What's in a Meme...

I have to come clean and say that once again I have been wrong about something. For years I have touted and been proud of the fact that this blog YJKOTB is "Meme Free." What I was referring to are these posts that involve a series of "get to know you" type questions (examples of such posts here, here, and here) which you answer and then invite, challenge, or "tag" others to also answer the same questions. You all know what I'm talking about right?

Well apparently I'm wrong. Well partially wrong anyway. My friend Dana pointed out to me the other day that My motivational poster about that whole Twilight thing was a Meme. I just thought it was hilarious but anyway it got me to thinking and so I did some research. As it turns out a meme (pronounced like Cream which I didn't know either) is actually "an idea or value or pattern of behavior that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means" Hmmm OK. Well that could be anything and so since I generally found the term "Meme" dealing with internet I checked further.

I have come to the conclusion that what I have been referring to as Memes are actually considered "Internet Memes" These are sort of concepts or catchphrases or that spread virally from person to person via the Internet. More simply put Internet meme's are inside jokes on the internet that only special "in the know people" know about. The best example I can think of for this is "Rick Rolling."

Who knew right? Well most of you probably did but I sure didn't and as a matter of fact my little catchphrase of being "Meme Free since 2007" Is not only wrong but goes completely against what YJKOBT is really all about... I would like nothing more than this blog to be the "inside joke" or the cool kids table of the internet. I actually wish this blog WAS one big Meme!

I still can't stand those question and answer tagging things so those won't be posted here... and I need to think up a new catchphrase too. Come clean guys, who else thought that Memes were just those question and answer things? I can't be the only one on the outside of that inside joke or can I?

-Doc