The document discusses the lifecycle of internet memes using the example of "Hipster Ariel". It describes the meme in 6 phases: (1) something must resonate for attention, (2) people participate by adding or sharing content, (3) participation increases entertainment value and keeps the meme alive, (4) memes collaborate to reach new audiences, (5) popular sites help spread memes more widely, (6) memes leave a residual influence on culture even after ending.

1. Internet Memes
Explained Through
Hipster Ariel

2. The Birth of Hipster Ariel
On February 2nd 2011, a young girl
photoshopped a pair of Ray-Bans on
Ariel, The title character from The
Little Mermaid, and made it her
Facebook profile picture. In a
matter of days, the image spread
across the internet. This meme was
labeled “Hipster Ariel”. We are
going to use this meme to explain
the internet meme lifecycle.

3. The Six Phases of an Internet Meme
1. Resonance and Stimulation
2. I Can Play Too
3. Investment in Stream
4. Shifting Context
5. Curators
6. Memetic Residue

4. Phase 1: Resonance and Stimulation
At a glance, this is just a picture. Looking at it under the
lens of semiotics though, this picture is filled with
different types of meaning.

5. Phase 1:Resonance and Stimulation
Princess
Disney Ray-Bans
Movie
Disdain
Hipster reference
one-two punch joke
format
All of these visual and verbal cues are loaded with prior
meaning. At least one of these markers of meaning must
stimulate or resonate with with a person in order for
them to pay attention to it.

6. Phase 2: I can play too
Participators can make. Participators can spread.
Once an internet meme has someone’s interest, they can choose
to participate with it by adding content or sharing content.

7. Phase 2: I can play too
adding content = social currency
sharing content
Charlie Brown is not in on the joke.
Social currency allows people to let other know they are in on
the joke. There is nothing worse than not being in on a joke.

8. Phase 3: Investment in Stream
People invest in internet memes two ways:
1. They know that if they participate, the chance for others to
participate increases too. More content = more entertainment.
2. Sites that cater to meme creation have time influencers. If
people don’t interact with a thread or image it falls to the back of
the site or even off of it. Participating keeps entertainment alive.

9. Phase 4: Shifting Context
Internet memes collaborate with other memes to help each other
spread. By doing this they prolong each other’s lives and reach
new online communities.

10. Phase 5: Curators
When enough people start spreading a meme, it can get picked
up by aggregators that further spread the meme. These sites
have helped propel many internet memes into pop culture.

11. Phase 6: Memetic Residue
Once an internet meme, “Fail” has become We suspect “winning” is going to be
a common expression. a piece of memetic residue that is left
over from the Charlie Sheen meme.
Memes continue until the last player decides to stop playing.
For bigger internet memes, residue of the meme is left. This
residue can become part of everyday culture. Sometimes the
residue may take on a new life, independent of its origin.

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Recap: Internet Meme Phases
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