Are Memes & Internet Culture Creating a Singularity? | Idea Channel | PBS

Here on the internet, we love us some memes. But where do they come from? Yes we know, they are user generated. But to an internet layman, they seem to just appear, in HUGE quantities, ready for cultural consumption. Are they a sign of a "cultural singularity"? Memes follow rules and code, are varied, self-referential, and seem to multiply at an ever increasing rate. It may seem like science fiction, but we're close to a world where culture automatically and magically creates infinitely more culture.

Let us know what sorts of crazy ideas you have, about this episode and otherwise:
Tweet at us! @pbsideachannel (yes, the longest twitter username ever)
Email us! pbsideachannel [at] gmail [dot] com

Hosted by Mike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta)
Made by Kornhaber Brown (http://www.kornhaberbrown.com)


Music Links:
Chris Mortimer: http://archive.org/details/Chills__Mo...
StatueOfDiveo: http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/3528...
Mister Electric Demon: http://misterelectricdemon.bandcamp.com/
Wizwars : http://www22.us.archive.org/details/G...
Roglock: http://archive.org/details/Out_Of_Dis...


Nic Cage Links:
Pouring the Bees: http://youtu.be/hmHFjyYO0cE


Want some more Idea Channel?

Here's last week's episode: "Is Nic Cage the Intersection of YOLO and Taoism?" http://youtu.be/fOPNJl0PDP8

Want another one? Here ya go: "Are the Olympics A Model for Creating Geniuses?" http://youtu.be/PE-vSJh0N_A

You want more? Check this one out: "Is Dubstep Avant Garde Musical Genius?" http://youtu.be/3l_hy33-1Yw

• Category

  Education

[CenuPwny]

i don'think this can last forever. if there is no inherent emotional or scientific value of any kind in the elements of culture, they have no meaning. and self referential humor will always be destined either to fall into it's own ambiguity, or just be stupid.

internet meme culture is amazing, but it will eventually become as empty and confused as the schizophrenic hive mind it always has been.

[violetakat1]

The internet is a hang-out.

[icisne7315]

Meme this!

[FreeAsInFreeBeer]

Kind of late, but the technological singularity is a specific point in time. If we assume Moores law holds and that computers will be able to build new computers we get a function growing to infinity, a mathematical singularity, and what happens then? It is very obvious that there's no such thing as a cultural singularity (yet), because it depends on humans, which are a limited resource.

[David S]

Aaaaaaand subscribe :)

[Shaun Dreclin]

Watched three of your videos in a row. By the laws of YouTube, I must now subscribe! :D

[Addison Mohnes]

"Memes" "improve" that's subjective

[Joe Manning]

Possibly, or it could continue to mutate and change. Possibly to the point to where it's barely recognizable 10 years from now than it was today.

[Juan Otero]

fashion... right now the fashion is world wide, so when the substitute for memes arrives we will see the new culture generator take over of our culture and we will be like the famous worlds fairs that where so popular 50 years ago...

[Gene Harper]

it's Vin Geeeeeeeee, not "vinge"

[RJL738]

Talk about a recursive and ironic video. There are Tetrations of magnitude ways this is self evident. I wouldn't call it a singularity but that are nested in their sociology.