What is a meme blog?
If you are under 14 you will know, if not keep reading… you might learn something.
Flush the Fashion asked ace Web Developer / Blogger (and all round know it all), Jamie Perkins to hold our hand through the secret world of the Meme blog.
Where does the word ‘meme’ (it rhymes with cream) come from?
A quick wikipedia search will tell you it comes from the word ‘gene’. “…as genes transmit biological information, memes can be said to transmit idea and belief information”. The word’s been in use since the 70’s and there’s even a field of study called memetics.
But ‘meme’ in the context of the internet probably has a slightly different meaning. Most often memes are images or video that become viral and widespread and are imitated, duplicated, and/or songified. Others such as “Image macros” are a slightly different type of meme, with the same image (such as Sad Keanu) or caption getting used over and over again.
What makes something a ‘meme’ blog? Do they have a common ingredient?
I made up the word but I think it conveys the idea pretty well- a blog of iterations of a meme. For instance, the blog “Selleck Waterfall Sandwich” is a meme-blog which collects images of those 3 things. Memes are conducive to blogs because blogs offer an easy way to collect and share the meme in one place.
Many image macros will never have a blog devoted to them, and granted, some “meme” blogs are not a meme in the strictest internet sense- for instance People of Walmart is just pictures of people who shop at Walmart. But if they weren’t an “idea” worth transmitting (or sharing), there wouldn’t be a popular blog devoted to them. Most video memes like “Double Rainbow” won’t have a blog, but some such as Keyboard Cat can be duplicated infinitely and make great blog material.
Can anyone make a ‘meme’ blog? Is it easy to do?
Anyone can and anyone does. Memeblogs are sustained entirely by their contributions and so the popularity determines their growth. Probably the easiest way to make a memeblog is to start a tumblr.
What is your all-time favorite memeblog?
If I had to pick one, I’d say Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat. I liked it so much I was Keyboard Cat for Halloween of 2009. But I really like Sorry I Missed Your Party, Hipster Puppies, Engrish, This Is Why You’re Fat, Historical Tweets ….many more!
How long have you been a web developer and designer?
Only professionally for the last 3 years or so, but I’ve been a geeky computer guy my whole life.
Are there currently any new web trends or techniques are you excited about?
I am a huge fan of jQuery. There’s so much you can do with it.
I notice on your blog you are a keen ‘homebrewer’, (including pumpkin beer), what has been your most successful brew up to now?
Homebrewing has gotten pretty popular in the US, especially here in Denver. I’d say my favorite beer I’ve brewed so far is my “Last Call Brown”.
You can read all about it here.
What is on your iPod / Stereo at the moment?
Lots of drum and bass- I love the Cyantific ‘Return of the Ghettoblaster’ mix, and I own just about everything Hospital Records releases. I love the Beat Stevie mixes too. Some non dnb music I’ve enjoyed recently is Metric, Broken Bells and Mos Dub.
You can follow Jamie on Twitter here @inorganik
View the latest meme blogs at www.memeblogs.com
PS My personal fav is awfulfanart.com/