Memes. Yes, memes.
On social media, it's the quickest, simplest way to offer evidence that you're an intellectual. Of course the vast majority of people don't make up their own. They see them and do a quick drag and drop. You needn't demonstrate any mental capability whatsoever. No cognitive reasoning. No writing. No creativity. Just regurgitate some other person's creation. Hey, why not? It's easy and you'll likely be praised and congratulated by your circle of friends. Wow, so and so really encapsulated exactly what I was thinking. He/she is really at the top of their game on facecrap or twitshit or whatever.
Even though there's no profit to be had, the incessant re-posting of other people's thoughts is definitely a form of plagiarism. This phenomenon has become so predictably popular that I think it deserves a name of its own.
Well... it's a plagiarized meme. So I'd term it a "pleme." Easy enough.
The most heavily recirculated one is probably the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka meme. The "oh god, you're sooo naive" sentiment. Let's be honest. That dreamy Wonka meme works for just about anything imaginable.
Kenny Rogers, Dr. Evil, Grumpy Cat. It's intriguing how some of these characters have taken off. While others memes get flushed down the virtual cyber-commode.
My personal favorite is "suspicious black kid" from rural Nigeria or wherever.
Sometimes a successful meme begets yet another meme. These memes reproduce on an almost biblical scale. Skeptical black kid begets frustrated Jean-Luc Picard...
Pic of Kim Kardashian's butt begets belligerent turd. Pic of plane flying into the World Trade Center begets man wearing tin foil hat and so on.
So yeah, memes are all the rage. I've created about a hundred or so. Mostly regarding the Sopranos, the NFL, politicians and various faith healers/televangelists. I just believe that this ongoing ritual deserves a name of its own. Once again... plagiarism + meme = pleme.
Plenty of new words appear every year. Brexit, twerking, google, the list goes on. Just thought I'd throw it out there since I think the concept has merit.
