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rahirahOk, you know, I know all those "Copy and paste this in your journal if you care about X!" memes mean well, and in some cases they serve an important purpose in making X more visible to the community at large. HOWEVER, it pisses me the hell off when the text of the meme implies that if you don't copy and paste the meme, then you're an uncaring lout who probably hopes that those affected by X drown in a sewer while you torture their puppy and laugh like Snidely Whiplash at their dying gurgles.
The one I've seen most often is the GLBT rights meme, and lately there's a cancer meme going around. Both of these subjects are important to me. I am gay, and I have family members with cancer, and I work for the American Cancer Society. I can paste a gay rights meme into my journal - but I'd rather contribute to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund. I can paste a cancer meme into my journal - but I'd rather go to work and help cancer patients.
I'm not knocking people who do the memes. Doing the memes and raising awareness of the problems is great. But memes that attempt to guilt people into doing them? Do not want. I often feel that I don't do nearly enough. But if I were to start doing more, it wouldn't be pasting memes.
The one I've seen most often is the GLBT rights meme, and lately there's a cancer meme going around. Both of these subjects are important to me. I am gay, and I have family members with cancer, and I work for the American Cancer Society. I can paste a gay rights meme into my journal - but I'd rather contribute to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund. I can paste a cancer meme into my journal - but I'd rather go to work and help cancer patients.
I'm not knocking people who do the memes. Doing the memes and raising awareness of the problems is great. But memes that attempt to guilt people into doing them? Do not want. I often feel that I don't do nearly enough. But if I were to start doing more, it wouldn't be pasting memes.
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Date: 2010-01-11 12:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-10 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-10 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-10 11:16 pm (UTC)My church here in BFE has become uberwanky over the ELCA's decision to embrace GLBT relationships and ordain non-celibate GLBT clergy. They have decided to stop sending money to the ELCA and are in the process of severing ties to the ELCA.
So what have I decided to do? Put a check to Lambda in the offering plate until the final vote.
It's a worthy non-profit, and yes, you should meme about Lambda.
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Date: 2010-01-10 11:19 pm (UTC)I looked at the latest cancer meme that's getting around and wondered what the point is... apart from the obvious and incredibly annoying attempted guilt trip, it doesn't do anything.... it doesn't link to a cancer awareness site, or somewhere for people to make a donation, it doesn't do ANYTHING even remotely contructive to help in the battle against cancer, it just takes up bytes in cyberspace and fills people's f'lists... yes, I'm cranky too!
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Date: 2010-01-10 11:27 pm (UTC)"For every stuffed animal you buy, this organization will contribute $1 to the Gorilla Reclamation Fund. For every stuffed animal you don't buy, the organization will kill one gorilla."
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Date: 2010-01-10 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-10 11:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 12:07 am (UTC)If no one posts the memes, how will our flists differentiate us Snidelies from the people who just don't feel like posting a meme? I suppose we could create our own meme, but we're far too busy torturing puppies.
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Date: 2010-01-11 12:14 am (UTC)I hate the ones that say "I pray to God blah blah blah." Well, I won't paste in something about praying to God! Doesn't mean I don't support the cause, though. I generally just ignore everything that makes me feel stabbity.
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Date: 2010-01-11 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 02:17 am (UTC)I think I'll edit my post to be less nagg-y.
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Date: 2010-01-11 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 04:09 am (UTC)Off topic
Date: 2010-01-11 06:27 am (UTC)Icon Love!
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Date: 2010-01-11 04:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 05:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 08:17 am (UTC)I can paste a cancer meme into my journal - but I'd rather go to work and help cancer patients. I see your point . I also think that while in RL we do what we can to fight and help cancerous patients ,a little message on Lj because it means something to us can't be bad?
I don't like memes giving the impression that I should feel guilty if I don't "copy and paste" however I didn't see many online.
ETA. I had seen mostly the cancer meme without the annoying part of "93% WON'T even take the time to Copy & Paste this... Will you?” because a lots of folks had wisely left it out .
Now I see better why it annoyed so many people.
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Date: 2010-01-11 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 11:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 01:38 pm (UTC)I can see no point in posting a 'this is because people have cancer' meme - it does nothing useful at all. A link to a research charity or MacMillan (http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx) (or your equivalent) would be useful; but 'I care and if you care you'd post this' does nothing for anyone.
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Date: 2010-01-11 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-11 09:22 pm (UTC)It's a lot on my F-List. Sad to see cancer so common.
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Date: 2010-01-12 12:18 am (UTC)