2008-08-02, 12:30 AM
Basically they are sayings or things that become popular. It's like anything that catches on or is the new fad. Except with the Internet, it works a bit differently. Usually stems from a well-known site or something that happens to spread.... some far less than others.
I would say it's as much the hivemind as Afro posted as it is with how well it spreads (though it really helps spread). Some are more underground and stay there, some come up from it like Rickrolled (as a forum meme thing to Youtube doing it on April Fool's), some just.... shoot way up and become popular. Usually these stem from news postings rather than a forum or a video. Then, like Afro said, things like this can stem and spread from a few different places with the same idea. Which probably means that idea wasn't just a fluke at catching on as it caught on a number of times at the start.
Of course, like trends or fads, they vary in size too (not just where). These tend to correlate in numbers. So I guess by size I should clarify not so much in numbers, but how positive it is in popularity. Some can become really popular, die down fast, and become very well hated. Some stay quite popular for a long time. *shrugs*
To sum it up: a number of factors such as where it starts up, whether it's hiveminded, how it spreads, where it spreads. All important, though hivemind is a great quality for a meme as more people can relate to it and "get it".
I would say it's as much the hivemind as Afro posted as it is with how well it spreads (though it really helps spread). Some are more underground and stay there, some come up from it like Rickrolled (as a forum meme thing to Youtube doing it on April Fool's), some just.... shoot way up and become popular. Usually these stem from news postings rather than a forum or a video. Then, like Afro said, things like this can stem and spread from a few different places with the same idea. Which probably means that idea wasn't just a fluke at catching on as it caught on a number of times at the start.
Of course, like trends or fads, they vary in size too (not just where). These tend to correlate in numbers. So I guess by size I should clarify not so much in numbers, but how positive it is in popularity. Some can become really popular, die down fast, and become very well hated. Some stay quite popular for a long time. *shrugs*
To sum it up: a number of factors such as where it starts up, whether it's hiveminded, how it spreads, where it spreads. All important, though hivemind is a great quality for a meme as more people can relate to it and "get it".