this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2024
443 points (83.5% liked)

Lemmy Shitpost

26608 readers
3522 users here now

Welcome to Lemmy Shitpost. Here you can shitpost to your hearts content.

Anything and everything goes. Memes, Jokes, Vents and Banter. Though we still have to comply with lemmy.world instance rules. So behave!


Rules:

1. Be Respectful


Refrain from using harmful language pertaining to a protected characteristic: e.g. race, gender, sexuality, disability or religion.

Refrain from being argumentative when responding or commenting to posts/replies. Personal attacks are not welcome here.

...


2. No Illegal Content


Content that violates the law. Any post/comment found to be in breach of common law will be removed and given to the authorities if required.

That means:

-No promoting violence/threats against any individuals

-No CSA content or Revenge Porn

-No sharing private/personal information (Doxxing)

...


3. No Spam


Posting the same post, no matter the intent is against the rules.

-If you have posted content, please refrain from re-posting said content within this community.

-Do not spam posts with intent to harass, annoy, bully, advertise, scam or harm this community.

-No posting Scams/Advertisements/Phishing Links/IP Grabbers

-No Bots, Bots will be banned from the community.

...


4. No Porn/ExplicitContent


-Do not post explicit content. Lemmy.World is not the instance for NSFW content.

-Do not post Gore or Shock Content.

...


5. No Enciting Harassment,Brigading, Doxxing or Witch Hunts


-Do not Brigade other Communities

-No calls to action against other communities/users within Lemmy or outside of Lemmy.

-No Witch Hunts against users/communities.

-No content that harasses members within or outside of the community.

...


6. NSFW should be behind NSFW tags.


-Content that is NSFW should be behind NSFW tags.

-Content that might be distressing should be kept behind NSFW tags.

...

If you see content that is a breach of the rules, please flag and report the comment and a moderator will take action where they can.


Also check out:

Partnered Communities:

1.Memes

2.Lemmy Review

3.Mildly Infuriating

4.Lemmy Be Wholesome

5.No Stupid Questions

6.You Should Know

7.Comedy Heaven

8.Credible Defense

9.Ten Forward

10.LinuxMemes (Linux themed memes)


Reach out to

All communities included on the sidebar are to be made in compliance with the instance rules. Striker

founded 1 year ago
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top 50 comments
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago

I posted about kanye on a community for kanye and still got hated for it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I'm Comment-only. I don't read.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I comment only. I don't read.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

but I read comments

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

I do my best but I'm not that creative.

Every once in a while my two brain cells will bounce together and come up with something half assed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Nah. The real cancer is the quiet plurality of users who just scroll through the post feed and only voting, not even reading comments. The ones who are responsible for the occasional thread that has entirely negative comments but gets upvoted to the stratosphere anyways.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

So the two categories of people are those who were born cool and those who were born between June 22 and July 22?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago

So we will cancer on

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

But if the people who actually post something have not posted yet, or example because they were just born and thus too busy learning how to breathe to post yet, are they born cool even if they are then prevented from posting? Is a born-cool poster who loses the ability to post through a freak curling iron accident retroactively unborn cool? Is a born-cool poster who has yet to make their first post Schrödinger's cool poster until they actually make their first post?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 hours ago

To all the "Someone already said it!" Filter by hot. Or even better new. Then you can be the first to say your beige take.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

But i don't have any feet pics

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago

Do you have feet and a camera?

[–] [email protected] 42 points 17 hours ago

No, fuck you.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 13 hours ago

To everyone saying that someone has already said what they want to say: post anyway. You'd be surprised how significant tiny differences in perspective can be.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Sorry. The topics I know about and find something to share are the same for lots of other people and literally always someone beat me to it.

Plus I get anxious thinking that I'm gonna have to reply to a lot of people.

But thank you to all of you who do post.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 14 hours ago

most people will forget something that was already posted. 2 of my most liked posts are me posting the same song a month apart and no one realised it (not even me until i checked 😂)

[–] [email protected] 120 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

"I'm in this picture and I don't like it"

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[–] [email protected] 82 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Akshually, we're called lurkers.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 22 hours ago

Since you already complained about the wrong vocabulary, I can continue with my lurking ways.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 17 hours ago

Read-onlys be like while upvoting

[–] [email protected] 14 points 18 hours ago

Hey I comment from time to time, that's contributing! Kind of!

[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 day ago (3 children)

bit of an over reaction wouldn't you say

[–] [email protected] 11 points 23 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 18 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (3 children)

650+ posts and 1700+ comments (from this account). Its one of 7. 😭

[–] [email protected] 8 points 23 hours ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 23 hours ago

I'd give you gold, but all I've got is lead and a particle accelerator. Good luck!

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 18 hours ago

Whenever I have something to say, someone has already said it. People are always on the ball here.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 20 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 12 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Title: The Revolutionary Impact of Meme-Driven Discourse on Lemmy: Insights, Innovations, and Intangible Gains

Abstract

In an era where digital communication is dominated by concise, witty, and often nonsensical forms of expression, memes have transcended the boundaries of entertainment to become essential instruments of social critique, community-building, and intellectual engagement. This article investigates the transformative potential of memes on Lemmy, a federated social media platform that prides itself on fostering open, decentralized discourse. Through rigorous qualitative analysis (i.e., browsing posts and chuckling), this study explores the nuanced ways in which memes contribute to the ecosystem of online dialogue, providing an empirical framework that can guide future meme scholarship. We argue that memes on Lemmy play a critical role not only in conveying complex ideas with astonishing brevity but also in shaping user behavior, platform dynamics, and even worldviews.

Introduction

Lemmy has quickly evolved into a vibrant hub for meme-based communication, capturing the attention of digital anthropologists, sociologists, and anyone with at least one ironic bone in their body. While initial user interactions on Lemmy centered on reasoned discourse, data, and logical debate, the influx of meme-sharing has provided what we term "communicative levity"—a significant reduction in cognitive load for all participants, made possible by short, humorous, highly shareable images. This shift to meme-centric engagement has profound implications for the quality and nature of dialogue on Lemmy, as users increasingly rely on memes as both a communicative tool and a coping mechanism for existential dread in the digital age.

Methodology

Our methodology involved immersive ethnographic engagement within various Lemmy communities, focusing specifically on meme-rich communities (such as [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] ). Over the course of two intense months, researchers scrolled through countless threads, selectively upvoted "bangers," and ignored "cringe" content, in an effort to capture the platform’s most salient contributions to meme culture. In addition, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with self-identified meme aficionados, who were questioned about their motivations, strategies, and meme curatorial practices. The findings were subjected to rigorous interpretative analysis, mostly through captioning screenshots and trading them in our own group chat.

Results

The results indicate an overwhelmingly positive effect of meme-sharing on user engagement, particularly in terms of:

  1. Increased Participation: Memes draw users out of their habitual lurking and into active participation. Even the most resolutely silent observers are compelled to "at least leave an upvote," fostering a sense of community solidarity without the burden of actual interaction.

  2. Community-Building: Through shared laughs, inside jokes, and occasional emoji debates, memes create an invisible web of collective understanding, transcending barriers such as political ideologies, hobbies, or fondness for cat photos. Memes allow users to "agree to laugh" rather than "agree to disagree."

  3. Conceptual Compression: Complex socio-political theories, cutting-edge critiques of capitalism, and even meta-commentaries on Lemmy’s own user interface can be condensed into a single image with minimal text. Notably, an increase in JPEG quality has been found to correspond with a decline in meme coherence, thereby reinforcing the platform’s aesthetic.

  4. Cognitive Offloading: Our research reveals a "surge of relief" reported by users upon encountering a meme after several paragraphs of verbose, heavily cited posts. Memes serve as intellectual palate cleansers, allowing the user to maintain sanity in an otherwise information-dense feed.

Discussion

The meme-centric approach on Lemmy does not come without challenges. The brevity and humor intrinsic to memes inevitably introduce the risk of misunderstanding, oversimplification, or, worse, banal memes that disrupt the platform’s intellectual sanctity. However, these risks are far outweighed by the significant, if intangible, benefits that memes provide. In the context of Lemmy, we propose that meme-sharing represents an innovative genre of meta-discourse, in which users not only engage with the content but also critique and subvert the platform’s normative expectations for reasoned debate.

Moreover, memes on Lemmy offer a novel platform for introspective reflection, as users regularly confront the existential absurdity of life in the modern world through humorous, often surreal images. As one respondent poignantly remarked, “Memes aren’t just entertainment; they’re coping mechanisms.”

Conclusion

Our research underscores the pivotal role memes play in shaping user interactions on Lemmy. Far from mere distractions, memes foster a dynamic ecosystem of cognitive offloading, community bonding, and philosophical humor that reflects the zeitgeist of a generation defined by digital connectedness and meme culture. We conclude that memes are not only the future of social media engagement on Lemmy but also a valuable contribution to the evolution of human communication itself.

Future Research Directions

Further studies should investigate the comparative impact of memes on similar federated platforms, analyze meme-sharing as a form of digital anthropology, and establish frameworks for distinguishing “high-quality” memes from “low-effort” ones. Such scholarship will undoubtedly enhance our understanding of the meme economy and contribute to more robust academic discourse on social media behavior.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the users of Lemmy for their enthusiastic, if occasionally chaotic, contributions to meme discourse. Special thanks to the anonymous user who suggested our team try making our own memes, “for the culture.” We hope to continue scrolling, upvoting, and sometimes even laughing.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (2 children)

I haven't even finished reading this and I'm saving it as pasta. The fact you put this much effort into a shitpost is amazing.

Edit: this is legitimately well written to boot. Amazing job @[email protected]

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Here's a more conscise version

Résumé: The Revolutionary Impact of Meme-Driven Discourse on Lemmy

Overview:

This article explores the influential role of memes in shaping discourse on Lemmy, a federated social media platform known for its decentralized dialogue. By analyzing user interactions, the study reveals how memes foster engagement, community, and intellectual coping mechanisms within the platform.

Key Findings:

  1. Increased Participation: Memes encourage even passive users to engage, promoting active involvement with minimal effort.

  2. Community-Building: Shared humor and inside jokes create a collective sense of belonging that bridges differences among users.

  3. Conceptual Compression: Memes can distill complex ideas into easily digestible formats, simplifying otherwise intricate subjects.

  4. Cognitive Offloading: Users report relief and mental rest when encountering memes, breaking up the intensity of serious discussions.

Methodology:

The research involved ethnographic immersion in meme-centric Lemmy communities, participant observations, meme analysis, and interviews with dedicated users.

Challenges:

While memes introduce risks like oversimplification or poor-quality content, their benefits—facilitating meta-discourse and offering coping mechanisms—largely outweigh these issues.

Conclusion:

Memes are integral to Lemmy’s ecosystem, enhancing user interaction, community cohesion, and dialogue through their unique blend of humor and insight. This positions memes not just as entertainment but as vital communication tools.

Future Research:

Suggested directions include cross-platform meme studies, deeper anthropological analysis, and criteria for evaluating meme quality.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Lmao it's GPT with some tweaks.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago

Glad it got a laugh. 😅

[–] [email protected] 34 points 23 hours ago

I can't! I steal my stuff from here!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

i love posting in dead communities and getting downvotes.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 57 minutes ago

Yeah THAT blows my mind a bit? I posted to an empty community and it got deleted. What the fuck? It wasn't offensive and it was on topic. It was a niche community too.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 23 hours ago

Nah as long as they Upvote content and don't complain about content being posted they can stay lurkers.

(If they do complain they can be the change they want to see and post, that's what I did)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

hey, I got social anxiety, I'm not posting BECAUSE I don't want to hear people's thoughts on me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

And then you get to hear peoples thoughts on you not posting anything

[–] [email protected] 18 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

I posted twice, automod got one of them, but the other was gloriously empowering. Can recommend 8/10 Edit: I'm definitely a lurker though. We have value and votes, and are important to the ecosystem!

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 17 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 13 points 23 hours ago

I can only post when I'm feeling strong, because I'm terrified of y'all disapproving. :(

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

There is an API you can use with pythorhead or other libraries to schedule posts very easily. @[email protected] uses it to automate loads of posts from his pic collections in local storage, and will gladly provide you with source code and assistance.

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