What's up with memes suffixed with "rule"? - eviltoast

Like I saw one that was titled “I wonder why rule” and had a picture about overpaid CEOs or something.

Why “rule”? What’s the origin of this format?

  • Uno@monyet.cc
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    1 year ago

    I recognize that format from reddit.com/r/196, migrants or bots from reddit may be bringing it over. Basically, the “rule” of that sub was that if you visited it you had to post a meme before you left, so a lot of posts on the sub couldn’t think of a creative title, so the title was just “rule”

    It then became a trend to just put “rule” at the end of whatever the title was, even if you could think of a title.

    • Carnelian@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Spot on

      Just to add some clarification as well: users are encouraged to use the word “rule” somewhere in their post (see first sentence of the stickied thread on their page)

      So it’s not a trend, but an intrinsic part of the community

      • ryven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        I was like “What stickied thread?” Apparently if your sort is set to Top (time limit), you won’t see stickied threads unless they were created within that time. (I’ve been using Top 6 Hours.)

  • holgersson@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Afaik it stems from the 196 community, which was a subreddit with only one rule - dont leave without posting something. Posts there had to be titled “Rule” (or at least include the word, Im not sure)

    • girl@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Some people come up with clever ways to work “rule” into the title, but all that’s required is to have it somewhere in the title

      I actually don’t know if that’s even required, it’s more the culture. I think the only rule is you have to post if you visit

      • Baby Shoggoth [she/her]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 year ago

        The rule was never really enforced and it would be kind of wrong to even say it’s an honor system rule.

        Basically, the rule just means that a lot of people post memes and there’s not much judginess about meme quality.

  • Monologue@lemmy.zip
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    1 year ago

    !196@lemmy.blahaj.zone baby!

    the only rule of that community is you have to post something (anything) when you visit that community that is why titles include rule, it goes back to another sub called r/195 and it was shutdown and r/196 was born from it’s ashes

  • GregorGizeh@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I think the 196 community is the originator, though I already didn’t know what they were about when on reddit, I mostly find their posts confusing. From what I understand the (only) rule is that the post title must contain the word rule.

    • Baby Shoggoth [she/her]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 year ago

      The “rule” is just “if you visit here you must post”. Putting “rule” in the title means “i’m following the rule”. The rule was never enforced, it’s really just a memes forum with less judgement re: meme quality (they have to post SOMETHING to satisfy the rule, being a dick in the comments is working against the “rule”).

      Really just a way to say “post memes, be nice” without giving all the “YOU can’t tell ME to be nice! I will be mean just to spite you!” people their beloved raging troll erections.

  • VanillaGorilla@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I completely forgot about that after I blocked it. Hasn’t been the worst decision. At least at that time about 50% of my steam were unfunny low effort memes.

  • drekly@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Because instead of finding your own communities to subscribe to, you’re just browsing local or all