The most interesting thing that we discussed in class for the past two weeks is whether or not mash ups are memes. When we watched Susan Blackmore’s TED talk she explained that everything is a meme from a scarf to the apple logos. It became more apparent that memes could be anything that is or can be replicated. They way memes are famously known are pictures with text that are supposed to be comedic. Now we have to ask are memes going to last, or are they going to die out after its fifteen minutes of fame. I think the way, as we know it will no longer be here five years from now but will transform into something else.
A couple years ago in social media there was a trend of the hash tag and now it has transformed into the meme. Even though the hash tag has not been extinguished it is not as popular as it was in its prime. We can assume that memes are in its prime and something else would take over the social media realm. It was hard to assume in class whether or not mash-ups were memes, were things that can be replicated. With the idea of mash ups in music one can assume that mash ups are memes. They are replications put together that incorporate the same idea in stream so the concept is conveyed. Even taking someone’s idea and making it into your own is paraphrasing so that concept is carried into the idea of mash-ups. It was someone’s idea to take memes that were similar or just funny and put together for comedic purposes. As we look in the world around us there are several memes and mash-ups are a collections that we don’t appreciate everyday.
Memes are usually simplistic and straight to the point and the use of them is to react to something that has recently occurred. As an example for the Superbowl Katy Perry had performed for the half-time show and memes were being made the minute it was over. Her clothes, the people she brought out with her such as Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliot were all involved in the meme fest. It could be seen as a new was of expression but also social news. For those in this generation memes can add to the conversation, can be daily news and an easier way to communicate.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzp3KqShmAk[/youtube]
In this mash-up it is a collection of songs that are placed over another that have the same idea to portray. The idea of old R&B from the 90s is the focal point and placing different songs together is trying to convey the nostalgia of smooth and meaningful music.
So all in all, memes are all around us and come in several forms. Mash-ups are a form of memes since it is a replicated idea that is being added with other ideas. So the idea of the human race replicating so much that we will lose the sense of what is real life is a great question. We need to know our history in order to know where we are going but if everything is being replicated how will we know that is real life and hyperreal?
-Janice Abel