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This is a quiz.
What do you think that means?
[[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
[[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]]
[[I have no idea what's going on.]]Great, then tell me: who is typically credited with developing the concept of the meme?
[[Richard Simmons]]
[[Richard Dawkins]]
[[Alexander Dawkins]]
[[Stephen Hawking]]
[[Stephen Mitchell]]
Great! Let's see what we can learn about you.
[[Oh, okay, what do you want to know?]]
No way, take me back to: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
[[Give me something else instead.]]Not really interested in pretending, are you?
[[Nope.]]
[[Sometimes, maybe.]]
[[No, none of these fit me.]]Honesty can be an admirable quality. So, let's get real: have you been doing the readings?
[[Yes, I try to read all the assigned texts and materials.]]
[[I read some of the assigned materials, but some of these are just too long.]]
[[I'm not reading all that.]]See, it was a personality quiz all along.
[[Oh, okay, what do you want to know?]]
No way, take me back to: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]] See, it was a personality quiz all along.
[[Oh, okay, what do you want to know?]]
No way, take me back to: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]] Perfect! You're ready for:
[[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]] Perfect! You're ready for:
[[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]] Oof. You should probably read some things.
[[I'm trying my best, but it's hard sometimes.]]
[[It's just not important to me.]]Oof. No, just famous for being a meme.
Try again: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
Never mind, what was the other thing... Myers-Briggs? [[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]]
Nice! So sure, Dawkins referred to memes as cultural units, but what was particularly interesting about them?
[[They're funny.]]
[[They remind us of things.]]
[[They self-replicate.]]
[[Option D]]I mean, it's like you heard of it once.
Try again: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
Never mind, what was the other thing... Myers-Briggs? [[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]] Wrong guy.
Try again: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
Never mind, what was the other thing... Myers-Briggs? [[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]] Not even close.
Try again: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
Never mind, what was the other thing... Myers-Briggs? [[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]] Sometimes, but... not it, no.
Back to [[Richard Dawkins]]Close. That's a mnemonic.
Back to [[Richard Dawkins]]Good job! Try this one: what is it called when memes reference other memes or topics?
[[Indexicality.]]
[[Intertextuality.]]
[[Intricacy.]]
There is no Option D. No, this isn't a standardized test. Go try again.
Back to [[Richard Dawkins]]Think back to your digital identity map project, or just your digital identity in general. Is your digital identity essentially the same as your "real world" identity, or is it different?
[[Pretty much the same.]]
[[Different.]]
[[Isn't it all the real world?]]Yeah, I get it. Everyone is on a journey. I wish I could say it gets easier, but who can predict the future? I can say: find things that make the world easier for you.
Ready to try the quiz? Even if you haven't read, give it a shot:
[[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
Nah, what was the other thing...? Myers-Briggs...? [[Wait, no, more like personality quizzes, Buzzfeed quizzes, things like that.]] See, it was a personality quiz all along.
[[Oh, okay, what do you want to know?]]
No way, take me back to: [[Quizzes for class, grades, you know - school.]]
[[Give me something else instead.]]Okay, here's a question, then:
We haven't read her work, but writer Amanda Montell says YOUR generation in particular is deeply inclined toward cultish thinking. She argues that you want to follow. What do you think about that?
[[I agree.]]
[[I do not agree.]]
[[I think it's complicated.]]Great! Go to the class Discord channel (make sure you're in the 201 channel) and tell us about it. Feel free to drop in links or images. Just use your judgment about what might be appropriate.
Go ahead. Tab away. Quiz will be here when you get back.
[[Okay, great, I did it.]]Okay, while you're thinking about that, let me ask you this:
Do you think there's any connection to the kind of attitudes Montell is talking about and anything else? Here are some options:
[[More reliance on tests in schools.]]
[[More dependence on phones instead of memory.]]
[[Maybe, but I was thinking of something else...]]
[[Wait, what?]]Well, think about it. Do we rely too much on celebrity opinion? On listening to others?
[[I agree.]]
[[I do not agree.]]
[[I think it's complicated.]]Awesome! [[You win!]]Oh? Well, why don't you go tell us about it in the classroom channel of the Discord server.
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]] Oh? Well, why don't you go tell us about it in the classroom channel of the Discord server.
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]] Oh? Well, why don't you go tell us about it in the classroom channel of the Discord server. Make sure you're in the 201 channel!
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]] Well, you made it this far. Do me a favor: go put a cute animal picture or a meme in the classroom channel on the Discord server.
[[Okay, I did it.]]Oh, really? Well, you have the best perspective on the situation. Will you please go into the classroom Discord and offer some sort of example or explanation of why you think your generation may be more inclined to follow? What drives that?
Make sure you chose the correct channel!
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]]Oh? I'd like to know more. In the classroom Discord channel (make sure you choose 201!), will you please post a short explanation of why you feel your generation is NOT uniquely positioned to follow? (Example angle: perhaps you see those qualities elsewhere?)
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[I don'tMe too. I think that's usually the way. Will you go drop a quick explanation of your thoughts in the classroom channel of the Discord server? What's complicated about labeling an entire generation as more inclined to follow?
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]]Great. [[You win!]]Who among us is? Okay, here's a question. Do you ever feel like it's difficult to communicate tone online? Do you worry that what you post will be misread?
[[Yes, I worry about this kind of thing a lot.]]
[[No, that doesn't describe me.]]That's it. That's the end. You finished. That's the prize.
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/aTaRn2v.jpg" alt="Meme with blonde shapeless character yelling exams over! forget all the things!">Oh? How do you manage to translate yourself into multiple modes? Go tell us about it in the classroom channel of the Discord server.
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]] Oh? How do you manage to maintain separation? Go tell us about it in the classroom channel of the Discord server.
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Wait, I'm not really sure where to start.]] This is my favorite answer. Congrats - you unlocked speed mode!
Bonus: Since you found the secret exit, this is optional - but if you want, drop a meme about either food or pets in the classroom Discord channel. Remember to use the right channel, and use your judgment about appropriate content.
[[You win!]]Does this lead to you relying more on emojis and images and things, do you think, or less?
[[More.]]
[[Less.]]Interesting. Do you think you've just managed to achieve clarity online? Or is it more that you just don't really care how you're read?
[[Clarity!]]
[[I can't be bothered.]]Yeah, I think that fits a lot of people. It's why emoticons first entered use, after all. So why don't you go into the classroom channel of the Discord server and drop in an emoji demonstrating how you feel - or go draw a smiley face on the board.
[[Okay, I did it.]] Interesting. Well, think about the last time you did share a reaction image or something similar (at least, one that's appropriate to discuss in class!). Will you share it with us in the classroom channel on the Discord server?
[[Okay, I did it.]]
[[Give me something else instead.]] That's incredible. Will you share your wisdom with us in the classroom channel on the Discord server? How do you manage this? We need to learn from you.
[[Okay, I did it.]]Okay, well, if that's how you feel....
[[Wait, what?]]Nope.
Try again from: [[They self-replicate.]]Nice job! Okay, last question:
We didn't read this, but tell me what you think of this quote from Cultish author Amanda Montell: "We just want a celebrity or an influencer or brand to tell us who to be and what to think and what to wear and who to vote for and what to post."
[[I agree and I have an example!]]
[[Yes, maybe, but I need to think about it.]]
[[I don't really know.]]Nope. But I can see why you'd think so.
Try again from: [[They self-replicate.]]