I can haz hooman condishun?
November 15, 2008 10:28 AM Subscribe
I Can Has Cheezburger... and pathos? : Salon writer Jay Dixit discusses the link between LOLCats and the human condition.
I like LOL cats, but the seventies had better posters.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:45 AM on November 15, 2008
posted by KokuRyu at 10:45 AM on November 15, 2008
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:
We murder to dissect.
-Wordsworth
posted by ageispolis at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:
We murder to dissect.
-Wordsworth
posted by ageispolis at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
here you go
no, really, you can get a cheeseburger in a can
posted by pyramid termite at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008
no, really, you can get a cheeseburger in a can
posted by pyramid termite at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008
I can has plate of beans?
posted by billysumday at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008 [7 favorites]
posted by billysumday at 10:49 AM on November 15, 2008 [7 favorites]
Man, that article pissed off. 2 pages of stating the obvious and then beating it to death. Hell, Matt should sell syndication rights to MetaTalk, he'd make a killing.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:10 AM on November 15, 2008
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:10 AM on November 15, 2008
This just in: People project human emotions onto cats.
posted by burnmp3s at 11:11 AM on November 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by burnmp3s at 11:11 AM on November 15, 2008 [2 favorites]
pyramid termite, that's one of the most vile things I've ever seen.
posted by Caduceus at 11:12 AM on November 15, 2008
posted by Caduceus at 11:12 AM on November 15, 2008
What can we expect next then?
The Brudders Katamazov? LOLita? Teh Kittehbury Tales?
posted by The Whelk at 11:23 AM on November 15, 2008 [5 favorites]
The Brudders Katamazov? LOLita? Teh Kittehbury Tales?
posted by The Whelk at 11:23 AM on November 15, 2008 [5 favorites]
I browse the ICHC family of websites every Sunday morning, I find it hysterical and refreshing. Then I watch "Meet The Press" and I'm ready for the day. Seriously, how can you have a bad day when you pair up crazy animals, fail, and fact checking statements by politicians?
It's just nonsense funny.
posted by Science! at 11:25 AM on November 15, 2008
It's just nonsense funny.
posted by Science! at 11:25 AM on November 15, 2008
Just as the dogs in the New Yorker cartoons don't represent actual dogs, these cats don't represent cats at all, but people. By using cats, icanhascheezburger can access themes more tragic and poignant than it could using people. You wouldn't enjoy a comic of an actual person fingering a blade and contemplating suicide -- but when it's a cat, you can accept it. You can even laugh.
oh for chrissake. This guy gets paid to write? This reads like some undergraduate sociology paper.
posted by desjardins at 11:29 AM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
oh for chrissake. This guy gets paid to write? This reads like some undergraduate sociology paper.
posted by desjardins at 11:29 AM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
I CAN HAZ OVERTHUNK
This thread is useless without pics
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:35 AM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
This thread is useless without pics
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:35 AM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Truly embarrassing. Another douchechill home run from the typical Salon hack.
posted by Zambrano at 11:43 AM on November 15, 2008
posted by Zambrano at 11:43 AM on November 15, 2008
This reads like a paper I would have turned into one my undergrad pop culture classes.
And on top of that, he misses a whole layer of meaning in the Evry dayz, 3 o clockz lolcat. Calico cats are female, not male. That's a sad lesbian kitty.
posted by sugarfish at 11:50 AM on November 15, 2008 [6 favorites]
And on top of that, he misses a whole layer of meaning in the Evry dayz, 3 o clockz lolcat. Calico cats are female, not male. That's a sad lesbian kitty.
posted by sugarfish at 11:50 AM on November 15, 2008 [6 favorites]
When literary pretension and internet memes collide.
posted by athenian at 12:07 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by athenian at 12:07 PM on November 15, 2008
Mwust we wanalyze ewi thing?
posted by doctorschlock at 12:09 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by doctorschlock at 12:09 PM on November 15, 2008
I thought the article was funny.
I thought the article was meant to be funny. Maybe I was wrong, or maybe this plate of beans is actually a tongue in cheek critique of everyone else's platy of beans, and you were too busy over thinking the state of modern journalism to get the joke.
posted by emperor.seamus at 12:21 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I thought the article was meant to be funny. Maybe I was wrong, or maybe this plate of beans is actually a tongue in cheek critique of everyone else's platy of beans, and you were too busy over thinking the state of modern journalism to get the joke.
posted by emperor.seamus at 12:21 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Well, if nothing else I'm glad to know that Lol-hans exist. Although how can you talk about the sadness of Lolcats without ever mentioning the fail genre? "FAIL" and "WANT" are the two lolcat genres I'm most likely to find poignant / apply to my own life.
But seriously, you should never ask anyone from the New Yorker for cartoon advice. Their cartoons are all terrible. Its the same three cartoons over and over, and they weren't ever funny to begin with. It's like a more pretentious Ziggy. And to top it off, the guy just talks about New Yorker cartoons even though he was asked about lolcats!
posted by Kiablokirk at 12:35 PM on November 15, 2008
But seriously, you should never ask anyone from the New Yorker for cartoon advice. Their cartoons are all terrible. Its the same three cartoons over and over, and they weren't ever funny to begin with. It's like a more pretentious Ziggy. And to top it off, the guy just talks about New Yorker cartoons even though he was asked about lolcats!
posted by Kiablokirk at 12:35 PM on November 15, 2008
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a Lolcat flushing a toilet -- forever.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 12:42 PM on November 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 12:42 PM on November 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
LOLDIXIT
Wait, he's hot? This changes everything!
posted by kittyprecious at 12:55 PM on November 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
Wait, he's hot? This changes everything!
posted by kittyprecious at 12:55 PM on November 15, 2008 [3 favorites]
Really? Douchechill?
I'm not sure you're using that one correctly.
posted by Caduceus at 1:03 PM on November 15, 2008
I'm not sure you're using that one correctly.
posted by Caduceus at 1:03 PM on November 15, 2008
When will the LOLCAT meme kick the bukkit?
posted by billysumday at 1:29 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by billysumday at 1:29 PM on November 15, 2008
pyramid termite, thank you for curing my cheeseburger addiction. I never want to eat one again after seeing that.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 2:06 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by DiscourseMarker at 2:06 PM on November 15, 2008
salon writer sits quietly at his computer. A co-worker opens door, and sees what's on the screen
co-worker: aww, you're looking at pictures of kitty-cats!
Jay: no no, they're lolcats, it's an internet phenomenon
co-worker: suuure, hey I have a great poster you'll love, it's got a little kitten, hanging from a branch, and it says "hang in there baby"
Jay: these aren't like that, they....they...make light of the tragedy of the human condition
co-worker: oh I can see that, I suppose you're writing a very poingiant article about it
Jay: as a matter of fact, I am
co-worker giggles, closes door
Jay: shit.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:13 PM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
co-worker: aww, you're looking at pictures of kitty-cats!
Jay: no no, they're lolcats, it's an internet phenomenon
co-worker: suuure, hey I have a great poster you'll love, it's got a little kitten, hanging from a branch, and it says "hang in there baby"
Jay: these aren't like that, they....they...make light of the tragedy of the human condition
co-worker: oh I can see that, I suppose you're writing a very poingiant article about it
Jay: as a matter of fact, I am
co-worker giggles, closes door
Jay: shit.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:13 PM on November 15, 2008 [4 favorites]
Someone needs to school this guy on image macros in general. It's not all lolcats and walruses, my friend.
posted by mayfly wake at 2:43 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by mayfly wake at 2:43 PM on November 15, 2008
I thought the article was meant to be funny.
Nope. It was serious. Salon is circling the drain.
posted by vibrotronica at 3:07 PM on November 15, 2008
Nope. It was serious. Salon is circling the drain.
posted by vibrotronica at 3:07 PM on November 15, 2008
Salon is always writing long stories about pop culture phenomena explaining how clever I am for being clever enough to appreciate [whatever it is]. I fell for it the first 500 times, but I'm not falling for this.
posted by acrasis at 3:14 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by acrasis at 3:14 PM on November 15, 2008
Dammit. This is too close to the truth and now my lolcat browsing will never be the same. Never again will I be able to lol, carefree...
posted by yoz420 at 5:28 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by yoz420 at 5:28 PM on November 15, 2008
Sign seen at a Prop 8 rally today: "I can haz rights?"
Firmly on the other side of the shark now.
posted by gurple at 5:28 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
Firmly on the other side of the shark now.
posted by gurple at 5:28 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
gman: I'm apparently trying for a hat trick of Chuck Heston references this weekend. Look out for me tomorrow.
posted by nosila at 5:59 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by nosila at 5:59 PM on November 15, 2008
no, really, you can get a cheeseburger in a can
posted by pyramid termite
Thank you. This makes my Christmas shopping much easier.
posted by merelyglib at 6:25 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by pyramid termite
Thank you. This makes my Christmas shopping much easier.
posted by merelyglib at 6:25 PM on November 15, 2008 [1 favorite]
I thought that lolcats were symbolic of capitalism's irresolvable internal contradictions and inevitable resultant collapse. A cheezburger is haunting the West, etc... looks like it's back to school for me.
posted by No-sword at 7:02 PM on November 15, 2008
posted by No-sword at 7:02 PM on November 15, 2008
Kiablokirk: But seriously, you should never ask anyone from the New Yorker for cartoon advice. Their cartoons are all terrible. Its the same three cartoons over and over, and they weren't ever funny to begin with.
I respectfully disagree.
Disrespectfully, I hit you with a clown hammer.
posted by JHarris at 7:52 PM on November 15, 2008
I respectfully disagree.
Disrespectfully, I hit you with a clown hammer.
posted by JHarris at 7:52 PM on November 15, 2008
Yes, you "can has" serious loliterature: LOLcat Wasteland.
posted by cupcakeninja at 3:53 AM on November 16, 2008
posted by cupcakeninja at 3:53 AM on November 16, 2008
HI I'M ON SALON AND I COULD OVERTHINK A HUMOROUSLY CAPTIONED PICTURE OF A CAT
posted by PenDevil at 4:12 AM on November 16, 2008
posted by PenDevil at 4:12 AM on November 16, 2008
CRITICISM ARTICLE: YR DOIN IT WRONG.
posted by HeroZero at 4:53 AM on November 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by HeroZero at 4:53 AM on November 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
"By articulating profound feelings through cats and marine mammals speaking garbled English, we're able to shroud genuine emotions in pseudo-irony -- which means those animals can evoke deeper emotions without fear of mockery or cheapness."
LOLsomethingabouthipsters.
posted by lunit at 6:46 AM on November 17, 2008
LOLsomethingabouthipsters.
posted by lunit at 6:46 AM on November 17, 2008
« Older Radio in Name Only | Letter From Iceland Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by happyroach at 10:37 AM on November 15, 2008 [7 favorites]