This is an interesting post, however: I really don't think the person who made the "fih" meme intended to say any of that. I think they just wanted to make their friends laugh.
I think there's something to be said of how this call especially with characters like John Pork comes from a point of viscious Irony, they are both signifier and signified, kind of saying 'look at me', look at how I have no meaning. I think It's not just the meme, but its reaction when presented to older generations that gives it its power. The replacing of family portraits with John, the use of pork pay, they all insist that others answer that call and look at John Pork. That call to attention, insisting upon itself is ironic, the fact that there is infact nothing real there gives it mematic potential and is why it has a staying power. Once something becomes saturated in the culture it loses that power, but when exposed to unaware older generations their bewilderment reignites that ironic potential.
Sometimes I wonder if the fact that I am unfamiliar with some of these memes means that I am old and starting to get out of touch, but then I remember that it is actually a deliberate strategy to limit my exposure to info-hazards and brain rot and that immediately suppresses any possible FOMO.
When does one use “fih” or John Pork is calling? Like with “the big leagues are calling,” it’s either because of something impressive or used ironically with something very not impressive. Is there a commonly used case for the latter two?
The fact that I’m reading this because I got a notification
John Pork is NOT visually unappealing but everything else here is Facts and Truth
Do you mean to say that he is visually appealing?
oh my god i just lost the game
Fih 💔
Man, your job is the best tbh. What do you mean your article's title is "the big leagues are calling" 😭
"Accepting the call" always invokes this key question: Which call? If we know the call of our central intention, all else follows.
Or the best one, "porch beer is calling," which almost certainly evokes the greatest feeling of shame and regret if declined.
fish/pork;nature/culture
you can probably go on and do a whole structuralist account here
Great piece — my only disagreement: if fih called, I would certainly pick up.
This is an interesting post, however: I really don't think the person who made the "fih" meme intended to say any of that. I think they just wanted to make their friends laugh.
I'm not making any claim about authorial intent. I'm writing about WHY the meme resonates with its audience on a phenomenological level.
I think there's something to be said of how this call especially with characters like John Pork comes from a point of viscious Irony, they are both signifier and signified, kind of saying 'look at me', look at how I have no meaning. I think It's not just the meme, but its reaction when presented to older generations that gives it its power. The replacing of family portraits with John, the use of pork pay, they all insist that others answer that call and look at John Pork. That call to attention, insisting upon itself is ironic, the fact that there is infact nothing real there gives it mematic potential and is why it has a staying power. Once something becomes saturated in the culture it loses that power, but when exposed to unaware older generations their bewilderment reignites that ironic potential.
Sometimes I wonder if the fact that I am unfamiliar with some of these memes means that I am old and starting to get out of touch, but then I remember that it is actually a deliberate strategy to limit my exposure to info-hazards and brain rot and that immediately suppresses any possible FOMO.
Ugh, I lost the game :(
It ain’t this deep
When does one use “fih” or John Pork is calling? Like with “the big leagues are calling,” it’s either because of something impressive or used ironically with something very not impressive. Is there a commonly used case for the latter two?
there was no need of reminding me of the game midway your essay 😔