When did Memes and mashups become more than just this:

Along with probably most of my peers, I never thought of Memes to be more than a picture mocking something or someone. It is interesting how closed my mind has been. I do not think any pop culture event can happen without a meme being produced minutes after the event. Which is probably why Memes are so popular in today’s generation. They go along with our rapidly growing, fast speed, social media consumed culture. For example: Katy Perry at the Super Bowl half time show. Minutes after her performs I went onto Facebook and saw this:

“From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content” A meme is “unit of cultural information that replicates while still remaining whole” (78). I think it was better explained in the Ted talk as, a replications of objects or ideas that are presented in our society. However, after watching the Ted talk about Memes my ideas shifted. Comparing chairs as a meme and the meme mocking Katy Perry blew my mind. 

The use of the word “Mashup” made me associate the term with videos like this: 

DJ Earworm Mashup – United State of Pop 2014 (Do What You Wanna Do)

or this: 

Top Hits of 2014 in 2.5 Minutes – Us The Duo

I associate the word “Mashup” with music. However, after reading “From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content” and watching the Michael Jackson, Mario mashup I realize that Mashup’s are everywhere.“From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content” Mashups have not just come about in our generation like memes. “From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content” mashups are explained as “remixing predates the Internet and even the emergence of Western popular music; some say it may even date back as long ago as the beginning of human existence” (76). “From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content” backs up that very heavy statement that mashups can date to the beginning of human existence, with stating that musical mashups in the United States can be traced back to the 1910s, when record companies remixed operas to fit onto 78- r.p.m discs (76). I would have to say that between memes and mashups, mashups intrigue me more. The complex meaning behind the question of “what is a meme” is too complication to classify as a simple picture with bold white lettering. However, in mashups there seems to be more meaning and thought to the message. In the Michael Jackson and Mario video, there were a variety of different messages. That video hit topics of gender, race and feminism. Memes to me do not normally hit many messages other than a grumpy cat or a sarcastic saying.

In class we discussed the rapid speed of the internet and if memes will die out. I feel that memes will continue to move along with the growth of internet for a certain extend. I do not think memes will die out anytime soon because of how rapid memes hit the internet as a constant new trend. People will find different forms and types of memes to make as social media grows. I  think mashups will always be present in our generation and generations to come.