even

and in turn exposure to memes get even more frequent it is also important to

more frequent it is also important to

more frequent it is also important to identify some of them major impacts of

identify some of them major impacts of

identify some of them major impacts of memes to the modern society from several

memes to the modern society from several

memes to the modern society from several aspects so the first aspect is lifestyle

aspects so the first aspect is lifestyle

aspects so the first aspect is lifestyle memes are often shared knowledge that a

memes are often shared knowledge that a

memes are often shared knowledge that a specific group of people can relate to

specific group of people can relate to

specific group of people can relate to let’s say

let’s say

let’s say this procrastination meme as an example

this procrastination meme as an example

this procrastination meme as an example due tomorrow due tomorrow well some of

due tomorrow due tomorrow well some of

due tomorrow due tomorrow well some of us here might adopt this lifestyle but

us here might adopt this lifestyle but

us here might adopt this lifestyle but once you encounter this meme you will

once you encounter this meme you will

once you encounter this meme you will know that you are not alone this meme

know that you are not alone this meme

know that you are not alone this meme was shared by three hundred and five

was shared by three hundred and five

was shared by three hundred and five thousand three hundred and thirty four

thousand three hundred and thirty four

thousand three hundred and thirty four other users of meme center as of this

other users of meme center as of this

other users of meme center as of this March and presumably they were able to

March and presumably they were able to

March and presumably they were able to relate to this meme too and the second

relate to this meme too and the second

relate to this meme too and the second aspect is ethics the case of Harambee

aspect is ethics the case of Harambee

aspect is ethics the case of Harambee for example

for example

for example Harambee was a lowland gorilla in

Harambee was a lowland gorilla in

Harambee was a lowland gorilla in Cincinnati Zoo he was shot dead when a

Cincinnati Zoo he was shot dead when a

Cincinnati Zoo he was shot dead when a young boy got into his enclosure and was

young boy got into his enclosure and was

young boy got into his enclosure and was thrown around by the gorilla this use

thrown around by the gorilla this use

thrown around by the gorilla this use became popular everywhere and I’m sure

became popular everywhere and I’m sure

became popular everywhere and I’m sure all of you have probably heard of it and

all of you have probably heard of it and

all of you have probably heard of it and it received mixed responses with some

it received mixed responses with some

it received mixed responses with some people claiming that it was just playing

people claiming that it was just playing

people claiming that it was just playing around and then people start making

around and then people start making

around and then people start making Harambee memes which can actually still

Harambee memes which can actually still

Harambee memes which can actually still be found today this is an example of a

be found today this is an example of a

be found today this is an example of a meme that makes you question your own

meme that makes you question your own

meme that makes you question your own ethics was it a right decision to kill

ethics was it a right decision to kill

ethics was it a right decision to kill the gorilla the third aspect is

the gorilla the third aspect is

the gorilla the third aspect is marketing for instance Apple is a

marketing for instance Apple is a

marketing for instance Apple is a popular brand of goods you can see

popular brand of goods you can see

popular brand of goods you can see almost everywhere you go but it is also

almost everywhere you go but it is also

almost everywhere you go but it is also important important to know that many

important important to know that many

important important to know that many people think that this product is

people think that this product is

people think that this product is overpriced this meme despite not made by

overpriced this meme despite not made by

overpriced this meme despite not made by competitors will actually make you

competitors will actually make you

competitors will actually make you question your decision on buying this

question your decision on buying this

question your decision on buying this product you get a product place the

product you get a product place the

product you get a product place the Apple logo and boom up goes the sales

Apple logo and boom up goes the sales

Apple logo and boom up goes the sales and the last aspect is politics memes

and the last aspect is politics memes

and the last aspect is politics memes are excellent political tools especially

are excellent political tools especially

are excellent political tools especially in the spread of propaganda this mean

in the spread of propaganda this mean

in the spread of propaganda this mean not necessarily made by Trump as an

not necessarily made by Trump as an

not necessarily made by Trump as an example of how memes are used in

example of how memes are used in

example of how memes are used in politics to influence the minds of other

politics to influence the minds of other

politics to influence the minds of other people not only they are free and

people not only they are free and

people not only they are free and accessible

accessible

accessible they spread rapidly now back to the main

they spread rapidly now back to the main

they spread rapidly now back to the main question what are memes really well to

question what are memes really well to

question what are memes really well to be honest with you the answer to this

be honest with you the answer to this

be honest with you the answer to this question can be really really subjective

question can be really really subjective

question can be really really subjective not everyone will have the same opinion

not everyone will have the same opinion

not everyone will have the same opinion to this answer

to this answer

to this answer that’s why memes are ideas they tend to

that’s why memes are ideas they tend to

that’s why memes are ideas they tend to be personal or limited to certain groups

be personal or limited to certain groups

be personal or limited to certain groups of people for this reason I generalized

of people for this reason I generalized

of people for this reason I generalized a definition for memes memes are ways

a definition for memes memes are ways

a definition for memes memes are ways people can express anything they want to

people can express anything they want to

people can express anything they want to express or share anything they want to

express or share anything they want to

express or share anything they want to share in an artistic original yet

share in an artistic original yet

share in an artistic original yet entertaining manner they’re ideas that

entertaining manner they’re ideas that

entertaining manner they’re ideas that represent many things their present

represent many things their present

represent many things their present language emotion identity culture

relationships and real life and

relationships and real life and sometimes they seem to not represent

sometimes they seem to not represent

sometimes they seem to not represent anything at all but no matter what they

anything at all but no matter what they

anything at all but no matter what they represent or what they don’t represent

represent or what they don’t represent

represent or what they don’t represent they are indeed ideas worth spreading

they are indeed ideas worth spreading

they are indeed ideas worth spreading sorry for then not so long talk here’s a

sorry for then not so long talk here’s a

sorry for then not so long talk here’s a potato thank you very much

”

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