.jpg)
The internet is arguably the most potent research tool available, yet the average netizen seemingly can’t be bothered with opening a browser to verify something before spewing out total garbage upon an unsuspecting public.
Even if you don’t want to avail yourself of the limitless options for fact checking on the Web, the computer you’re using to access the ‘Net has tools like spell checkers, built-in dictionaries, and word processing software that allows you to turn out an acceptable product.
Sadly, many folks are under the impression that a computer magically transforms the clickety-clacking of their fingers into comprehensive output that is acceptable, consumable, and comprehensible to the general populous.
One of the most prominent examples of this phenomenon is in the promulgation of various internet memes. Even if you’re not familiar with the concept, you’ve probably seen some. If you’ve ever been rickrolled or LOLed at a LOLcat, you’ve seen a meme. A popular meme is Advice Dog, which has had many offshoots, one of the most prominent being Socially Awkward Penguin (SAP).
I don’t know how the /b/tards and whatnot who originate these things create them in the first place, but since most of them are computer geeks to begin with, I’m sure it’s no problem for them. I’m far from being a computer whiz, but I was able to create some reasonable facsimiles of a standard Socially Awkward Penguin by experimenting around with a blank SAP template in Microsoft Paint and Word.
However, if a meme gets popular enough, you don’t have to have any mad computer skills beyond being able to use a Web browser in order to join in the fun, because you can find meme generating websites that pretty much do all the work for you. All you have to do is select a template, type in your incredibly witty saying and hit the “create” button. And that’s where all the problems really begin. It would appear that some people get so excited about actually contributing to a popular Web phenom that they just flail away at their keyboards and don’t bother even glancing at their bon mots for typos and misspellings before they commit them to posterity.
As I was perusing Advice Dog and his off-shoots at the above-mentioned sites and in Google searches, I noticed that SAP seemed to be more prone to terrible spelling and punctuation than other variants. I pondered why this might be, and came to the conclusion that awkward people are probably drawn to SAP, and the more awkward one is, the more awkward are going to be one’s creations. It does seem to reflect some basic human foibles (if you ignore the more disturbing references like fapping to pictures of your sister and such). I started feeling like a SAP (no pun intended) after reading enough of them.
I also got the feeling that a typical SAP creator is perhaps less comfortable with computers than the average meme spreader, as you shall see.
Even if you don’t want to avail yourself of the limitless options for fact checking on the Web, the computer you’re using to access the ‘Net has tools like spell checkers, built-in dictionaries, and word processing software that allows you to turn out an acceptable product.
Sadly, many folks are under the impression that a computer magically transforms the clickety-clacking of their fingers into comprehensive output that is acceptable, consumable, and comprehensible to the general populous.
One of the most prominent examples of this phenomenon is in the promulgation of various internet memes. Even if you’re not familiar with the concept, you’ve probably seen some. If you’ve ever been rickrolled or LOLed at a LOLcat, you’ve seen a meme. A popular meme is Advice Dog, which has had many offshoots, one of the most prominent being Socially Awkward Penguin (SAP).
I don’t know how the /b/tards and whatnot who originate these things create them in the first place, but since most of them are computer geeks to begin with, I’m sure it’s no problem for them. I’m far from being a computer whiz, but I was able to create some reasonable facsimiles of a standard Socially Awkward Penguin by experimenting around with a blank SAP template in Microsoft Paint and Word.
However, if a meme gets popular enough, you don’t have to have any mad computer skills beyond being able to use a Web browser in order to join in the fun, because you can find meme generating websites that pretty much do all the work for you. All you have to do is select a template, type in your incredibly witty saying and hit the “create” button. And that’s where all the problems really begin. It would appear that some people get so excited about actually contributing to a popular Web phenom that they just flail away at their keyboards and don’t bother even glancing at their bon mots for typos and misspellings before they commit them to posterity.
As I was perusing Advice Dog and his off-shoots at the above-mentioned sites and in Google searches, I noticed that SAP seemed to be more prone to terrible spelling and punctuation than other variants. I pondered why this might be, and came to the conclusion that awkward people are probably drawn to SAP, and the more awkward one is, the more awkward are going to be one’s creations. It does seem to reflect some basic human foibles (if you ignore the more disturbing references like fapping to pictures of your sister and such). I started feeling like a SAP (no pun intended) after reading enough of them.
I also got the feeling that a typical SAP creator is perhaps less comfortable with computers than the average meme spreader, as you shall see.
It looks like this person used MS Paint to make their SAP, but he couldn’t figure out how to make text boxes, so used the pencil or airbrush tool instead. Also, he can’t spell or write in complete sentences. He obviously didn’t use a meme generator, which may not have existed when he made this. I don’t know what method he used to find a blank SAP, so props to him for that.
Now, this person appears to have used MS Paint as well, and even created the entire image from scratch. I wonder if he had trouble finding a blank SAP, but I suppose he should get some points for creativity even if he almost obliterates his drawing with his terrible scrawled text.
This one looks fine at first glance. There are no spelling mistakes, and the font looks nice. However, discretely means “as a separate independent unit”; the creator meant “discreetly”. Close, but no cigar.
Actually, I have no idea what this is even supposed to mean, but I am sure that the author meant “disgustedly”.
This one’s certainly verbose. “…make difficult the shot accurate”? I’m going to give this writer the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is not a native English speaker.
Okay, what the fuck? ESL and DD, or just insane?
Now, this last one is a bit of a cheat on my part. I saw one like this somewhere during my research, but I apparently neglected to make a copy of it at the time. As with so many Web-based things, trying to find it again proved impossible, so I had to recreate it over at Memegenerator.net. I assure you that this is essentially what the original said. Apparently the writer doesn’t know what “socially” means, and just reiterated something awkward. Unless he was brushing his teeth in front of a bunch of hyper-critical assholes, I don’t see what could be embarrassing about this.
Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip down awkward lane (pun intended). See you next time we take a ride on The Short Bus.
1 comment:
you know, most people on b are not computer geeks. They use ms-paint or gimp or occasionally photoshop to make almost everything they do. then the computer geeks ones make little programs to make it easier for the non-computer geeks.
Also lol complaining about spelling.
Post a Comment