The World Made Meme: Public Conversations and Participatory Media (The Information Society Series)

How memetic media--aggregate texts that are collectively created, circulated, and transformed--become a part of public conversations that shape broader cultural debates. Internet memes--digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection--are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In The World Made Meme , Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. Memetic media, Milner writes, offer participation by reappropriation, balancing the familiar and the foreign as new iterations intertwine with established ideas. New commentary is crafted by the mediated circulation and transformation of old ideas. Through memetic media, small strands weave together big conversations. Milner considers the formal and social dimensions of memetic media, and outlines five basic logics that structure them: multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread. He examines how memetic media both empower and exclude during public conversations, exploring the potential for public voice despite everyday antagonisms. Milner argues that memetic media enable the participation of many voices even in the midst of persistent inequality. This new kind of participatory conversation, he contends, complicates the traditional culture industries. When age-old gatekeepers intertwine with new ways of sharing information, the relationship between collective participation and individual expression becomes ambivalent. For better or worse--and Milner offers examples of both--memetic media have changed the nature of public conversations. Internet Memes--digital Snippets That Can Make A Joke, Make A Point, Or Make A Connection -- Are Now A Lingua Franca Of Online Life. They Are Collectively Created, Circulated, And Transformed By Countless Users Across Vast Networks. Most Of Us Have Seen The Cat Playing The Piano, Kanye Interrupting, Kanye Interrupting The Cat Playing The Piano. In The World Made Meme, Ryan Milner Argues That Memes, And The Memetic Process, Are Shaping Public Conversation. It's Hard To Imagine A Major Pop Cultural Or Political Moment That Doesn't Generate A Constellation Of Memetic Texts. Memetic Media, Milner Writes, Offer Participation By Reappropriation, Balancing The Familiar And The Foreign As New Iterations Intertwine With Established Ideas. New Commentary Is Crafted By The Mediated Circulation And Transformation Of Old Ideas. Through Memetic Media, Small Strands Weave Together Big Conversations. Milner Considers The Formal And Social Dimensions Of Memetic Media, And Outlines Five Basic Logics That Structure Them: Multimodality, Reappropriation, Resonance, Collectivism, And Spread. He Examines How Memetic Media Both Empower And Exclude During Public Conversations, Exploring The Potential For Public Voice Despite Everyday Antagonisms. Milner Argues That Memetic Media Enable The Participation Of Many Voices Even In The Midst Of Persistent Inequality. This New Kind Of Participatory Conversation, He Contends, Complicates The Traditional Culture Industries. When Age-old Gatekeepers Intertwine With New Ways Of Sharing Information, The Relationship Between Collective Participation And Individual Expression Becomes Ambivalent. For Better Or Worse -- And Milner Offers Examples Of Both -- Memetic Media Have Changed The Nature Of Public Conversations--publisher's Description. Introduction: The Rise Of Mimetic Media -- Part 1: Media Made Mimetic -- Logics: The Fundamentals Of Memetic Participation -- Grammar: Structures For Making Statements And Making Do -- Vernacular: Everyday Expression In The Memetic Lingua Franca -- Part 2: Memetic Public Participation -- Antagonism: Race, Gender, And Counterpublic Contestation -- Voice: Pop And Populism In Public Commentary -- Conversation: Cultural Participation And The Culture Industries -- Conclusion: The World Made Meme -- Appendix: Methods And Ethics. Ryan M. Milner. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 239-249) And Index. "Internet memes--digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection -- are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In The World Made Meme, Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. Memetic media, Milner writes, offer participation by reappropriation, balancing the familiar and the foreign as new iterations intertwine with established ideas. New commentary is crafted by the mediated circulation and transformation of old ideas. Through memetic media, small strands weave together big conversations. Milner considers the formal and social dimensions of memetic media, and outlines five basic logics that structure them: multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread. He examines how memetic media both empower and exclude during public conversations, exploring the potential for public voice despite everyday antagonisms. Milner argues that memetic media enable the participation of many voices even in the midst of persistent inequality. This new kind of participatory conversation, he contends, complicates the traditional culture industries. When age-old gatekeepers intertwine with new ways of sharing information, the relationship between collective participation and individual expression becomes ambivalent. For better or worse -- and Milner offers examples of both -- memetic media have changed the nature of public conversations."-- Fourni par l'éditeur "Internet memes--digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection -- are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In The World Made Meme, Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. Memetic media, Milner writes, offer participation by reappropriation, balancing the familiar and the foreign as new iterations intertwine with established ideas. New commentary is crafted by the mediated circulation and transformation of old ideas. Through memetic media, small strands weave together big conversations. Milner considers the formal and social dimensions of memetic media, and outlines five basic logics that structure them: multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread. He examines how memetic media both empower and exclude during public conversations, exploring the potential for public voice despite everyday antagonisms. Milner argues that memetic media enable the participation of many voices even in the midst of persistent inequality. This new kind of participatory conversation, he contends, complicates the traditional culture industries. When age-old gatekeepers intertwine with new ways of sharing information, the relationship between collective participation and individual expression becomes ambivalent. For better or worse -- and Milner offers examples of both -- memetic media have changed the nature of public conversations"--Résumé de l'éditeur This book presents an analysis of internet memes , the linguistic, image, audio, and video texts created, circulated, and transformed by countless cultural participants across vast networks and collectives. They can be widely shared catchphrases, auto-tuned songs, manipulated stock photos, or recordings of physical performances. They’re used to make jokes, argue points, and connect friends. As these texts have become increasingly prominent and prolific, the logics underscoring them—multimodality, reappropriation, resonance, collectivism, and spread—have become lynchpins of mediated participation. Even as individual internet memes rise and fall, the contemporary media ecology persists in being memetic. In this ecology, vibrant collective conversations occur across constellations of mediated commentary, remix, and play. Through memetic media, everyday members of the public can contribute their small strands of expression to the vast cultural tapestry. This book assesses the relationship between those small strands and that vast tapestry, exploring the good, the bad, and the in-between of collective conversation. Memetic media are used to connect participants across distance and context, but they’re also used to dehumanize others through the dominant perspectives they normalize. They’re used to express beyond narrow gatekeeping systems, but they’re still embedded in wider culture industries. Memetic media bring with them a mix of new potentials and old tensions, woven into the cultural tapestry by countless contributors. This book charts that intertwine Internet memes - digital snippets that can make a joke, make a point, or make a connection - are now a lingua franca of online life. They are collectively created, circulated, and transformed by countless users across vast networks. Most of us have seen the cat playing the piano, Kanye interrupting, Kanye interrupting the cat playing the piano. In 'The World Made Meme', Ryan Milner argues that memes, and the memetic process, are shaping public conversation. It's hard to imagine a major pop cultural or political moment that doesn't generate a constellation of memetic texts. This book examines how memetic media - aggregate texts that are collectively created, circulated, and transformed - become a part of public conversations that shape broader cultural debates