This is why I joined this community

  • MHanak@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    meme

    noun

    /miːm/

    ​an idea that is passed from one member of society to another, not in the genes but often by people copying it

    (Oxford learner’s dictionaries)

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipOP
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      3 months ago

      The Oxford dictionary is made by a bunch of old English nerds. They couldn’t find a meme if it was glued to a telephone pole

      • conciselyverbose
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        3 months ago

        That’s basically straight from Richard Dawkins, who literally invented the term like 50 years ago.

        A meme is to information ideas what a gene is to genetic information.

        Edit: my word choice was bugging me.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipOP
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          3 months ago

          50 years ago the internet wasn’t even a thing. Also that dude is yet another old guy.

          It is lazy to just post a screenshot. At least convert it into a actual meme. There are plenty of templates that would work.

      • andrew@lemmy.stuart.fun
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        3 months ago

        Yeah I’m not going to let the English language be shaped or solidified by people who have dedicated their lives to studying and deeply understanding language!

      • other_cat@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        To your credit, language is indeed an ever-evolving thing and what words mean what is not a constant, particularly in this age of internet.

        Point against you, is that means that a ‘meme’ is largely whatever the majority of people think it is.

      • southsamurai
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        3 months ago

        You’re totally wrong!

        They could find a meme if it were glued to a telephone pole. They’d just need a team of undergraduates, semanticians, and a box of jelly babies to fully assess the nature of the item before declaring it a meme or not.