What is the definition of a meme? In my own words, I would say an inside internet joke that becomes viral for a short time, and is funny for, maybe, a month? But after that, the meme needs to go, but people won't let it go. Memes from when I first started using the internet are still being used, and they are not in the least bit funny. Some were never funny, but some just remind me of my awful embarrassing young adolescence past that I never want to reflect on (after this post, which I neither wanted to write nor reflect on, but self-deprecation is the name of the game).
1. All The Feels, 2012-2013
I remember this meme from....2012, I think. I was a shameless user of it. "This gave me feels," "the feels," "all of these feels," every variation. On UrbanDictionary someone defined "feels" as a shortened version of "feelings," and it was an internet slang ever since.....
But it needs to go. People need to let go. This died by 2013. Memes are short-lived. Let it go.
2. This gave me cancer, 2008-???
To be quite frank, I never found this meme funny. I found it stupid and while I'm not offended by many things (or anything, now that I'm thinking about it), I found this "joke" tasteless and stupid. It was supposed to be when someone uses a meme wrong or makes a dumb post. I saw this in 2012 too, but it was always dead to me.
3. Condescending Willy Wonka, 2012-2014
Okay, this particular thumbnail I thought was a little funny, but this meme is DEAD AND GONE. IT NEEDS TO GO. Also a 2012 origination, I found some of these funny. It was mostly just used to make people feel bad, hence the term "condescending," such as, "Oh, you're getting married at 18? You must be mature for your age." While it may be something everyone is thinking, oftentimes it should be left unsaid. I would say this was officially dead in the beginning of 2014.
4. "Yeah, Well That's Just, Like, Your Opinion, Man", 2012-???
This is a reference to a famous 90's cult movie, The Big Lebowski. I honestly can't find any merit or humor in someone using a meme in an argument, but that's what people usually use this for, in response to someone criticizing something they don't care to consider. I never really liked this one, and honestly hardly remember it, but my boyfriend found it noteworthy.
5. Aliens, 2010-2012
This meme was basically used for when you didn't know the answer to something. It came from a TV show called "Ancient Aliens," where "alien expert" Giorgio A. Tsoukalos would often explain inexplicable phenomena as the direct result of aliens. I mostly saw it as a meme standing for people who aren't in their right mind and just claim conspiracy theories for things that we've already confirmed (e.g. people who think 9/11 was an inside job). But I am sick and tired of this man's horrible spray tan and messy hair. I never want to see it AGAIN!
6. Doge, 2012-???
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE shibes, with their adorable color names and curly little tails (their names are sesame, red sesame, and black sesame), but the shorthand for this meme got old, quick. Using "shibe" over "shiba inu," the official name of the breed, was also part of the meme, but saying shibe is just shorter and doesn't get old since it's just a name. But I swear, if I see one more person on my Facebook newsfeed using doge meme talking like this photo, they will go into the UNFRIEND BIN (it is quite large).
7. John Cena, 2015-2015
This meme was dead before it came to life. It originated from an introduction for WWE that randomly introduced John Cena, which prompted people to make over 11,000 Youtube videos using the video clip. Was this ever funny to anyone? I hate it. It's loud and jarring, nothing is funny about it. John Cena is also just a bad actor, he shouldn't be randomly introduced into anything except WWE, I guess.
8. Pepe, 2015-2016
RIP Pepe, one meme I actually did enjoy. This creepy little frog and all his variations stole my heart from the start. By this January, I was way too over it. Some of my friends still like him, and some ironic usages are funny, but for the most part.....kill Pepe.
9. Damn Daniel, 2016-2016
https://twitter.com/Josholzz/status/69943208696536...
This was dead before it started. I didn't even know it was a meme until I saw a clip of the two boys go on the Ellen Degeneres show (ridiculous?????). I remember by March when I was listening to a Steam online play where adolescent boys kept saying, "Daaaaaaamnnnn, Daniel," I wanted to scream every time I heard it. I never even saw the actual origin until I looked it up today, and it wasn't funny. It is just not funny. STOP.
10. One Does Not Simply, 2011-???
This meme is as dead as RageComics and is from around the same origin and time period. I cannot stand this. It's a reference to Lord of The Rings, but I hate that series so I've never watched it. Maybe that's why looking at this annoys me so much. I thought it was funny when I first saw it, but people just keep beating this dead horse. For something so old, it should be nonexistent by now.
11. Here Come Dat Boi, 2016-2016
It's so sad that this meme was ruined for me so quickly. I thought it was hilarious. In all honesty, it still is. I can't let it go. Love is funny that way. After I decided this was going in my article, I started saying it ironically so much that it's become unironic at this point. RIP 3-D froggie on a unicycle. </3
12. Spongegar, 2016-2016
Lastly, another meme that was dead before it started. Originating from an episode from 1999, the meme is supposed to mean.....a return to your primal instincts? I still don't even understand it. But it was never funny. Ever.
