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Anonymous
#53259
1 year ago
This is the worst forced meme.
Skipta
#53261
1 year ago
@Anon1: How is it a forced meme? It's a few people interested in literature and history that are making some nice old timey captioned images and others who appreciate it. We're not running around saying it's a meme. *Shrugging Pinkie* You might as well be saying "Any art of Luna is forcing memes because I don't like Luna".
Anonymous
#53293
1 year ago
You don't really know what a forced meme is, do you?
Anonymous
#53300
1 year ago
it's not a meme if no one else picks it up.
Skipta
#53302
1 year ago
Enlighten me! Given that all definitions contradict eachother and some fail the most basic test for usefulness dictionaries have: You can't define the word using the word you're trying to define.

How is this a forced meme any more than posting ANYTHING (such as pictures of Luna) would be?
Ponita
#53336
1 year ago
It's a case of one person (or a few, but AJTalon has 12 under his belt) trying very hard to make something popular.
Skipta
#53347
1 year ago
But "trying to make" implies that it's "despite people not caring/liking it". I just don't see how it's targeted at people who aren't interested in History/Literature at all. Basically you're saying that "Forced meme" is a useless insult phrase that applies to everything before it's "popular" or things that aren't even trying to be.

Which I would agree with.
Anonymous
#53364
1 year ago
this is the best meme ever.
Anonymous
#53377
1 year ago
What if he's not trying to force a meme? What if he just gets a kick out of it?
Anonymous
#53471
1 year ago
Hell, I get a kick out of it. It's not a meme, it's just ponies with cool Shakespeare captions.
Anonymous
#53524
1 year ago
As do I, to be honest. I'm liking this series.
Ponymaru
#53545
1 year ago
And let's face it, casting Pinkie as Duke Orsino would be utterly hilarious to see.

Huh. Now this is making me want to see an episode with a Shakespearean plot.
AJTalon
#53550
1 year ago
Just so you guys know, no I'm not trying to force a meme. I just find Ponies + Classic Literature and Theater = Hilarity. If people like it enough to do their own, then they do. If not, they don't but I still enjoy it and as long as others do too, I don't see the harm in posting these up.

Sure, they're wordier than "I SEE WAT U DID THAR", but they can still make people laugh.
Ponita
#53737
1 year ago
No, dear Skipta, you fail to understand.

Example of a natural meme: Derpy. Derpy just happened. Nobody intended for Derpy to become a Thing. She wasn't even meant to appear on screen, but she did, someone noticed her, and other people ran with it.

Example of a forced meme: Ponies with TVs in their hooves. It seems it was made specifically so it could easily be exploited. There is some speculation involved, of course, but I'm not writing a thesis on the damned subject.

Likewise, Fonzie's catchphrase is a forced meme, "jumping the shark" was a natural meme. The only difference is whether something was intended to go viral or not. Forced memes can be successful and even funny.

By the way, you'd be hard pressed to define "Luna" as a meme, forced or not, although you could make an argument for "Luna is sad."

@AJTalon: Pardon my assumption. 13 pictures in 17 hours, all with the same basic joke/theme, made it seem likely.
AJTalon
#53848
1 year ago
Ponita: Nah, I was just inspired and kept doing the same thing. I dunno, people like them so I keep doing it. If they were offended I wouldn't do it.
Skipta
#55434
1 year ago
Ponita: Actually given your response I'd say that you failed to read what I actually said. So you agree with me that the concept of Forced Memes is either completely useless and is a childish way of lashing out at things you personally don't like (since you said they can be enjoyable) or that it's a simple divide between "intentional and spontaneous" popularity? Because the word 'forced' carries an emotional charge and you were also acting as though it is actually "forced" on people.

It's not useful as a phrase and is only meant to look derisively at things [the royal] you don't find appealing. If it wasn't, it wouldn't used charged language (it's also pretty much ONLY used for this purpose).

I take it that in either of the cases you'd finally agree that this isn't one? Given how AJTalon has directly addressed the "intentions"? Or are you saying that people who like Luna and posts pictures of it are also trying to "force a meme", as I said? I'm not saying it IS a meme. I'm saying it's the same situation and therefore requested that if you were to classify this as such then find a reasonable way to separate the two other than arbitrary "captions always try to be memes hurr durr".
Anonymous
#55442
1 year ago
any meme i don't like = forced meme
Ponita
#55613
1 year ago
Popularity with a viral element, perhaps.

First of all, let me note that I never claimed there was anything wrong with these images. I simply responded to your request for clarification on the subject.

I'm sorry you find the term negative, but I nevertheless find it useful, if only to distinguish between the types of memes.

A spontaneous meme is a concept or idea that went viral. They're usually pretty harmless, and can be taken at face value.

A forced meme is something done with the specific intent to make it viral. That means there is someone, somewhere, with a vested interest in the matter. In these cases it's a little more important to wonder who made it and for what purpose. Is it to sell a product, further an ideology or simply for the lulz? These may be harmless as well, but are a little more suspect, if not always easy to recognize.

I don't think forced memes can't be enjoyable, although the term is sometimes used that way. I think "failed meme" would probably be more suitable in most of these cases.

So, no, pictures of Luna aren't forced memes ("sad Luna" might well be a meme, though), and AJTalon's pictures probably aren't either. That said, had AJTalon's intent been to make others join up, it probably wouldn't have made the images any more or less enjoyable.

TL;DR I listed a definition. It might be wrong. No ill will meant. Want a muffin, brony?
Skipta
#55765
1 year ago
Alrighty, so not stated as an agreement with the "worst forced" guy then.

It's not that I find it negative. It is. It's the basic concept of charged language (used in for example framing issues). If you ask someone on the street: "Are you for giving free Healthcare to illegal immigrants?" or "Would you deny illegal immigrants free Healthcare?" many people would say No to the first but Yes to the second even though they're the same question. "Forced" is a highly negatively charged word. Do you really think "intentional meme/spontaneous meme" are as charged as "forced meme"? The name alone is indicative of the purpose of the phrase (and again: The only way it's ever really used).

I also wasn't really requesting clarification with the "Enlighten me!" bit. I was being sarcastic for the sake of the following part, as the snideybutt I am. :)

Again: I am not saying Luna is a "meme", I'm using it as an example on how ridiculous trying to cram the phrase onto anything on the net is. Sad Luna isn't a meme either. It's an interpretation of the character and fans who feel sorry for her (just as how Trixie makes me sad) and, unlike characters like Derpy, fanon isn't really needed.

(Note: Using the word Meme in the twisted up internet usage there. Obviously in the scientific usage all of this would qualify as long as it's spread between people)

Also I'd love a muffin, Derpy emptied my kitchen again. D: