A parody of a meme (memeception), commonly known as the 'heeeyyyyyaaaa' meme
I want that clout. Please notice my gigantic image spanning the entire page. Please. I’m even using a nice font.
The .jpg
​
It's a file type for images. There’s .png, .jpeg, images that move are .gif (pronounce it and start a war), videos are .mp4, .mov, .m4v. There’s a lot. Visible media spans across the internet, giving it meaning and making it almost tangible. Enormous parts of every culture are on the web for all to see – the screens have the attention of the world. The incredible power of a dominating internet presence has been demonstrated and noticed. Every single user is either under the influence, influencing others, or both. Thus billions of people aspire to create their own empire – their territories are their followers, their armies are their media.
​
How dominant is your empire? Who do you kneel to?
The spread of an internet empire is dependent on one’s image. The .jpg in a literal sense, but the reputation developed by words, association, and actions are what build an internet image that is tempting to follow. This virtual ‘character’ is often referred to as an aesthetic. It’s like an art style – everyone is trying to be unique while also imitating what appears to be successful.
A clout-aspiring internet user and his aesthetic on social media
Clout is the successful aesthetic.
Clout goggles, which are reminiscent of the discs of glass described in Waiting for the Barbarians
Clout is the key to an internet empire.
​
Clout sounds like a ridiculous word, and Clout Goggles further the absurdity. Clout goggles originated from popular music artists, most notably Denzel Curry. His words describing the glasses became viral online.
Denzel curry
Their influence is a symbol of empire – they could wear nonsensical articles and the masses will imitate them. Such as clout goggles. After Denzel Curry, many other internet users made videos associated with clout goggles. The term clout became another word added to the lingo of my generation.
The amount of times 'clout goggles' were searched. Notice how there were almost no searches until Curry posted his video in June
meme.jpg
And the pursuit of clout
You like jazz?
Something that spreads rapidly across the internet, like the swift colonization of new land, is often referred to as a meme.
Memes are a one of the most distinguishable qualities of internet culture. Anyone can create them and distribute them to the masses. Satirizing political views, relating to different audiences, spreading a message, or simply being humorous, these things make memes a powerful mode of expression.
But memes aren’t just a part of culture, they are culture. Richard Dawkins, in his book Selfish Gene, invented the word ‘meme’.
Memes propagate themselves in the meme pool by leaping from brain to brain via a process which, in the broad sense, can be called imitation
Richard Dawkins
While our generation has distorted the meaning of ‘meme’, Dawkins defined memes as the genes of culture – they get passed down from generation to generation, person to person, and evolve along the way.
An example of this imitation is Bee movie, a meme that has been historically more recognizable than Clout Goggles. On social media, the entire script, written out, became a sort of prank which internet users sent each other. Distorted images of Bee Movie characters and seemingly random moments (‘Do you like Jazz?’) flooded the internet. Hundreds of users rushed to create Bee Movie parodies in hoped that their content would blow up in popularity.
The 'Do you like jazz' from Bee Movie. This is just one of the many parody videos that spawned across the internet during 2016, just as bees spawned from pubic hair in Waiting for the Barbarians
The Bee Movie meme is an example of how an Internet Empire can spread without initial intention or control. Released in 2007, ad campaigns enticing people to watch the movie had long run their course. Thus, Internet Empires are more powerful than physical Empires, as it not only spreads rapidly, they can spread from anywhere – anyone has the potential of creating an Internet Empire. Anyone can pursue clout.
The amount of times 'bee movie' was searched. Note that the movie was released in 2007 – it randomly became viral almost a decade later
physical vs. virtual
Here we can see how as one empire falls, another rises. Memes erode and become obsolete over time, just as an Empire’s control slowly dwindles as it falls apart.
Then the cycle begins again.
​
There is, however, a gaping hole in the Internet Empire argument.
Every great Empire known to man leaves behind ruins. They are astonishing, a physical legacy of the overwhelming power the once existed.
A problem with Internet Empires is that their ruins are much more difficult to find, if they exist at all. No internet user can physically see how MySpace once dominated the social media market. The Empire of MySpace is only visible through infographics explaining their monopoly, or through old accounts of people who had long converted to Facebook. Additionally, the Internet has only existed for a flicker while ancient empires have continually blazed and died – it is too early to evaluate the legitimacy of Internet Empires based on their legacy.
Perhaps there are great empires that once existed, and we know nothing of it because time has eroded their existence. But the Magistrate from Waiting for the Barbarians cannot hire a people to dig up old internet memes.
All in all, the glory of physical empire ruins cannot transcend into the virtual empire. Ruins of virtual empires can simply be deleted and forgotten.
the be-all and end-all
The .jpg is prevalent in all of our lives. I could elaborate on that for ages. In fact, I will. That’s why this blog exists – to show how empire can take up abstract forms and influence our daily lives.
The sensation of Internet Empires is, without a doubt, a major aspect of our time. The pursuit of clout and looking at internet memes are relevant, but that is only true for this moment. Only time can tell the impact of such empires on humanity. It took centuries for our race to realise the existence and impact of the Ancient Romans and Greeks during the Renaissance.
For now, we are watching. Watching through our Clout Goggles.
Memes are proof of the achievement of clout, a symbol of empire. In the same way the glasses in Waiting for the Barbarians are a symbol of empire, the Barry Benson memes of the Bee Movie are a symbol of Empire, the clout glasses are a symbol of clout itself, which is then a symbol of empire.
It sounds confusing, I know, but what I’m trying to argue is that symbols of Empire are ubiquitous – Empires don’t have to be physical, they can be virtual. That is what this site is built on. Everything you see (the .jpg) can be traced to some form of empire, whether it be a literal empire or more abstract.
This very blog is a representation of the pursuit of clout. I read through tips on making blogs, which described obtaining that specific aesthetic to convey a certain vibe to the audience. It makes the blog more pleasing, enticing the reader to read my writing and follow my thinking. You, my reader, are another citizen of the Great Nate Empire. Fabulous.
The final proof of my assertion: Just as physical empires rise and die, Internet Empires behave similarly.
​
Here is the Google Trend for the searches of the words ‘Clout’ and ‘Bee Movie’.