# Picture/ joke/ comment/ etc. I found on the internet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818 "2015-11-17T20:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/1 "2015-11-17T20:29:28Z")
Is there a word(s) that I can use to replace “I saw this posting of Facebook…” or “There was this funny video of a thing on …”? I want to explain that I, myself, did not create the witty thing I’m about to describe. I saw it somewhere on the internet and I’m fairly certain you don’t really care where on the web I saw it. I’d like to say “I saw this funny \ describing the difference between a comma, an Oxford comma, and…”. If there is no such word or words, I declare: GIVE ME A SNIGLET! Let the games begin. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/2 "2015-11-17T20:48:56Z")
Assuming that you need a non-specific word… how about “something.” “I saw something on the internet that said…” Otherwise you could just use joke, or video, or whatever it actually was. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/3 "2015-11-17T21:22:14Z")
There’s always “TIL …” (Today I Learned …) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/4 "2015-11-17T21:25:24Z")
> [@TheBori](#): > > Is there a word(s) that I can use to replace “I saw this posting of Facebook…” or “There was this funny video of a thing on …”? I want to explain that I, myself, did not create the witty thing I’m about to describe. I saw it somewhere on the internet and I’m fairly certain you don’t really care where on the web I saw it. I’d like to say “I saw this funny \ describing the difference between a comma, an Oxford comma, and…”. > If there is no such word or words, I declare: GIVE ME A SNIGLET! Let the games begin. “Meme” is close to what you’re saying, and I kind of like it. “Meme” predates computers and refers to a self-replicating idea that, much as a virus invades a cell and hijacks the cell’s reproductive functions to reproduce itself, hijacks a brain and uses the brain’s communicative functions to reproduce itself. When applied to Facebook pictures with cutesy words, it gives them an ominous cast: you should see those pictures as replicating invasive concepts that are hijacking your body and convincing it to click the “share” button so that they can spread across their ecosystem. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/5 "2015-11-17T21:59:57Z")
Memes are no more ominous or hijacking than their biological analogue, genes. Some particular ones might be pernicious, but the class is neutral. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/6 "2015-11-19T21:33:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > “Meme” is close to what you’re saying, and I kind of like it. “Meme” predates computers and refers to a self-replicating idea that, much as a virus invades a cell and hijacks the cell’s reproductive functions to reproduce itself, hijacks a brain and uses the brain’s communicative functions to reproduce itself. When applied to Facebook pictures with cutesy words, it gives them an ominous cast: you should see those pictures as replicating invasive concepts that are hijacking your body and convincing it to click the “share” button so that they can spread across their ecosystem. Meme may not apply as the “something” I saw may not be so popular as to have gone viral. I suppose if I find it particularly funny or cute or whatever, I could declare it a pre-meme. A Preme? There’s a sniglet for ya’. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picture-joke-comment-etc-i-found-on-the-internet/737818/7 "2015-11-19T22:20:04Z")
If it doesn’t get reproduced and spread, that just means it’s not a very successful meme.