The Original Meaning of the Word "Meme," Plus: How to Deal With Trolls on the Internet

Today there is a wide variety of stupid, silly, sarcastic images floating around the internet that people have dubbed "memes."  This, however, is not the original meaning of the word "meme."  It used to just mean:

1. A contagious thought or idea.
OR
2. To cause someone to have the same thought or idea as you, especially one that they think they got themselves with no influence.

Also, it is pronounced "Meem," not "Mee-Mee," as I have proclaimed in an earlier post.  Not that I or anyone else probably truly cares.  It just happens to be so.  I learned this from a rather boring poetry book called "Meme" something or other (I don't remember the full title of the book.  I just remember that it had the word "meme" in the title and that I didn't like the book).  I do like poetry overall.  I just didn't like this particular poetry book, but that doesn't mean that others cant enjoy it. ;)

That is all the information on memes that I wanted to discuss in this blog post.  As promised in the title of this blog post, here is the other half of what I wanted to discuss...

You've all dealt with them before, I'm sure.  I know I sure have!  I have dealt with my fair share of internet trolls, and then some.  But just because someone calls you a troll, that doesn't mean you actually are a troll.  I've learned that a lot of the times someone will call you a troll just because they cant think of anything else to say and to get attention.  Likewise, people will be trolls to get attention.  Sometimes their words can be hurtful (but only if you allow them to hurt you).  The best thing to do is just ignore them, grow stronger and live on despite them, and move on.  Sometimes this is easier said than done (like a lot of things), but that's ok.  A troll is an attention seeker that comments really mean, obnoxious things just for a reaction.  They do it just for the attention.  If they give you garbage that you don't want and didn't ask for, then why should you give them a gourmet meal that they don't deserve?  Your precious time, thoughts, and energy are worth so much more than that.  And no matter what you say, I assure you that the trolls wont stop their lousy attention-seeking and garbage spieling.

If a troll tells you to jump off a bridge and kill yourself, do just the opposite of that!  Kill the troll by not feeding it (by this, I don't mean literally go hunt down and murder the person or people that are trolling you.  I just mean to ignore them and the nasty things they say).  Because chances are, that troll is hiding underneath the bridge that it told you to jump from.  And do you think that a troll will be friendly enough and kind enough to catch you and help you stop falling?  Of course not (especially if it was the very troll that encouraged you to jump)!  The troll will likely laugh at you as you are falling and continue to throw sticks, stones, and nasty words at you after you have fallen.  So, it is best to just ignore and avoid those types of people!

The troll isn't always the person to strike first.  Nor is he/she always the one accused of being a troll.

Anyhow, don't take my word for any of this stuff.  Please, just think for yourself and live for yourself!

-Bridgette Mae <3 

rayasmommy94@gmail.com