“Common Sense” is an example of the original ways media was circulated. This media form began as a pamphlet, newspaper and then spread throughout communities, but as Youtube sensation and meme Sugar Brown stated, “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That.” Internet sensations today are effectively communicated through their instantaneous virality. Virality is a social information flow process where many people simultaneously forward a specific information item, over a short period of time, within their social networks, and where the message spreads beyond their own [social] networks to different, often distant networks, resulting in a sharp acceleration in the number of people who are exposed to the message.
In order for the “Common Sense” to become a phenomenon, it had to be understood through text. For example, heavy use of italics and commas helped to indicate where stress should be placed and breath should be taken. Memes now a day are almost instantaneously understand, with little to no text. These cultural understandings of mass media are what make this form of social media successful. The success of the “Common Sense,” also relied heavily on the opinion of others, therefore, it was a mode of accumulation. “Some delegates wanted to see what reaction the pamphlet would provoke revealing their own opinions” (143) In order for media content to go viral, as noted it relied heavily on community participation to transform the original context.
Consequently, the widespread understanding of the “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That” meme is understood similar to the second articulation: media artifacts and messages are brought into being and spread through a culture, community, or society, and is manifested through distribution and circulation. The repetition of folks repeating the slogan reinforces its virality, and social adoption of Sweet Brown’s character is culturally accepted.
Therefore, identifying and measuring virality is made of the basis of 1) the human and social characteristics of information sharing from one to another; 2) the speed of the spread; 3) the reach in terms of the number of people exposed to the content; and 4) the reach in terms of the distance the information travels by bridging multiple networks.
First off, great play on words with your intro to the topic and your meme! I agree, there was heavy dependence on things going the right way for "Common Sense" to go viral. One of the biggest you mention is the dependence on people's opinions because that's what it takes for people to talk. If everyone where to agree, there wouldn't be much to talk about but because "Common Sense" created multiple views and perspectives about the subject, people started voicing their own opinions and word travels fast. As you explained, the mode of accumulation transforms the original text and I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteYou mention that, "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That", is created through the aspects of articulation like media artifacts and messages through society and I believe in this case that is the main focus of how this meme was created. The clip of this meme originates from an interview conducted by a news channel, and the interview was displayed through television. The clip became a media artifact until an individual down the road took the clip and created a message from, a meme distributed through society.
Great post Janaya and great choice of a meme.
Hi Janaya,
ReplyDeleteYou made a great point when you discussed the difference between the virality of "Common Sense" and the "Ain't Nobody Got Time For That" meme by saying that the "Common Sense" pamphlet had to be understood through text and memes in general can be understood with little to no text. I think this was something that was really useful to point out to illustrate to understand the difference between the virality of the 17th century and today.
As Ryan mentioned above, this meme originated from a television interview. It makes me think that, anyone at any time can be subject into being made into a meme.
I think this was a great Meme to pick, not just because I love it, but also because “The aint nobody got time for that” meme perfectly describes media artifacts and messages as you pointed out. This meme exemplifies how the public reinvented content in the mainstream (Television news) and by doing so it went viral. There are several remixes and YouTube adaptations of this meme. Also this is not the first time that individuals have taken clips in the news and reconfigured the clip, which went viral. Another example is the famous Bed Intruder song.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw
I agree with Thandiwe about the connection you made between text and image as a main different between "Common Sense" virality and that of viralality of modern day social media. Memes and videos that commonly go viral require little to no text in order for the context and meaning to be understood. In a completely different arena is "Common Sense" as the important of being able to understand through reading of text was of utmost importance in its spread. Pointing this out really helped me to further understand the major differences in virality of the 17th century and today.
ReplyDeleteAs Ryan and Thandiwe mentioned about the meme originating from a television show and how easily an image can be made into a meme, it brings up the issue of privacy, labour and who actually owns the image of the meme. I personally know of someone whose photo was turned into a meme and subsequently quit all social media, and still to my knowledge has not returned.