Spring Break
The Daily OrangeOnline revolution
Viral videos spread Internet culture to students through addictive clips and catchphrases
By Ivy Tan
Posted: 11/6/08, 10:23 PM EST Section: Feature
Pete Delaney and Chad Walz spend a lot of time on video sites. So much that they have become part of Delaney and Walz's everyday life.
Delaney and Walz, both juniors in the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, have used catchphrases - or Internet memes - in conversations with each other, with other friends and well, anyone who gets the joke.
"Let's say some friends and I are at the mall, and a girl walks by," said Walz. "We're not really sure how old she is because she looks 20, but may be 13. A lot of times when that happens, guys who know "It's a trap" will say (about the girl) that 'It's a trap!'"
"It's a trap" is a catchphrase which first appeared on a popular Internet video involving "Star Wars'" Admiral Ackbar and has since crossed into pop culture, or at least to the culture of those who get the joke, said Delaney.
Internet memes have very much become a form of entertainment for people who regularly surf the Web. Recently, the "Internet Meme Timeline" from the Web site Dipity.com, which shows the evolution and progress of this Web phenomenon, has become a meme
itself.
An Internet meme is any video, image, concept, catchphrase, or any combination of those that gets virally passed around online from user to user.
Sometimes a meme is so popular virally that
it becomes a part of mainstream pop culture.
For example, Chris Crocker's "Leave Britney Alone" YouTube video had more than 2 million views within the first 24 hours after it was posted, and was then covered by several media outlets and talk shows.
Tay Zonday's "Chocolate Rain" crossed over from cyberspace into mainstream entertainment. Due to the popularity of his video, Zonday secured a deal last year with the soft drink company Dr. Pepper to do a similar video about the company's new flavor, Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr.Pepper.
Other times, it's a catchphrase that is first popularized on the Internet, and then uttered by those who use the phrase when confronted by that same context in real life.
Delaney and Walz, both juniors in the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, have used catchphrases - or Internet memes - in conversations with each other, with other friends and well, anyone who gets the joke.
"Let's say some friends and I are at the mall, and a girl walks by," said Walz. "We're not really sure how old she is because she looks 20, but may be 13. A lot of times when that happens, guys who know "It's a trap" will say (about the girl) that 'It's a trap!'"
"It's a trap" is a catchphrase which first appeared on a popular Internet video involving "Star Wars'" Admiral Ackbar and has since crossed into pop culture, or at least to the culture of those who get the joke, said Delaney.
Internet memes have very much become a form of entertainment for people who regularly surf the Web. Recently, the "Internet Meme Timeline" from the Web site Dipity.com, which shows the evolution and progress of this Web phenomenon, has become a meme
itself.
An Internet meme is any video, image, concept, catchphrase, or any combination of those that gets virally passed around online from user to user.
Sometimes a meme is so popular virally that
it becomes a part of mainstream pop culture.
For example, Chris Crocker's "Leave Britney Alone" YouTube video had more than 2 million views within the first 24 hours after it was posted, and was then covered by several media outlets and talk shows.
Tay Zonday's "Chocolate Rain" crossed over from cyberspace into mainstream entertainment. Due to the popularity of his video, Zonday secured a deal last year with the soft drink company Dr. Pepper to do a similar video about the company's new flavor, Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr.Pepper.
Other times, it's a catchphrase that is first popularized on the Internet, and then uttered by those who use the phrase when confronted by that same context in real life.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Ash
posted 11/07/08 @ 3:02 PM EST
Its amazing how viral a video can become so quickly. When you think about all the people in the world who are sending emails to their friends with the subject line "Check this out!" to get these videos viral overnight its amazing. (Continued…)
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