An Introduction to the study of Memetics

the academical-ish title was done on purpose, to confuse the formal with the non-formal, as such is the nature of memes, to render the serious into absurdity, or so it seems to be the case with contemporary memes.

this will be a semi-study/inquiry semi-blogfagging/shitposting as I will make an attempt and try to make sense out of the rich landscape that "le maymay" offers, I will be adding updates as time goes on and new Eurekas pop into my head, for the time being, the study will be conducted in this particular order :

0- Propositions on the nature of memes

Referring to the great spirit of Etymology, the term "meme" can be traced back to the ancient Greek term "mimesis" (μίμησις), mimicry, that was already put forth by Dawkins when he first coined the term way before the advent of cyberspace. Hence the possibility of drawing the conclusion that : memes, first and foremost, are by their inherent nature of mimicry, virulent. A simple observation of Internet culture provides a solid proof to our claims.

Memes communicate, but they communicate orders : In better terms, they "impose ideas,concepts, statements, axioms (you name it) upon our conscious". I find that there exists a resonance between memes and language, in that they are both percieved to be mere means of a passive transmission of information whilst being something else. The way Deleuze and Guattari percieved it is of interest :

The elementary unit of language — the statement— is the order-word. Rather than common sense, a faculty for the centralization of information, we must define an abominable faculty consisting in emitting, receiving, and transmitting order-words. Language is made not to be believed but to be obeyed, and to compel obedience. A rule of grammar is a power marker before it is a syntactical marker. The order does not refer to prior significations or to a prior organization of distinctive units. Quite the opposite. Information is only the strict minimum necessary for the emission, transmission, and observation of orders as commands. — Deleuze, Gilles. & Guattari, Felix. “A Thousand Plateaus.”, University of Minnesota Press, 1987, pp. 97.

Memes are of no exception to the current tendency towards deterritorialization, to employ Deleuzo-Guattarian terminology. On the contrary, they are means by which we can deconstruct language, signifiers, contextuality and ideas, a simple observation would lead to the conclusion that memes, starting from a certain period of time, became tainted with postmodernist modes of action.

Combining the previous propositions, we get the following formula : Memes are virulent orders with a tendency to deterritorialize.

a- Pre-Postmodernity (The experimental, classic and rage era from 1995-2013)

The Internet was initially conceptualized as an extension of the physical world. Consequently, it was established that the norms and principles governing behavior in the real world should similarly apply within cyberspace, hence the focus on sincerity and cohesion within memes, jokes, punchlines and videos from that era, adorables little creatures and pets doing stupid stuff and getting a laugh out of us, a relation with mundanity and day-to-day happenings, being "relatable".

b- en marge : Algerian Reaction Pics and Memes (The Facebook era 2008-2016)

This particular chapter was initially concieved to be a marginal one, a case to back up our claims, but given the intended audience, mostly being My People (Algerians), We decided to dedicate a chapter to it, a prerequisite is necessary, that being

c- The Breakthrough of Hyperediting and Postmodernist Maximalism (MLG edits and YTP 2013-2017)

d- The Breakthrough of Surrealism and asignificant memes (The Surreal era 2017-2020)

e- Post-Irony to Brainrot (2020-2024)

f- en marge vol.2 : Thug-posting and the appeal of Cropped Homosexual Adult Videos

g- The way of what is to come (2024 - ?)