I found this out while in Shanghai! Look Time.com names the Know Your Meme site as one of the top 50 Websites of 2009. When the show first launched early last year I listed my fave episodes. I knew that it was going to become a popular site even back then!

.

So kenyatta produces a show called Know Your Meme. The entire show documents popular internet memes.  Memes are like genes, but instead of holding and replicating genetic information, memes are units of cultural information. The show’s style is like Jon Stewart’s Daily Show but instead of reporting on the whole world, they report on the internet.Yes the internet is a CONFUSING WORLD! How do we make sense of all the popular youtube videos and lolcats and emails about YoDawg? That’s why we need a show called Know Your Meme!

The on-screen team consists of Kenyatta, Jamie, and Ellie. And the behind screen magic consists of great internet researchers, editors, and camera people.

Now if you are wondering what what is the significance and wonder of documenting online ideas - then you must do two things right now:

1.) watch some video on Know Your Meme

2.) read Kenyatta’s interview, Life After Memes,  on Pop Tech. He discusses memetic activity as cultural practices. He also challenges Susan Blackmore’s notion that memes are bigger than people and actually control people. Kenyatta’s article essentially makes the point that memes do not control society, memes at the end of the day require people to have a life on the internet.