5 ms·

I hope you're saying this in jest, but even then the meme that "2016 has been the worst!" has been pretty insufferable. It's usually used in the context of cele

I hope you're saying this in jest, but even then the meme that "2016 has been the worst!" has been pretty insufferable. It's usually used in the context of celebrity deaths, but think about the explosion of mass media that occurred between the 70's and today. With more TV channels, radio stations, and the internet, the number of public figures we're exposed to on a regular basis is far greater than any generation before us. And like all of us those people die, and will keep dying, and the half-hearted and self-centered social media mourning will become even more commonplace. I, for one, can accept celebrity deaths, but I'm not sure if I can accept the annoying cultural impact they seem to be having.

CorvusCrypto 10y ago
It's not just about the deaths, but also about the social and political events that have occurred. It can be argued that this has happened before at this frequency also and mass media is the culprit, but if the cultural impact is more awareness we should applaud it, not shy away. Annoying as they are, social media and memes offer a way to connect many to an idea and make things a bit more light-hearted as well.
- iamatworknow 10y ago
  My frustration is more with the reaction to celebrity deaths where people use the death as a means to focus attention on themselves, and how a lot of people seem to think that a magic cosmic switch will turn off on December 31 and they'll stop happening.
- kobeya 10y ago
  It's still been a very minor year, even for recent memory.
alkonaut 10y ago
Brexit, Trump, Syria, ... Even before we approach Bowie it's been pretty dreadful.
- iamatworknow 10y ago
  No argument here. But what makes 2017 so special that these same sorts of events (or even more drastic ones) won't continue? Placing any amount of hope solely on an arbitrary date by wishing for a sooner end to 2016 just seems asinine.
  - alkonaut 10y ago
    I'm not sure why people believe 2016 ending will somehow end the misery but I can understand why they hope it will. I think it's a bit tongue-in-cheek.
    - marcosdumay 10y ago
      Nobody believes it, it's a joke.
  - gdulli 10y ago
    Nobody thinks the year boundary has real meaning with regards to this or that anything will change. We spread the meme as a way of experiencing the observations of 2016 together and finding comfort in making it a shared phenomenon rather than one to experience alone. Rest assured, we know that attaching meaning to 2016 is symbolic and that "2016" is not a property of the universe that brings any intrinsic context to our civilization.
- Tempest1981 10y ago
  Reminds me of this Billy Joel song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g Although it covers 40 years: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn't_Start_the_Fire https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn't_Start_the_Fire
lucb1e 10y ago
> the meme that "2016 has been the worst!" has been pretty insufferable. This is the first time I've heard it mentioned. For finding it insufferable, you just spread the word.
- iamatworknow 10y ago
  I, unfortunately, still have a bit of a compulsion for social media, where this has been a growing trend since about June, but it has seeped into my workplace as well.

CorvusCrypto 10y ago

It's not just about the deaths, but also about the social and political events that have occurred. It can be argued that this has happened before at this frequency also and mass media is the culprit, but if the cultural impact is more awareness we should applaud it, not shy away. Annoying as they are, social media and memes offer a way to connect many to an idea and make things a bit more light-hearted as well.

iamatworknow 10y ago
My frustration is more with the reaction to celebrity deaths where people use the death as a means to focus attention on themselves, and how a lot of people seem to think that a magic cosmic switch will turn off on December 31 and they'll stop happening.
kobeya 10y ago
It's still been a very minor year, even for recent memory.

alkonaut 10y ago

Brexit, Trump, Syria, ... Even before we approach Bowie it's been pretty dreadful.

iamatworknow 10y ago
No argument here. But what makes 2017 so special that these same sorts of events (or even more drastic ones) won't continue? Placing any amount of hope solely on an arbitrary date by wishing for a sooner end to 2016 just seems asinine.
- alkonaut 10y ago
  I'm not sure why people believe 2016 ending will somehow end the misery but I can understand why they hope it will. I think it's a bit tongue-in-cheek.
  - marcosdumay 10y ago
    Nobody believes it, it's a joke.
- gdulli 10y ago
  Nobody thinks the year boundary has real meaning with regards to this or that anything will change. We spread the meme as a way of experiencing the observations of 2016 together and finding comfort in making it a shared phenomenon rather than one to experience alone. Rest assured, we know that attaching meaning to 2016 is symbolic and that "2016" is not a property of the universe that brings any intrinsic context to our civilization.
Tempest1981 10y ago
Reminds me of this Billy Joel song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g Although it covers 40 years: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn't_Start_the_Fire https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn't_Start_the_Fire

lucb1e 10y ago

> the meme that "2016 has been the worst!" has been pretty insufferable. This is the first time I've heard it mentioned. For finding it insufferable, you just spread the word.

iamatworknow 10y ago
I, unfortunately, still have a bit of a compulsion for social media, where this has been a growing trend since about June, but it has seeped into my workplace as well.