As I’m sitting down at dinner this Thanksgiving, I’ll go over all the things I’m thankful for this year. Friends, family, the roof over my head and memes. Yes — memes. Ever since memes have taken the internet by storm, I can’t log into Facebook or check my Tumblr without seeing something meme-tastic show up. So this Thanksgiving is dedicated to the memes that I could probably live without, but most certainly wouldn’t want to.
Advice Animals
Never again will I have to turn to call a friend for advice. With the plethora of advice animals, there will always be one to turn to for support. Need to learn how to get some at the Keg? Turn to Pickup Line Panda. Want to feel crappy about yourself? Google High Expectations Asian Father. Need a philosophy paper topic? Hit up Philosoraptor. Advice Animals stemmed from Advice Dog. Now, over fifty sub-categories exist and other memes have begun to appear in the Advice Animal archetype. There’s even one of these memes for almost all majors. However the one Advice Animal I’m not thankful for this year: Musically Oblivious 8th Grader. She needs to figure out not everything originated on Glee.
Rage Faces
Instead of using my own facial expressions to convey emotion, I can turn to rage faces to communicate how I’m feeling on the Internet. The simplicity of these MS Paint products only represents the ease with which anyone can relate to them. When you can’t figure out a math problem, you could put your arms up like “Y U NO” guy. Or if I tease someone I can make the “trollface.” Then there's the most universal rage face: “forever alone.” There’s even an application from the Android store available for download. Not only are these memes able to demonstrate true human feelings, but also star in comics that tell ordinary day experiences. Such as when I stub my foot on the corner of my bed, I usually end up in a “FFFUUU” face. Or when I get an A on the midterm I hardly studied for, you can find me walking out of the class with a “Fuck Yea” smirk. Oh rage faces, how thankful am I to have you in my life this year. Me gusta.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Based off of the The Hub network’s show, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, ponies have become meme superstars. The show is off of essentially a group of pony friends in Ponyville solving problems and learning about friendship. 4chan popularized this meme, with tons of threads popping up after the initial airing. There’s a long history if you want to check it out. I’m thankful for these ponies because of they remind me of my days as a child. Their light storylines and innocence make me wish that I was sometimes back in 3rd grade, when all I had to worry about was whether my mom remembered to pack me a Snack Pack of pudding. Memories of the good old days of playing tetherball and being line leader come flooding back, but instead of an envious desire to return to the playground, there's a warming nostalgia in my chest. I am a proud Brony.
Joseph Ducreux
Nobody keeps it real like Mister Ducreux does. The original Joseph Ducreux was a French artist of the 1700’s. Now, he is a meme whose hard-hitting rhetoric can translate any popular rap lyrics into language that the common folk speak. I’m thankful for him because without good ole’ Joseph I would never be able to understand what they’re playing on the radios nowadays. “Look at me now / look at me now / I’m getting paper” made no sense to me until he broke it down for me as “Gaze at me promptly, gaze at me promptly, I’m acquiring stationary.” It is admirable that this meme is hoping to preserve the fine English language we speak before it falls into the abyss of horrible rap lyrics. Why would Riskay ever ask to smell her boyfriend’s dick? Because she suspected he was being unfaithful. That was why she was requesting permission to smell his penis. It all makes sense now. Thanks Joseph Ducreux.
Paula Deen Riding Things
This meme is amazing just because it’s freaking Paula Deen. And she’s freaking riding whatever the hell you want her to be. The image comes from a Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Event during the South Beach Wine & Food Diet on February 27 of 2010. It seems as if the butter enthusiast had a bit too much wine and ended up on top of Robert Irvine, a host on the Food Network. People began cropping the image of Deen on top of the most random things. From Free Willie to Charlie Sheen, Paula can ride them all. What I’m most thankful for is the ease of access to apply this image onto any of your own pictures. Is one of your pictures from bar night boring? Or is someone making out in the back of your picture? Just add in Paula Deen. She greases up a photo for appropriate laughter just like her butter does for baking Southern goods.
