As much as the Internet can be unforgiving at times, it can also be the most rewarding place in the world. It’s a magical and wondrous place were memes and other absurd things are born. It’s a place where you can find celebrity cats and Doge, photoshop masterpieces and trolls. Life can be bleak and horrible things may be happening in the world but we need a little humour in our lives sometimes, yeah? Here’s looking at 2015 in memes.
Hotline Bling
No other meme has been more popular than Drake doing his little dance for the Hotline Bling video this year. It’s where other pop culture references come together — there’s Drake bouncing a Pokéball, swinging lightsabers, playing tennis, putting pepperoni on pizza — the list goes on and on and on.
#squad everything, #goals everything
Originally a term associated with hip-hop, but thanks to Taylor Swift and her friend-picking ways, it has been adopted by many impressionable youths far and wide. It can now be associated with both special friendships and organised criminal groups. Work event is a black tie? Take a group picture and #squadgoals. Gone clubbing with your bros? Chest out, chin up and #squadgoals. All your BFFs have outfits on fleek today? Find an industrial looking laneway and #squadgoals (don’t forget #ootd and #wiwt). There’s an element of showing off when #squadgoals is utilised.
Baey Yam Keng
Was his Paris picture photoshopped or not? Doesn’t matter, the great people of the Internet are just going to go crazy on a picture like that. Photoshop battles, begin!
Lui Tuck Yew
When you’re a politician in Singapore, be prepared to become Internet famous (sometimes bad, sometimes good). Former transport minister went through quite a lot this year, when the worst MRT disruption happened, and his following resignation. During the general elections when he volunteered with the PAP campaign, a blog was set up in his name. What a year for Lui Tuck Yew, who probably wants his haters to “tuck off” by now.
Boo to PAP
The election period in Singapore is when you see the usually passive Singaporean get a little heated up. Especially politicians. I mean we’re talking about the future of a country here — why wouldn’t we be passionate, right?
Why you always lying?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9wQUunuNPw
This is an example of a super useful meme which can be used time and time again. Why? Because people are always lying and the Internet thought full of truths, is also full of lies. The lying meme became a global phenomenon after everyone added the clip of Nicholas Fraser singing after any example where an untruth was uttered.
Netflix and chill
Alas, an innocent phrase seemingly to mean “Would you like to watch television with me?” is actually a surreptitious invite for sex, after some Netflix of course. So if after 2 episodes of Narcos and your partner gives you a look, consider that you’ve lived out a meme IRL. Ten points to you.
John Cena
We have no idea why and how John Cena became a meme but it seems that a short (and loud) clip of the WWE wrestler is often edited onto the end of the video to produce some sort of happy jumpscare.
Jurassic World raptors
An all right film, but it produced a pretty iconic scene: where actor Chris Pratt is controlling his raptors. It spawned reproductions all over the world, especially among the zookeeper community — and even Singaporean zookeepers from Jurong Bird Park contributed to this Internet meme for some fun.
Hello by Adele
A newcomer, Adele’s latest song was a hit on radio, in our hearts, and also as an Internet meme. From a Lionel Richie mash-up to a Star Wars “Hello from the Dark Side” — looks like we’re got our first meme to take us to 2016.
Enjoy these memes before 2015 ends because the Internet giveth, and the Internet taketh away.
