I propose a 1 year moratorium on the word "meme."

[Political Heretic]

This is for everyone - myself, my Obama friends, my Clinton friends and my Clinton meanie-hurtful-angry-poopie pants as well. :)

Can we just stop using the word "meme" for a while? It has just about lost any meaning it may have ever had. Someone posts "I like Hillary" and there are fifty posts talking about how that "meme" has been out there for months. Someone says "I just donated to Obama" and its "the same old meme."

:wtf:

I farted -- put THAT MEME in your book!

I understand that there are talking points, campaign themes, political orchestration, etc. But seriously - meme is in serious danger of replacing "dude" in the english language as the most meaningless and overused word.

It's like a conversational filler now. So today....meme... I, meme....went to the store and meme, bought a....what's it called? ...meme....meme....oh yeah, a coke.

MEME RLY?

MEME RLY!

Moratorium cat wants a moratorium.

[Smith_3]

1. A meme is a pattern of information that has the ability to be copied, correct?

I don't think you farting is a meme ;)

[Political Heretic]

2. lol that was my point!

It's being so overused that it doesn't even make sense anymore! :)

[Little Star]

9. lol

[ErnestoG]

3. It's all about meme, not youm.

[Bongo Prophet]

4. Wouildn't it make more sense to just use it appropriately?

I don't like the idea that a word "loses its meaning" just because it is used in the wrong way.
Many still have trouble sometimes with "affect" and "effect" - does that mean they have lost meaning or just that they need more practice?
Should we have a moratorium on both, or just one?


In the 90s it was paradigm.
Before that, synergy.

All good words, and useful too.


Maybe we should put a moratorium on calling for moratoriums on certain words....dude.

I don't like this meme, know what I mean?

Nice post, wordhitler.;)


edit to add: WTF is this doing in GDP?

[Political Heretic]

8. GD: P is where the abuse occurs.

Plus, this place needs to lighten up :)

[Bongo Prophet]

15. Now you are just being meme.

:):):)

[Political Heretic]

20. lol! Thanks that made me smile :)

[ellisonz]

5. I propose a one year moratorium on the word "hater."

[Political Heretic]

7. I could get behind that.

[Bongo Prophet]

17. Yes, "hater" is such a dismissive, bullshit dodge.

Of course, the idea of banning words is seen by many as a "leftist-authoritarian" reaction to free speech.
the right really pushes that...aaaugh...must not use that word...

On second thought, by banning its use, the kids will just sneak around using it back behind the gym at school, you know?

[Perry Logan]

6. But if we banned every good word that got misused...

[4themind]

10. So the usage of the word meme is now a meme eh? hehe -nt

[Hart2008]

11. MEMEries, like the corner of my mind, misty watercolor MEMEries, of the way we were...

Sorry, but I just couldn't help myself there!

:rofl:

[Occam Bandage]

12. I think we should have a Meme Test. All posts with the word "meme" are insta-deleted,

until you can provide to a mod a one-paragraph mini-essay explaining the word's meaning, as well as identifying common misuses.

[Bongo Prophet]

16. Should we start a meme that it is cooler to use "trope" ?

What would be your suggestion to call viral ideas, and the concept of spreading those ideas?

Propaganda, rumors, ideas, sure- but what word best describes a complex set of associations boiled down to a simple, passable "mind bomb" that then affects other ideas in the recipients head?

I am open to ideas on this.
Consider it studying for the test; and since you proposed an interseting, though unenforceable proposal, can you show me what your answer for your proposed test might look like? One pare, common misuses, and as a bonus, some alternatives for use.

I would then be better prepared for the test, and might even be able to spread that meme, er um idea around a bit. ;)

Okay that's the light but sincere part of this post.
On to the "serious"...

Is there therapy for irritation at the way others use language?
I offered some suggestions, sincerely and politely, to a DUer who said he was so bugged by others' misuse of proper english that he was unable to respect their opinions - and so he rarely posted, afraid of being an ass about it. As someone who cringes at some mistakes, but pretty much feel language is a vibrant, musical and often informal thing that imparts tone and personality as well as meaning, I wrote 500 words or so on that. He never wrote back or responded. I thnk I may have made a grammatical mistake in their somewhere. ;)

Now, about emoticons. :mad:

[QC]

13. Amen! The most overused meme is the meme meme!

The word has come to mean nothing more than "something somebody said about my candidate that is not sufficiently reverent."

Recommended!

[Orangepeel]

14. "meme": an idea I don't like

at least that's how people use it.

[Tatiana]

18. I'd like to add another word: FIREWALL n/t

[Political Heretic]

21. YES. I can join you in this call! Are you a Clinton Supporter?

If so then this proposal has "bi-partisan" support! :)

[boppers]

19. Can we get a ban on the use of "moratorium"? n/t

[Bongo Prophet]

22. And a moratorium on banning things!

:bounce:
Words are fun!
fun with words!
Which came first,
the eggs or birds?