Comments on: Thanks for the lolcat deletion

Thanks for the lolcat deletion

BrotherCaine — Fri, 18 May 2007 02:53:41 -0800

Today, for the first time, I wished I could favorite a thread deletion justification. "This post was deleted for the following reason: im in ur over-trafficked meme, stating ur ironic deletion raisin" - cortex

By: ardgedee

ardgedee — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:29:12 -0800

So, basically, you're thanking cortex for using a cliche joke to explain why he deleted a cliche jokes post.

I'm going to drink more coffee before I come back to this thread. It's too circular for me right now.

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:30:03 -0800

BrotherCaine, sly as you are, I know this is just a subtle way to reopen the discussion. Heartily endorsed, for my part.

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:40:48 -0800

Quasi hilarious.

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:41:53 -0800

Uday wasn't bad either.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:52:14 -0800

I still don't understand the term "macro" as applied to cat images. I understand macro- as a prefix, and macro as a camera setting for making images very large, and macro as a series of keypresses and commands that can be programmed into a word processor. But I don't get how image + text = macro.

And lolaliens has grown. I wish I had time to turn it into a full-time blog, so I could be known as that guy who blogs about a meme making fun of a meme making fun of bad internet grammar/spelling and people's insipid pictures of their pets. No, wait, that wasn't it. I wanted to be the guy remembered for inventing time travel. I guess I figured I could waste time along the way, because once someone invented it, I could just go back in time and give it to myself.

What was I talking about again?

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:57:11 -0800

Think it has to do with macrochan.org, where the 'funny image+text' subculture has long thrived.

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:00:23 -0800

No, wait that's totally wrong. Nevermind me.

By: teleskiving

teleskiving — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:06:29 -0800

Wikipedia:

An image macro, also known as a thread bomb, is a picture with text superimposed, typically through the use of graphics software such as GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, or Microsoft Paint. The name image macro originates from the Something Awful Forums[citation needed], where for a time the use of a preset "macro" text would insert into the post a corresponding image.

By: Brandon Blatcher

Brandon Blatcher — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:23:12 -0800

The snark in deletion justifications is uncalled for, comes off as trite immature high school giggling and sets a low bar example for users.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:35:00 -0800

Yeah, I know how to look something up on wikipedia, t-skiv. So is it like a word processing macro in the sense that you're stamping a set block of text onto an array of images (in a repetitive, assembly line sense)? Shift-Ctrl-I = insert this text into the selected image.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:35:39 -0800

I'm with Brandon Blatcher, even though he smells.

By: chinston

chinston — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:37:36 -0800

The snark in deletion justifications is uncalled for, comes off as trite immature high school giggling and sets a low bar example for users.

Lord knows nothing calls out for high-flown seriousness like pictures of cats reciting pidgin Shakespeare.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:41:46 -0800

There are only so many levels of irony one can scramble up onto, knuckles bloody and eyeballs wriggling from the aftershocks before it all goes wrong, and we all end up looking really stupid.

I advocate exploration of the possibilities, but only so I can point and laugh when some poor bastard hits N+1.

It's possible that I am that poor bastard, in which case: lookit me I am captian luser! I AM!

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:43:26 -0800

~criticize my ninja-esque comma-placement skills and I'll fuckin' cut you, man~

By: killdevil

killdevil — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:44:15 -0800

✰ ✰ ✰ ➳ im in ur base, killin ur dudes ➳ ✰ ✰ ✰

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:46:16 -0800

*points, laughs*

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:46:43 -0800

I have an infinite capacity for laughing at lolcats, but then again I still laugh at "all your base."

I are easily amused.

By: blasdelf

blasdelf — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:48:13 -0800

It's a macro in that keywords in your post could be auto-replaced with inline meme-pics, hosted by the forum. Takes all the effort out of exhausting a meme!

I find it hilarious that neckbeards on Wikipedia insist on naming the GIMP first.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:49:29 -0800

Oh, and those Shakespeare lolcats? PURE GENIUS.

By: ardgedee

ardgedee — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:00:03 -0800

All the coffee in Ethiopia won't help. I give up.

By: Dave Faris

Dave Faris — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:05:10 -0800

It's been at least a week since we stroked cortex's ego. We were overdue for one of these adoration threads.

By: breezeway

breezeway — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:06:40 -0800

I still like the Iraqi Information Minister meme: "My feelings - as usual - we will slaughter them all" and "Our initial assessment is that they will all die."

By: teleskiving

teleskiving — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:08:03 -0800

is it like a word processing macro in the sense that you're stamping a set block of text onto an array of images

Well, if the Wikipedia article is correct, they used to be called macros because they were inserted into a post using a preset piece of text which was automatically expanded into the image.

In other words, the name "macro" is nothing to do with the fact that the pictures have text on except for the fact that those kinds of images were frequently used as image macros and the association has stuck.

By: yeti

yeti — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:11:50 -0800

Man... that meme is so dead. [warning, disturbing pictures ahoy].

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:27:14 -0800

Well, if the Wikipedia article is correct, they used to be called macros because they were inserted into a post using a preset piece of text which was automatically expanded into the image.

Oh poop. The IMAGE MACRO phrase (and style: Impact 20px, 2px contrasting stroke) came from the SA forums back in 2001, just like every goddamn stupid but funny image-manipulation meme that's taken the rest of the internet by storm (eventually and belatedly) in the last five years or so has done. Not that the SA forums don't suck compared to their glory days 4 or 5 years back (it's September all over the goddamn web for us old bastards, relieved only by AJAX and Twittering thank you sir can I have another, thank you sir can I have another) of course, but Jesus's bristley unstroked balls it irritates me when people lose the...

Sorry, what were we talking about?

By: tellurian

tellurian — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:30:25 -0800

I find it hilarious that neckbeards on Wikipedia insist on naming the GIMP first.

neckbeard - Derogatory term for slovenly nerdy people who have no sense of hygene [sic] or grooming. Often related to hobbies such as card gaming, video gaming, anime, et. al [sic]

I learnt something today.

By: jouke

jouke — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:44:36 -0800

Funny, those cat pictures. Tx.

By: cillit bang

cillit bang — Fri, 18 May 2007 05:47:17 -0800

"This post was deleted for the following reason: im in ur over-trafficked meme, stating ur ironic deletion raisin" - cortex

Fish, barrel, I'd have thought.

By: grobstein

grobstein — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:10:08 -0800

The loldedcats series is horrible. Someone should post it to the front page.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:19:06 -0800

It's been at least a week since we stroked cortex's ego. We were overdue for one of these adoration threads.

He is still awesome, you know.

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:29:54 -0800

BrotherCaine paraphrased: Cortex is so awesome, he deserves daily hot stone massages.

I can get behind this. Do we sign up for dates, or is it first come, first serves? (Or first served, first... no, nevermind.)

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:50:05 -0800

Man, I've been massaged when I've been stoned, and it's the bomb.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:50:39 -0800

Im in ur metatalk, snarking your snark...

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Fri, 18 May 2007 06:53:44 -0800

"The snark in deletion justifications is uncalled for, comes off as trite immature high school giggling and sets a low bar example for users."

Oh, Brandon, your quest against humor is charmingly quixotic.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:03:34 -0800

When I get bombed, I like to massage my stones.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:04:13 -0800

Man, a massage sounds great.

I've been thinking a lot about the back-and-forth that mediareport and languagehat had the other day, about the balance of utility for some against entertainment for others in the use of deletion reasons. I think they both had good points:

- Deletion reasons might be instructive to the newer poster and newer readers who aren't as familiar with the site, but
- Most people who know to look at the deletion reason are by definition in the poweruser category.

In this case, it was Yet Another Lolcats Post, by jonson. So the poster hardly needs gentle instruction (jonson has had more entertaining posts deleted without malice than most mefites will ever make), and if by chance some raw newbie managed to comment in that thread and so discover the deletion reason by serendipitous clickery in My Comments or whatever, I'd love it if they took from that a little bit of discouragement toward meme posting.

If I went at this all wrong and actually hurt jonson's feelings, well, I'll feel kind of shitty about that and apologize without qualification.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:17:13 -0800

i'm in ur jonson hurtin your feelins (?)

By: mathowie

mathowie — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:19:13 -0800

You know, you can favorite a deleted thread if you want to come back to that deletion reason and laugh again. (I've done it myself before)

By: mathowie

mathowie — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:19:49 -0800

If I went at this all wrong and actually hurt jonson's feelings, well, I'll feel kind of shitty about that and apologize without qualification.

You'd have to delete LOLpugs for that to happen.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:36:34 -0800

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WHERE ARE THE LOLCATS? IF YOUR JONSON IS HURTING MAKE AN ANONYMOUS POST TO ASKME KTHXBYE!

By: booksherpa

booksherpa — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:37:11 -0800

I'm pleased that Cortex got commended on his deletion reason.

Because otherwise I never would have seen the Shakespeare LOLCATS, and they did make me LOL.

By: Dave Faris

Dave Faris — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:45:13 -0800

He is still awesome, you know.

One wonders why we need to keep reiterating this universal truth.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:52:51 -0800

One wonders why we need to keep reiterating this universal truth.

There is an argument to be made that saying nice things about other people helps reduce the overall level of sorrow and suffering in the world, if only by a tiny bit.

Every time I check in to Flickr I try to leave a comment on someone's photos that says something nice even if it's something dorky like "nice picture." Since I check my pictures often and I have a few friends who update a lot, they tend to get the bulk of my accolades. On the other hand, saying something nice isn't zero sum. You can say something nice about cortex and still have enough words left to say something nice about jonson [cute baby!] or blasdelf [lol neckbeards!] or stavros [hey I didn't know that, thanks for sharing!] or you [excellent use of the nominative!].

I don't see why you need to continually point out that you find this process distasteful unless you're attempting a subtle self-parody in which case, lol!

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:54:19 -0800

I'm pretty goddamn sure I hate you all.

...'cause that's what too-serious chinkhaters would say, if they were comedy-handicapped. Am I rite? Nigger jew joke? It's all funny comedy, so no problem, right?

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:56:47 -0800

There is an argument to be made that saying nice things about other people helps reduce the overall level of sorrow and suffering in the world, if only by a tiny bit.

Yes, but cruelty can often be amusing. And making people laugh is nice. Sometimes you just gotta be cruel to be kind.

By: Greg Nog

Greg Nog — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:57:39 -0800

I think it's safe to say that the Shakespeare lolcats got pwned.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:00:22 -0800

But I love you too, you know. That's life.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:01:45 -0800

There's an argument to be made that being force-fed endless treacle makes everything sweeter and better.

By: Dave Faris

Dave Faris — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:02:40 -0800

There is an argument to be made that saying nice things about other people helps reduce the overall level of sorrow and suffering in the world, if only by a tiny bit.

Oh, no doubt, no doubt. The Adoration of the Cortex probably wipes away all the sins of the entire state of Vermont, I'd venture. But I can't help but wonder ... in a community of 50,000, it's curious that we can't find someone new to lavish all this bountiful adoration and good will upon. I mean, CORTEX ROCKS, of course we all know that. Facts are facts, But the trick, I think, is for us to find someone who rocks just slightly less than Cortex.

And I propose whoever does find that person, that they just keep it to themselves since a secret is a wonderful thing.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:17:23 -0800

It's you, Dave. We all know that. We're just keeping it to ourselves, because we know you prefer it that way.

By: scody

scody — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:18:10 -0800

excellent use of the nominative!

I want this on a T-shirt.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:19:55 -0800

I don't get it.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:26:41 -0800

"Yes, but cruelty can often be amusing. And making people laugh is nice. Sometimes you just gotta be cruel to be kind."

Oh, man, I saw that coming. I was already humming "in the very best measure" in my head by the time I get to the end of your line.

By: kosem

kosem — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:28:17 -0800

One wonders why we need to keep reiterating this universal truth.

Sah-kit-toe hay-tah-zu! SAH-KIT-TOE HAY-TAH-ZU!!!

By: Terminal Verbosity

Terminal Verbosity — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:29:40 -0800

[excellent use of the nominative!]

Jessamyn, I'd like to say something nice. This made me laugh out loud (not to be confused with "lol," which rarely coincides with actually laughing out loud, as I understand the acronym to stand for).

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:32:28 -0800

I love you guys.

By: scody

scody — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:38:50 -0800

(not to be confused with "lol," which rarely coincides with actually laughing out loud, as I understand the acronym to stand for)

This is one of the things that makes my eyes cross -- when people use "lol" when it's utterly unrelated to any possibility of anything even remotely funny having been said. And I don't mean after a lame joke; I mean after NO joke -- like when someone will say "I just got an iPod, lol." It's as if the user thinks it's some type of...verbal punctuation indicating a general sense of the positive? I don't know.

By: ND¢

ND¢ — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:41:34 -0800

I don't know either, lol.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:41:52 -0800

It's the textual equivalent of giggling, scody. Some people are like that.

By: grouse

grouse — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:46:49 -0800

I totally agree with scody's comment, lol

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:57:43 -0800

I, for one, welcome our new I'm in UR base can haz cheezburger 3) profit! MetaFilter: LOL brb jk this wendell, it vibrates?

SYSTEM ERROR

By: scarabic

scarabic — Fri, 18 May 2007 08:58:24 -0800

Wait a second... the meme is "over-trafficked?" What does that mean? People toss it around too much? It's getting too many eyeballs? Sheezus.

Anyway, this was an editorial prerogative deletion. No guidelines breached. And kudos to cortex for managing to pull of the admin thing while still being everyone fun pal. But the overeager deletions continue...

By: Otis

Otis — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:00:49 -0800

O RLY?

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:03:14 -0800

maybe we need to find a meme as yet unborn. a memebryo, if you will.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:06:08 -0800

My feelings weren't hurt by the deletion reason, they were hurt (albeit only very slightly) by the realization that I had misjudged what people would find at least mildly amusing. I thought the physics jokes & shakespeare gags would be funny to some, but if the flags say otherwise, it's really no biggie. I know cortex is a good guy & bears pretty much no one here any ill will, so it's not likely his deletion reasons would carry any malice.

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:07:21 -0800

We can hold the First Annual MetaFilter Meme-Off! (or MeFiMe-O).

Rules:

1) Invent a meme.
2) That's about it!

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:13:52 -0800

jonson- couldn't you be just a tiny bit upset about it? Maybe storm off in a huff only to return five comments later? I mean, just for the sake of argument... let's say cortex did hate your everliving guts... WHAT THEN?

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:14:10 -0800

Oh. My. God. I must say, the whole "niceness is positive-sum" thing is quite a mindblowing concept.

Wait, is it really though?

First of all, saying something nice requires an acknowledgement of niceness, thus extracting a concession from the complimentor.

Secondly, even if we consider the particular concession immaterial in a way that the compliment itself is not, then if we look beyond the two-party transaction, the very introduction of more niceness into the system has sort of created an imbalance right? If you say "you're wonderful" to one person in a group, you're basically withholding the compliment from other people in the group. It's like, if you kiss Jill, you're effectively not kissing Jenny.

So niceness may be positive-sum between the bestower and the bestowee, but may be more complicated in terms of the holistic balance of niceness in a system.

This merits further investigation.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:14:46 -0800

ORThey sounds like he's joking, but wasn't there a contest along these lines like a year or two ago? That "pictures of people eating while crying" site (if I'm remembering correctly) was one of the entries.

By: weapons-grade pandemonium

weapons-grade pandemonium — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:15:41 -0800

Deletion raisin? I thought deletion raisins were all those you see on the cereal box picture that you can't find when you open the box.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:16:21 -0800

oh - and anotherpanacea, if cortex had it in for me, I'd be fucked. He's an admin, and also a musician, so he could write clever songs that mocked me, and then delete my complaints about them. At least if you piss off matt & jess, you don't have to worry about the musical onslaught.

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:17:43 -0800

I think he's letting it smolder.

By: pineapple

pineapple — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:18:49 -0800

Well played, sir.

By: loquacious

loquacious — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:20:30 -0800

The snark in deletion justifications is uncalled for, comes off as trite immature high school giggling and sets a low bar example for users.

You're either new here or you haven't paid any attention.

i'm in ur jonson hurtin your feelins (?)

BAD TOUCH. NOT ON FIRST DATE.

By: ND¢

ND¢ — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:20:38 -0800

We can hold the First Annual MetaFilter Meme-Off! (or MeFiMe-O).

Interrobang wants singing cowboys to be the next meme. Like frilly Roy Rogers shirt wearing cowboys. I don't get it exactly, but there you go.

Also, all those that are like "that meme is played out, don't post it" are working against their own interests. A meme is like a fever. It has to burn itself out. It has to get worse before it gets better. It has to be posted so many times at so many places that everyone is so sick of it that they want it to go away. If you get tired of a meme and want it to stop, the answer is to FPP that bitch daily. I single-handedly killed off "all your base" a couple of years ago. It can be done.

By: anotherpanacea

anotherpanacea — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:24:29 -0800

You got really mad and indignant, just then, right? Let it out. Feel the power. Yes... the hate is swelling in you now.

Good. I can feel your anger. Cortex is defenseless. Take your keyboard! Snark him down with all your hatred, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete.

By: brain_drain

brain_drain — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:32:14 -0800

i have no vocal cords, ~~lol~~

By: iconomy

iconomy — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:41:04 -0800

I still laugh about totally sweet ninjas who flip out and kill people.

By: mdn

mdn — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:48:58 -0800

this was fun.

maybe we need to find a meme as yet unborn. a memebryo, if you will.

but now then, what would that be? a meme in general usage is a cliche or a popular trend, so prior to its cultural adoption it's just any old this or that... it's only in being overdone that it earns the nomenclature.

By: Atom Eyes

Atom Eyes — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:49:29 -0800

I have a lazy eye, loll

By: quin

quin — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:50:08 -0800

Firas : So niceness may be positive-sum between the bestower and the bestowee, but may be more complicated in terms of the holistic balance of niceness in a system.

Nicely said. You are smart. We love you.

*hugs*

By: The Deej

The Deej — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:53:03 -0800

Whoa! If jonson can be deleted... then NONE of us is safe!!!!!!!!!

By: The Deej

The Deej — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:54:48 -0800

it's not likely his deletion reasons would carry any malice.
posted by jonson

Let's work on that eh? More malice please, cortex. I'll pay an extra $5.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:54:55 -0800

mdn, did you just commit a memebortion?

By: iconomy

iconomy — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:56:47 -0800

but now then, what would that be? a meme in general usage is a cliche or a popular trend, so prior to its cultural adoption it's just any old this or that... it's only in being overdone that it earns the nomenclature.

beans
A PLATE

By: grouse

grouse — Fri, 18 May 2007 09:58:26 -0800

im in ur plate, overthinkin ur beans

By: exlotuseater

exlotuseater — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:00:39 -0800

tl;dr

I just wanted to thank the poster for directing me to the deleted post which I had unfortunately missed.

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:00:52 -0800

The cool thing about the term memebryo is that, much like the shorthand "MeFi," its pronunciation isn't really explicit. meem - bree - oh? mem - bree - oh? me - fie? meh - fee?

Also:

I'M IN UR THREAD FUCKEN HATIN U, LOL.

By: Firas

Firas — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:01:44 -0800

quin, I wuv you too! *hugz* xoxo

By: dersins

dersins — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:03:00 -0800

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:04:24 -0800

iconomy, the true graphic would be this:

metafilter
thinkaplateofbeans

By: iconomy

iconomy — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:08:03 -0800

Yours is definitely more clever, jonson. I was doing beans on a plate like snakes on a plane. Two memes for the price of one!

By: matteo

matteo — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:09:55 -0800

MetaFilter -- I thought the physics jokes & shakespeare gags would be funny to some

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:20:22 -0800

What do you call a MeFi member who co-starred on the X-files for a while?

Meme-y Rogers.

What do you call a MeFi member who is also a stand-up comedian?

Meme-o Phillips

What do you call a bunch of MeFi members who beat up the world in basketball?

The Meme Team.

I could keep going. But I won't, thank god.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:26:58 -0800

Every time I check in to Flickr I try to leave a comment on someone's photos that says something nice even if it's something dorky like "nice picture."

It might not surprise you to know that entire forum threads on Flickr have been devoted to comments and what they really mean.

One large contingent believes that people that drop comments like "Great shot!" or "nice." are just being lazy. That is, they have nothing substantive to say about your picture and the comment is so generic they may have not even looked at your photo at all. The suspected motivation then is that they are leaving a comment self-servingly so that you might go and take a look at their photos!

I know that all seems like a cynical view of the world but I think its an interesting example of how something done in the spirit of altruism or niceness can surprisingly be percieved as selfish and self-serving.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:39:51 -0800

Like that time I ate all the ice cream so my wife wouldn't get fat. I know she's so concerned for her figure!

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:55:21 -0800

plate of beans, huh? Lemme think about that for a bit...

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:00:37 -0800

I think its an interesting example of how something done in the spirit of altruism or niceness can surprisingly be percieved as selfish and self-serving.

Wow, interesting. I'll have to be less lazy-seeming if I go that route in the future. It never even occurred to me that it might be taken that way.

By: wemayfreeze

wemayfreeze — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:07:23 -0800

1) Did anyone else read that as "ur-ironic"?

2) raisin lol

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:16:54 -0800

I know that all seems like a cynical view of the world but I think its an interesting example of how something done in the spirit of altruism or niceness can surprisingly be percieved as selfish and self-serving.

Yeah, it's a tricky thing. I think it's less of a mixed signal when the praise is directed at someone you have a relationship with—dropping a "Ha!" or a "Great shot, man." into a mutual contact's stream doesn't carry the same motivational questions because we're already (at least in theory) well aware of each other.

I've noticed a big uptick in really generic, postive blog spam in the last couple months. I used to get lists of bare links for the most part, or Bayes-fighting random text, but lately there have been more and more "You has great site! Very nice design, I tell my friend!" type crap with just one link, perhaps buried in the "my website" field of the comment. That seems like the ultimate cynical capitalization on the situation.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:20:30 -0800

And jonson, it wasn't an awful post, it just seemed like (a) we've had a lot of lolcat stuff in the last month and (b) neither of the links had much content. It was the combination of the two that really got me, but I may have some sort of twisted meme-supression anxiety disorder with the lolcats that's making me harsh the bud unrighteously.

I'd rather see a big meaty roundup of all the latter-day lolcat riffs than just one link here and there continuing on for a month at a time. Yes, that's editorial prerogative, and if the overal message here is Hey Man, Let The Cats Run Free, I can try turning the other cheek.

By: frykitty

frykitty — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:24:12 -0800

I'm just here to go on record as adoring several mefites.

Matt, Jess, and Cortex are adored by default, and all subsequent lists of adoration can be assumed to include them, even if they are unintentionally omitted.

Further, I adore:

Stavros
Madamejujujive
Vacapinta
Taz

I also adore several others whom I know well, and so they are in no doubt of their adoration, and need not be mentioned.

This list of adored mefites is woefully incomplete, as I have a terrible memory for names. If you think I should adore you, but do not find yourself on this list, rest assured that I do, in fact, adore you. Unless I don't.

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:34:35 -0800

Two days ago, I found myself throwing my sister's two cats up in the air while she took pictures of them*, in the vain hope of getting a funny one I could turn into a lolcat, just to see if I could. Then I thought, WHAT HAVE I BECOME???

*this actually happened.

By: KevinSkomsvold

KevinSkomsvold — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:37:16 -0800

ORthey writes "Two days ago, I found myself throwing my sister's two cats up in the air while she took pictures of them*, in the vain hope of getting a funny one I could turn into a lolcat, just to see if I could. Then I thought, WHAT HAVE I BECOME???

"*this actually happened."

LOLcatTosser? I like it!

By: blue_beetle

blue_beetle — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:41:50 -0800

Love me!

love me?

By: vronsky

vronsky — Fri, 18 May 2007 12:05:08 -0800

Let the cats run free cortex!

I thought it was a good post Jonson. Made me giggle like a little girl. And if memory serves, it was one of your posts a while back that had the "I made you a cookie" cat in it that was the first lolcatz I had ever seen.

By: quin

quin — Fri, 18 May 2007 12:13:50 -0800

I made you a cookie.

I has a bucket.

Two of the first and best of the meme.

By: normy

normy — Fri, 18 May 2007 12:59:40 -0800

I thought it was a good post Jonson. Made me giggle like a little girl.

Me too.

OK, the giggle was more like a slightly overweight, unshaven nerd sipping from a near empty cup of cold coffee and sitting alone in his underwear at lunchtime because yesterday he said "fuck it" and decided he needed a vacation day today just for the hell of it and because sometimes you just have to escape yet another day at the same old untidy desk as you cruise purposelessly towards an unspectacular mid-life crisis whilst wondering how the hell you ended up here anyhow.

But the sentiment was probably the same.

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:10:58 -0800

There are a few things that no amount of aging or maturity will ever stop me from laughing at, which include:

- People falling down
- Farting loudly
- The "I has a bucket" walrus photo series

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:26:32 -0800

"This is one of the things that makes my eyes cross -- when people use "lol" when it's utterly unrelated to any possibility of anything even remotely funny having been said. And I don't mean after a lame joke; I mean after NO joke -- like when someone will say "I just got an iPod, lol." It's as if the user thinks it's some type of...verbal punctuation indicating a general sense of the positive? I don't know."

Pssst...scody.

By: scody

scody — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:33:39 -0800

crash: LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

(seriously, I started laughing so hard that someone came into my office to ask if I was all right. She, too, is now laughing helplessly. Jesus really does spread joy!)

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:48:36 -0800

- The "I has a bucket" walrus photo series

I'd never seen that until just now. Freakin' awesome.

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 18 May 2007 14:27:35 -0800

I, for one, welcome our new I'm in UR base can haz cheezburger 3) profit! MetaFilter: LOL brb jk this wendell, it vibrates?
~~SYSTEM ERROR~~JRUN

Fixed that for you, ORthey.

And yes, I vibrate, but I'd like to know where you heard that. And after a recent MeCha entry, I would like you to refer to me by my new name: cyst valley.

And if you really are going to have a MetaFilter Meme-Off, here is my entry.

By: y2karl

y2karl — Fri, 18 May 2007 14:41:50 -0800

My cat's breath smells like cat butt.

By: Rhomboid

Rhomboid — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:27:25 -0800

I tend to get a little upset whenever LOLcats or image macros come up and 4chan (or 2chan, 7chan, 12chan, 420chan, ...) is not acknowledged. It's a subculture that's been around for years, and is just now becoming popular, so it's really annoying to see people think it's something new.

If you need me, I'll be in my lab. [probably nsfw]

By: Dave Faris

Dave Faris — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:41:32 -0800

(probably?)

By: puke & cry

puke & cry — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:43:16 -0800

Hm, you just posted a picture of a guy fucking his dog.

By: puke & cry

puke & cry — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:45:32 -0800

And the less mentions of chans here, the better.

By: team lowkey

team lowkey — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:54:37 -0800

\beansbeansbeansbeansbeansbeansbeansbeans/
\beansbeansbeansbeans/

think

By: pracowity

pracowity — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:57:18 -0800

My cat's breath smells like cat butt.

I think you're snuggling the wrong end. LOL.

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:05:43 -0800

Thanks, rhomboid, we can pretty much rule out EVER getting the img tag back. (Although the whole LOLCATS fad is a strong enough argument against it).

-cyst valley

By: thatwhichfalls

thatwhichfalls — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:15:45 -0800

I'm in Ur ...

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:19:42 -0800

rhomboid, the's the world probably I've ever seen.

By: found missing

found missing — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:26:00 -0800

the's the world probably I've ever seen

get out of my head!

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 18 May 2007 17:02:55 -0800

you just posted a picture of a guy fucking his dog.

favorited, only so I can tell people to get off my ass when they start the OMG CHICKENFUCKING refrain again.

You just posted a picture of a guy fucking his dog.

By: found missing

found missing — Fri, 18 May 2007 17:23:42 -0800

Jules: Chickens are filthy animals. I don't fuck filthy animals.
Vincent: How about a dog? Dogs eats its own feces.
Jules: I don't fuck dog either.
Vincent: Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules: I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent: Ah, so by that rationale, if a chicken had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules: Well we'd have to be talkin' about one charmin' motherfuckin' chicken.

By: ORthey

ORthey — Fri, 18 May 2007 17:24:47 -0800

*Worst probably*

I need to get out of my OWN head.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Fri, 18 May 2007 20:19:04 -0800

Metafilter: You just posted a picture of a guy fucking his dog.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Fri, 18 May 2007 20:59:28 -0800

With apologies to Cortex... I couldn't help it.[jpg]
(from a recent victim of intelligent lolcat post deletion. revenge is a dish best served cold. and it is very cold in metaspace.)

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:06:56 -0800

Hey, cortex looks like a slightly sardonic Jesus.

I'm good with that.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 18 May 2007 21:40:32 -0800

Well played, moonbird. Though that aspect ratio totally makes me look fatter.

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:19:19 -0800

I've been waiting for the right thread to submit my contribution, based on the wonderful LOLCATZ meme. I think this is the right thread, so here it is!

By: Stunt

Stunt — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:31:03 -0800

Rhomboid, I'd like to thank you for giving me the tools to completely fucking devastate all who oppose me.

Also, all of my "friends" hate me now.

By: The Deej

The Deej — Fri, 18 May 2007 23:44:59 -0800

This article FINALLY got me up to speed on the lolcat thing or whatever you call it.

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:25:53 -0800

Jonson, for the record, I liked your lolcats post.

Thatwhichfalls, subtle, I like it.

By: wemayfreeze

wemayfreeze — Sat, 19 May 2007 00:47:37 -0800

Catmacro song ftw. [via]

By: cortex

cortex — Sat, 19 May 2007 08:46:15 -0800

Holy fuck, wemayfreeze. I couldn't finish it. Didn't get past the second stanza of the rap.

By: ORthey

ORthey — Sat, 19 May 2007 09:26:08 -0800

I got past the second stanza but am now bleeding out of every orifice.

(yep, even THAT one).

By: wemayfreeze

wemayfreeze — Sat, 19 May 2007 11:31:45 -0800

Because it was so great?

By: BrotherCaine

BrotherCaine — Sat, 19 May 2007 19:32:47 -0800

Only long years of experience of college radio let me get through the cat macro song wemayfreeze. DO NOT WANT.

By: bigmusic

bigmusic — Sat, 19 May 2007 22:53:50 -0800

✰ ➳

By: Cyrano

Cyrano — Sun, 20 May 2007 06:21:54 -0800

I'M IN MAH 'PUTER CHAIR.

TRYN TA UNSEE TEH DAWG FUCKIN.

By: grapefruitmoon

grapefruitmoon — Sun, 20 May 2007 09:24:31 -0800

Wait, jonson posted a cat macros thread? This makes me feel so much better about the cameltoe.