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
www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Ambiv...
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.
The Disinformation Report www.newknowledge.com/articles... This is the senate-commissioned report on Russian election influence that identifies memes as the “propaganda of the digital age.”
Memes in Digital Culture
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full...
If you’re curious to read more about the academic study of internet memetics, Limor Shifman’s work is a great place to start.
It’s Supposed to Look Like Shit: The Internet Ugly Aesthetic journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/...
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.

[@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.

[@clikplay]

thats literally what the guy says in the video

[@operatorjewski9450]

But your still gonna upload it? So you are trying

[@danieloleasdiaz538]

I guess you upload it with the intention of sharing something that was funny for you Not for the seek of likes or shares

[@jassi9022]

@@danieloleasdiaz538 so explain reddit and reposts then

[@danieloleasdiaz538]

@@jassi9022 Well you can't upload a meme to nowhere I guess

[@tomfitzgerald4760]

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

[@retard37]

Redditors

[@die-sas7462]

*Grandayyy glances at thee*

[@asrieldreemurr8059]

*Pinkguy joins the chat* *Pinkguy was in the chat 500 years ago*

[@die-sas7462]

@@asrieldreemurr8059 he never left, he was just sleeping, becoming stronger, since society woudnt accept him Kinda like how to trlain your dragon 3

[@jojomama7659]

They are going to be a dead meme if their work become irrelevant

[@sapphirefire291]

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

[@RunaSunset]

You might wanna change "basically" to "literally" because they literally are ads and not memes

[@Jac76906]

They might be hiring the wrong guy

[@Terkzorr]

We called that _"forced memes"_ back in the day.

[@ImworriedImgettingspyedon]

i thought it was super interesting,

[@charlottep3165]

the guy in the black had his shirt on backwards lolz

[@eslchannn]

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

[@kimsherlock8969]

Hahaha Hahaha

[@Frogatthegym]

Best comparison I've ever heard

[@barsoktay2119]

"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.

[@wirelessbluestone5983]

Barış Oktay the corporatization of memes is the final step in the humanization of brands, when a meme is made with the intent of seeking a profit, it loses all inherent value, it becomes a means of societal control no longer personalized or attributed to the view of an individual.

[@kkfoto]

Most people can't tell the difference between a "best joke from a random person" and a "secret ingredient for advertising, political messaging, and disinformation" (as Vox puts it). The business of manipulating people is a major force in the internet, including the use of humor.

[@hero9402]

1000% true

[@asyraff9719]

@@wirelessbluestone5983 a great brand that works well with memes is probs SlimJim

[@erikeriks]

@@kkfoto those memes vox used were old and everybody can tell the difference between a corporation and a memer

[@Zach-qs2bw]

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

[@nhinged]

Shoshon The elegant mainly and collective in group outgroup to form mini groups like we can tell when people don't get it etc. and also not spreading pollution it's spreading awareness indirectly

[@xihou1954]

language correction: an evolution. you're welcome.

[@1.4142]

increasingly verbose

[@somebodyelse9130]

But languages are decentralized. Attempts to centralize language don't work, even the Royal Academy for romance languages. Even with them, language still diverges into different dialects and, eventually, languages.

[@shamelessrepair5975]

And also for entertainment!

[@roswelllaurenciano107]

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

[@RunaSunset]

Then they went too deep into the video. The video shouldve stopped at that sentence

[@megyoung9303]

Santa Cruz...sorry.

[@stormer9952]

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

[@medllensaimon1015]

It's still true though

[@LeftOnMute]

@@medllensaimon1015 OK BOOMER

[@doraymeandyou]

Please don’t make me debate whether its worth looking up what a boomer is.

[@_.--._._-._--._-.--__.--._._-.]

@@doraymeandyou it's just a meme term when an old person says something, we just saw ok boomer. Cause some are born in the baby boom somewhere in the 19s. It's not bad but funny

[@doraymeandyou]

Kalolaine Eukaliti oh, ok. Thanks.

[@nutman1705]

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

[@russellsmith1493]

Its meam or meem your spelling it wrong, it's like you dont know how to use speech, do you let your kids tell you how to speak all the time?

[@joulanjabr3258]

@@russellsmith1493 are you joking?

[@tatumsteel6813]

Russell Smith you’re joking, right?

[@AnakinS86]

Mea meas

[@ronitdsouza5721]

Tatum Steel nope he’s right you won’t understand though trust me

[@sam-yx8fr]

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

[@achtunger5528]

Was the teacher a boomer?

[@erikeriks]

Oof

[@denker2959]

That's rough.

[@user-hx9cc1qh3h]

At least she tried :(

[@denker2959]

@@user-hx9cc1qh3h yeah (s)he had the spirit at least:)

[@kaen_tqk3918]

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

[@y_a_e_l.]

THE POINT IS TO NOT EVEN TRY LOL

[@puopoup]

Im trying to not try

[@theblandcharlie822]

Verbose Meme Creators: uh ok sure yeah alright that seems good, mmhmm

[@cl0p38]

Made a meme in 7 minutes got 6 K upvotes lol

[@llamamamanly4329]

Charles bukowski

[@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

[@mohammedzaid5989]

I wish all teachers were like her :(

[@kevinklein9739]

German here, pretty sure this sort of teacher does not exist

[@jaxtaposed9472]

@@kevinklein9739 I’m a teacher in Canada and all of my German exchange students are astonished by our loving culture. Not to say one culture is superior; but travel is priceless because it allows us to find our cultural preferences.

[@LevineLawrence]

@@jaxtaposed9472 Exactly, I was about to say "such a teacher may not exist in Germany, but they do elsewhere"!

[@matthewthiellier7231]

Making memes souly for selling product instantly kills it

[@lemongrandad9964]

Very true

[@joncast1]

Ehhhhhhh, not if it’s actually a good meme

[@t0xic__]

Not flex tapeeee

[@deathbornderhatkid2997]

@@joncast1 a meme made for commercial use is mostly very cut down so its compliant for other audiences. Basically they aren't edgy enough to be good.

[@Irondragon1945]

The ones that successfully promote something are those that do it _without you noticing_ It's like inception kinda.

[@ReglasdeOro]

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

[@YusuffYT]

Ads really do evolve.

[@That0neDud]

@@YusuffYT doesnt make them good

[@rezendeiiz.knight1084]

I think of one ad that acts as a meme is the "thats how mafia works!"

[@YusuffYT]

@@That0neDudsome do really well, like raid: shadow legends.

[@isaichavez5572]

They need to,be pent up in a hole and bombed

[@dawamee]

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

[@deadfat4071]

High key you could bring in some random 15 yr old who hasn't left his room for a week and he could make better memes than these people.

[@victorunbea8451]

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

[@sorryforwhat1528]

Yeah if anything that makes me want to not buy your product

[@pipobex]

Ok

[@sarasaeed6349]

we live in a capitalist society

[@glsebipanda6670]

Exactly !!!

[@marekbiakowski3472]

predatory capitalism preying on memes

[@anshulbhandari9870]

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

[@joslenjeanjak1600]

Anshul Bhandari IP

[@auiren]

sbeve

[@smallxdddd]

Gang weed

[@russellsmith1493]

Its meam or meem your spelling it wrong, it's like you dont know how to use speech, do you let your kids tell you how to speak all the time?

[@pachichaiTraVlogs]

@@russellsmith1493 ,can u pass by also my hiuse ,my hause⁷

[@suz5191]

I had no idea that Know Your Meme had their own office and everything. I really have to salute the people behind that website. I feel that the documentation process of memes is really valuable in a society that's moving faster and faster--like how Joss was saying, the life of a meme could be as short as a day.

[@SonOfYoutubers]

kids in the future gonna be using this as a study guide to find the cultural significance of memes in chapter 9

[@p6nj]

My english teacher from last year is now doing a lesson on memes, the future is here

[@rosy2253]

@@p6nj my journalism teacher is making us do a lesson on memes using this video. im in the future

[@squshy8914]

“I called it MEH MAES, yehhh.”

[@jannah6395]

staph I'm drinking wateR

[@thrashersfan7835]

Yah and I call it murder

[@lspellslogic877]

Thats my what my mom called it when she saw a funny meme

[@ronripen5460]

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

[@MajorMlgNoob]

They're used a lot in marketing and to sway political opinions tho But yeah they should just be funny images

[@saltyy5834]

Beans

[@ronripen5460]

@@saltyy5834 ✨

[@japancsp6213]

Ah yes a man with a mind of reality

[@japancsp6213]

Idk thou lol

[@crispychickennuggets9092]

I'm obsessed with memes: - Shows Boomer memes

[@kaitlyn__L]

They’re millennial memes… I guess you don’t remember the heady days of 2006-2009. Boomers were still saying Twitter and Facebook were pointless back then

[@ksawiersawa9028]

I find it sad that people try to seriously explain memes talking like they went to a special school without even beeing funny

[@ericscaillet2232]

More like a 'special' school.

[@yiayyiay1352]

This video is not made to be funny,its made to show the cultural aspect of memes

[@doihavetomakeaname9777]

Sometimes things can’t go to too seriously

[@willy_gooseling69]

i is vewy agee

[@gjk-arts5855]

Ksawier Sawa ya like jazz?

[@bencihasky5709]

When boomers try to explain memes

[@tchitchouan]

Barebutt Ron lol boomers

[@iano_fr]

not necessarily a generational basis but yeah, this video was very hard and uncomfortable to watch because of their ignorance and misinterpretation

[@jaimesalinas5031]

@Sweet James when boomers are too old to understand the boomer meme

[@markholle3450]

jaime salinas Best part of being a Boomer is we don’t care. We are the “Sticks and Stones” Generation. 😎

[@asheiou]

@@markholle3450 and we are the "Not Racially or Sexually Ignorant" generation

[@ash-bob3398]

“Meme community” and “safe space” at a... meme company. *fellow kids have entered the chat*

[@thornarts]

How do you do, fellow kids?

[@justanedit001]

Nobody: Vox: “I’m glad you asked”

[@realtimestatic]

Me making memes on Reddit: _“You guys are getting paid?“_

[@varghesebobus1756]

Nobody: Vox: *let's make a documentary on memes*

[@fernandopacheco1795]

And get paid for it...

[@therealbs2000]

Using memes to make fun of people making something about understanding memes is literally everything.

[@castorhyfsat858]

(extremely old and outdated) memed

[@etownzu]

r/uselessnobody

[@amellirizarry9503]

Dude, I have years asking for one

[@selimg.7210]

Rules of Memes: 3. Know your Meme History 2. If you like it upvote 1. Never talk about it in real life

[@LucyDucy1]

always stick to rule 1

[@dothemario2221]

4. Don't use reddit

[@jamessandoval5843]

Dothemario 919 why?

[@thomasfowler1]

Why never talk about it?

[@i.z2335]

Tru

[@alabiz1]

The CBD Energy Drink meme was a pretty low-tier meme tbh

[@marcosreis7646]

Memes are actually a language of fun. It is a direct experience. When you realize it was made for a company, you automatically unrelate to it, because memes have a strong connection to a culture of authenticity. The heart of the meme is that it is always supposed to be made for the sake of fun, or at least talk to the reality of the everyday life of someone. Memes sometimes are like a haven from that same everyday life demands, and any purpose out of it other than the well being, be it to make a profit, or reach political status, feels like using people themselves as stairs for personal achievements, and it looks like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Memes are not ads, and when an ad tries to desguise as a meme it is actually annoying. Memes are so popular for the same reason that stand up comedies are popular: people feel in a safe and unpretentious enviroment. This is exactly why so many people who otherwise you'd never get to know exist, get famous as youtubers, because it is a user to user experience. And most people don't mind that someone gets rich and famous or whatever else by making videos, as longs as they keep on giving that feeling of authenticity.

[@kimsherlock8969]

Marcos Reis. Memes are not an invention. Conscentatento The Memes .. Named they therefore must appear 😉

[@siddhusiddhartha4692]

*OLD MEMES SHOULD BE CALLED MEMEORIES*

[@waterlemon5434]

Nah just stick with old but gold

[@helpfulapple3125]

Water Lemon smh, all you lemons are always sour. I know from experience. I am a fruit after all.

[@shive4668]

Boomer memes

[@pieterciere5012]

Water Lemon they aren’t old but gold tho

[@user-wy1wh3zm8w]

I just waisted ur time Reading This haha!

[@feshhymemesboi8550]

Memes: *exists Vox: I’m about to end this mans whole career

[@laurencebetteridge8633]

@@hwfq34fajw9foiffawdiufhuaiwfhw I think memes have existed for millenia, it's more of an aspect of human interaction/socialisation. The modern, mass-internet-known-joke meme may decrease in wide appeal but memes in general (largely known inside jokes/cultural info communicated person to person) won't ever truly deteriorate in use.

[@vincent_mma]

i have never seen someone talk about memes so seriously

[@AlejandroPerez-mg3fc]

Commercializing humor kills it. Explaining humor kills it. Stop it.

[@Cybernaut551]

Antimeme.

[@elixorvideos]

Nobody tell this guy about comedy shows... you know... where you pay to get in.

[@gigalulmansur]

You've never thought a comedy movie was funny?

[@spellboring333]

if you replace humor with meme the statement would be somewhat right

[@MDfiz_]

Thats when u know the meme is dead when vox try to explain it

[@nubularconniption3939]

*Buzzfeed music stops*

[@edwardk3]

Memes are evil. I did not know that. Vox said so.

[@sophiaa4896]

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

[@GloomGaiGar]

people, memes have been around even before the internet

[@Meg_A_Byte]

I'm really glad I found your comment because that's exactly how I'm saying it too.

[@frederikschulp]

Dat's deep man

[@dot5687]

♻♻♻♻♻

[@elbrayanqebinquispecondori]

Vox: “memes are ruining the society with exclusive idead that generate desinformation and attack one specific being, company or groups of people” Vox: *turns into a meme* Also vox: “memes matter”

[@iKingRPG]

Yeah we like memes, so stop copyright claiming and striking people

[@k.t.k.9781]

This is the most Shutterstock video I've ever seen

[@ricardoricardo833]

Yeah

[@benvel4748]

The real viral memes are making by normal people, don't be pretentious

[@yoyoyodaboy]

Ben vel I think the point of that segment was to show that there are organized companies out there getting paid to manufacture memes.

[@moistnugget141]

@@yoyoyodaboy yeah but there is no selling point in memes and no say in wether a meme will spread or not. It's like rules and rights, it's just what a group of people agreed upon. The only marketing campagnes I remember beeing used as memes (note: the companies weren't trying to meme, the got memed) are "TheLegend27" and Mafia City. What made them memes? Well people just agreed that making fun of their ads was fun, so they did

[@SirGEEZUS]

@@moistnugget141 you are very naive.

[@AGayTwitterArtist]

Except you're wrong, Like really wrong, There is no purity test for memes, If it gets caught in the global conciousness, It's a successful meme. That's how marketing works, That's the entire point of marketing, Just because it's made by a company doesn't make it less of a meme.

[@jamiejamie4671]

@@moistnugget141 Nobel prize to you you absolute genius! Thank God you had 1 day off this week to write this well conceived comment and better any lucky readers lives! 7/11 was covered by your colleague, so someone was able to pump my tank full of fuel that is of course the only fuel that could power a car (100 years research) Well done to you and you can lay to rest right away having reached your lifes peak and please hurry as oxygen is limited!

[@joaoc6920]

Thinking this hard about memes completely misses the point of a meme

[@Sickleweasel]

The greatest part of meeting people trying to make memes an industry is when they admitted it was either this or he wasn't working at all

[@Geoooooooooo]

"How do ya do, fellow kids?"

[@plutonian2770]

Go to r/fellowkids , it's your place

[@Geoooooooooo]

@@plutonian2770 I already have :)

[@CodyEwok]

"see all my may-mays"

[@mv9370]

@@Geoooooooooo smh, meme it up a little. "Bold of you to assume i haven't already been there"

[@mr.mackey9172]

Reeee!!!

[@justinmikko1321]

Shouldve featured internet historian and an ad for *RAID SHADY LEGENDS*

[@GreenGoblinCoryintheHouse]

Unfortunately shadow man is not available.

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

Catch some RAIDS

[@upchuckduck5726]

2019 making a monster meme for advertisement, that’s about the least funny thing possible

[@Tyler-io4um]

We need to change the word meme it’s cursed after this video.

[@lanastone4735]

möm

[@EddieKMusic]

's sphagetti

[@flower2706]

hold up im literally not paying for premuim how-

[@berserkoflust7999]

Pay for 🅱️remuim Believe me that is much better

[@noahi.1381]

Me too lets keep it hush

[@tigerking6908]

I don't understand 🍜🌭

[@cam0mng]

Ikr

[@sluggishkitten]

They made it free to promote it

[@drad1070]

The meme company doesnt make good memes. Change my mind

[@Irondragon1945]

If they dont make good memes, they dont make money If they dont make money, they cant finance their offices and organisations. _But they obviously do_ Quid erat demonstrandum.

[@charliebann5605]

Just hire the people who get the most upvotes on reddit

[@m.gaiolas457]

@@Irondragon1945 If they make money with memes, it means a considerable amount of people by them, but that does not make those memes funnier. Ad populum.

[@myespetfroge5624]

Change the world My final message Goodbye.

[@haidar5950]

Well if they use memes like Mr. Orange, Meme Man, or any "good" meme then the general public wouldn't get it, meaning they failed to advertise

[@Celis.C]

What this video taught me: - Memes are basically the new satire approach to processing important world events (besides being the 'established' approach to sh!tposting, that is) - The above effectively means that (important) world events are down played in severity to make it 'easy to digest' for the average Joe, that's basically what satire is - The reducing 'lifespan' of whatever is the latest 'fad' likely contributes to the spread of FOMO across an increasingly large part of the population - Memes don't 'matter', they're more of a coping mechanism

[@zcreelex]

The singular fact that they try to explain the purity of memes and internet culture, in and of itself kills the joy of memes

[@joshuaramirez8827]

I dont think memes that are created last longer then memes that just happen. Artificial memes are something that are created for that specific purpose but natural memes reflect our culture and are made out of some type of cultural consciousness.

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

@john boss People who don't have a job mocking other's jobs are *brilliant!* Tell me more about how you're smarter then everyone else, 😘👉👌

[@barkeest2561]

@john boss I mean the gen z's will have to work some day. And we rn are the generation that is influencing their country or the world. (Not likely but maybe if ppl work together.) So your point seems a bit valid.

[@EddieKMusic]

Than* Sry

[@joshuaramirez8827]

@@EddieKMusic always get then confused lol.

[@ValeraReshetnikov]

Raven Godwin лю

[@iano_fr]

??? bro what the two guys talking about creating memes had me cringing so hard

[@gordon9232]

ianonai yea

[@MushroomMan7]

They said it like it is rocket science to make a meme

[@b.o.353]

The best ones aren’t that well thought out and planned.

[@nielsvriezema821]

I did a physical facepalm

[@stevieirasousa]

Truuuue

[@stuehl8607]

Imagine watching memes on facebook

[@shadrackakinkunmi]

"why do memes matter" "They don't" **Credits roll**

[@Cybernaut551]

This Vox Channel has overrated content sometimes.

[@brace110]

Curb theme starts playing

[@hermanhartvig8025]

Lowkey the “know your meme” guy with all the pictures in his hand looked like a meme addict 15:42

[@kykale]

Stonks

[@salad1000]

0:48 nobody does that. we all look at memes alone

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

*forever alone*

[@kingmaxthe1]

No l share my memes because god tells us to enjoy things together

[@mmmmmmok5292]

And we don't laugh, we do an inverted sniff

[@yiayyiay1352]

Most memers are introverts

[@prateleira1595]

Drew maybe its bc you dont have friends but hey, atleast you wont get the coronavirus

Thank you for going into Know your meme headquarters, I love that website and it was interesting to see their war room. Also Rebecca Black was a nice blast from the past.

[@Mr.D0T]

Ngl this comment is funnier than the memes they showed

[@picklepie5127]

Ngl your profile is funnier than your comment

[@eno405]

what is up fellow rich people

[@heidiholtz4382]

Spinny spinel: I’m on a boat!

[@ZodiacKillers]

Wassup

[@nahguy]

ok boomer

[@stech6250]

Eh...hi

[@jiyuda7196]

I'm not rich

[@FosterBaba]

Anyone else concerned at the fact that they're using memes in an organized fashion to try to effect politics?

[@larsandersland851]

It's an effective way to spread a message, why wouldn't people want to do that?

[@jamessandoval5843]

It’s a form of communication, so not really. Once people are aware, it’s power will middle out.

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

Nah, memes will devour their souls. Just like they did *OURS,* 👇🔥🧟‍♂️🔥🧟‍♀️🔥🧟‍♂️🔥🧟‍♀️🔥🧟‍♂️🔥🧟‍♀️🔥 *MWUHUHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!* 😈👽👾🤖💩👶🍔

[@teethgrinder83]

@@larsandersland851 except it isn't effective at spreading a msg, ad's already did that, I suspect very few people are enticed into looking more at someone's policies because of memes-if anything they are more a means of bragging and attacking than anything else when it comes to politics

[@serayantihasibuan4232]

@@jamessandoval5843 dd

[@barryfoxworth8949]

I just found Glad You Asked! They're fun and educational to watch. Keep up the good work!

[@pinkpincol]

Companies: * make meme into ad* Internet: well now I am not doing it

[@airconditioningsounds9316]

"yeah I work as a professional meme maker"

[@roxyhart5692]

Knowing companies specialise on making a lot of these memes makes them feel a lot less genuine now

[@Michael-pc9yx]

You can't believe a thing vox posts

[@mymysworld2691]

It’s not that serious they aren’t making the good ones if you noticed their content was trash

[@scrungly]

right? capitalism actually managed to ruin memes

[@Irondragon1945]

@@mymysworld2691 yeah no If they weren't successful, they couldnt afford their offices. There *has* to be business behind it. Why shouldnt there be.

[@jordanhedington2421]

It’s because vox can’t pay the normal people who make and post random memes (and by pay I mean them offering a shoutout to their individual Instagram pages), they have to find these wierd meme centric businesses to have something to put in this garbage

[@JoJo-xp6wr]

The fact that Vox themselves made a 19 minutes long KZbin original video just to discuss memes' effect on the internet only makes it even better

[@greenlemon3028]

The way advertising crosses over with memes and common culture in the internet reminds me of the computer virus in the Illumina files novels. It basically took over a whole space ship and made advertisements play out of all speakers. Drove the crew into madness.

[@jacobscott2830]

Nobody: Vox: makes a video about memes with 2012 era reaction images in the thumbnail.

[@framenothing6561]

I believe that was put in the thumbnail on purpose, to show the most common historical meme.

[@sopadeotaco4408]

If you was born after that, it's not a business them...

[@FraggedSpartan]

Nobody: Vox: Let's make a video talking about memes that died, like, 6 years ago!

[@truji2582]

more like 8 years ago

[@markassbrownie]

More like 10 years ago

[@truji2582]

@Planteringsjord more like 300 bc

[@gerushiiiii]

More like Triassic Era

[@curtisbme]

That is what you do when you are talking about the origins of internet memes... The title isn't "funniest up to the second memes".

[@marcoriley9116]

That Monster with CBD bit had me weak at the knees, upvote earned

[@owconundrum9928]

The Should make a "Why do *Dank* Memes Matter"

[@camdenmcclelland618]

Me: Only rich people can view this Poor people: *we live in a society...*

[@firebruh6834]

*laughs in free month trial*

[@camdenmcclelland618]

fire bruh you’re an evil person

[@Vox]

Thanks so much for watching! This episode started with a question we got from a subscriber: how did meme culture become such a big part of how we communicate on the internet? Answering that often felt like trying to explain the world’s biggest inside joke. But I think that understanding meme culture - its visual language, the kinds of jokes it helps us tell, and whose voices it amplifies - can show us a lot about how we create and share ideas right now. Keep an eye out for new, free episodes of Glad You Asked every Tuesday. And don't forget to subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) to get more Vox videos: bit.ly/voxyoutube -christophe

[@I_WANT_MY_SLAW]

This episode needs more Joss Fong.

[@bretert]

Vox is tabloid tier trash.

[@tchitchouan]

OK boomers

[@freedomofspeech2867]

Also stop trying to be unique *Christopher*. How about you earn merit instead?

[@FunkyStudios]

Boomer

[@elsyssaragih8998]

I really appreciate this kind of content. Thank you for answering

[@xirensixseo]

no one here searched for this but here we are

[@lancebakster4333]

tfw only premium users can comment **9 comments**

[@viggipedia]

Scrolled to read some greentext memes smh

[@godzzilacarioca8580]

A

[@osamasir6597]

Lance Bakster no

[@theodoroden3436]

Nah

[@michaelalbert8474]

Clearly not true 🤷‍♂️

[@andreasyahoomail7956]

Is this video actually from 2009

[@Cybernaut551]

(Talk about Minecraft and Halo games nostalgia)

[@cyanide2813]

end my life if it isnt

[@wysp272]

It was also apparently not made by boomers

[@eclecticsoffy]

2019 duh

[@teethgrinder83]

Memes are the new opiate of the masses (in the political sphere specifically)-fast acting, numbing/dulling, overrides any meaningful thought and people always want more

[@noneofyourbeeswax3460]

Watching the advertiser bit, I'm thinking that that's one of the big disadvantages of being a part of mainstream culture, that you can fall victim to advertisers that target mainstream culture because of its wide appeal.

[@superstevie7044]

Will it be wrong if I say ‘Ok boomer’

[@taylorball1238]

Yup. He's not a boomer.

[@victoriaque601]

super stevie no. I’ll tolerate it this time.

[@achtunger5528]

He is a Millenial / Gen X technically, but his D A N C M E E M taste is comparable to a boomer.

[@Vysair]

@@taylorball1238 Mentally of a boomer so saying this to Christophe is valid

[@VViralVibes]

dead bird boy K

[@frostrock7484]

There were some pretty low quality memes for what you can usually get today. Disappointing

[@plutonian2770]

You think that for you haven't conducted the vibe check, mortal

[@framenothing6561]

You’d be surprised, it takes a long time to make a documentary.

[@milesaph]

@@framenothing6561 what does that have to do with good memes?

[@sunlynnhatchett3983]

Memes are evolving. I mean, we stopped using rage comics, and now we don't put text on the images unless necessary for the meme to make sense, we now put the text on the outside of the memes.

[@flying_potatoe446]

The reason why memes matter is simply because they are life we wouldn’t be the people we are right now with out memes Why ask the reason of asking “Why do memes matter”

[@georgeelsham]

Seeing these people make memes makes me doubt the future

[@GreenGoblinCoryintheHouse]

Rage guy is the funniest meme. I will commit Genocide.

[@Hyperus]

It doesn't even fit the definition of a meme, atleast most of them

[@nazirhussain7171]

*Everyone* : I can comment without having premium subscription *Me* : _Here's a KZbin MeMe_

[@russellsmith1493]

Its meam or meem your spelling it wrong, it's like you dont know how to use speech, do you let your kids tell you how to speak all the time?

[@albertotomich]

@@russellsmith1493 it's meme

[@nwhousei]

Russell Smith ok boomer.

[@nazirhussain7171]

@@russellsmith1493 teach me daddy

[@ryanpayne7668]

that shot of the stickers on the back of the laptop slapped. I live for that

[@backacheache]

Why no mention of memes evolving or of them collecting together or them combining? These are key ideas about them that take them beyond being inside-jokes.

[@the_hanburger]

*Memes matter because they give happiness and laughter...*

[@whatthephoque5207]

Yeah, so true! You don't need 19 minutes to explain why memes are matters, it's just because people only want to laugh together!

[@pencilgaming1233]

Roses are red Memes matter You wanna know why? Because they give happiness and laughter

[@SocksWithSandals]

...at a Dem candidate's expense!

[@mauricarvalho8902]

6horas 5tc

[@durece100]

That's not true. Memes doesn't give you happiness and laughter. This isn't college for brainless people.

[@inkterp5322]

Capitalism rly has to get its claws in everything, huh? But for some reason, this betrayal hurts the worst. Edit just wanna make it clear i was exaggerating for comedic effect thx

[@alexanderchristopher6237]

It seems to work well though. The comedic effect of the memes still exists even in company memes that were intended to sell products. Elon Musk is selling rocket ships and cars by making memes. But it still works. Duolingo basically became quite a meme of itself just to get you to learn languages. Then there’s the chicken sandwich battle between Popeye’s and Chick-Fil-A. Think of it as art. Even art intended for sale can be beautiful.

[@adamfrisk956]

Inkter P The party would be better tovarish

[@jamessandoval5843]

Well, if it works to make money, why wouldn’t they?

[@chernovbrichtofen4767]

In Stalin’s world every meme is funny and equal

[@laurinneff4304]

@@alexanderchristopher6237 and there's flex tape

[@TatersUnited]

Memes instantly lose their appeal and humor when they’re being used to advertise a product and virtually everyone seems to realize this except for the advertisers.

[@Dogonatree]

Answer this one: why does vox find themselves relevant?

[@epiccroisant5994]

Jeff S idk they boomers🗿

[@brilianfustsakib9793]

they dont understand memes, just like us normal people thinks about zodiacs.

[@kingruhul785]

2:45 Reporter: Have you ever heard of meme before? Some old random couple: "No! But I've heard of mime" 😂😂😂

[@soouupz2962]

So I just watched a 19 minute video of boomers explaining memes that died like 3 years ago

[@AdolfHitler-lk4vo]

10 years ago*

[@soouupz2962]

@@youtuberpersonssts yeah but still

[@pdeady3709]

YOu EveR hEARd oF rAgE COmiCs¿¿¿

[@nemoquodeus8119]

none of these people are even over 30. what drug are you?

[@soouupz2962]

@@nemoquodeus8119 boomer is a state of mind

[@Fllippa00]

IDK why but seeing old memes that were in circulation for years but stop just a few years ago make me feel nostalgic

[@5hans1995]

Memes is basically the new norm form of communication, and it can have any context from dark to light context

[@soundaryabaswarajsheher6574]

A documentary on memes.. Man I am honoured to be a part of this generation!

[@TusharBooks]

Me too

[@nilsnyman6767]

I hope that's sarcasm

[@TSh110]

@@nilsnyman6767 really hope so, but i have this tingly sensation of wooosh somewhere

[@californication000]

A generation of infantile egocentric Philistines, lonely individuals seeking pseudo-fame

[@Michael-qg8fy]

Ok 🅱️oomer

[@iZainAli]

*finds that there is career in memes* Me: "Mom"

[@punchy77855]

“Trolls troll trolls to troll trolls” My brain hurts now

[@misterb4352]

I was someone of a good meme maker some years back. This made me pretty nostalgic.