I call a moratorium on memes…a meme-atorium?

Posted by danleone on November 2nd, 2007 filed in blogging, blogs way better than mine, tagged

As both of you know, blog memes, or blemes, are a cute way to add content to your blog, narcissitically give details about yourself that is sometimes interesting and reciprocate by passing on the meme to others. The person that initiated the meme will typically put their link on it so as the meme propagates, they become the center of the universe. Additionally, there is a lot of linky-love happening as a blogger “tags” their blog buddies. And so on…and so on….It is the blog-o-verse equivalent to the Amway…without the promise of yachts.

There are memes to cover every conceivable topic. Here is a brief list of some that I have seen (ie Googled) recently:

• 10 Things About Me
• 5 Things About Me
• 8 Questions
• 4 Questions
• 5 Favorite Gadgets
• Show Us Your Desktop
• Handwriting Meme
• Middle Name Meme
• Thursday Thirteen
• Interview Me
• What is My Most Common Writing Mistake
• The Christmas Meme
• If I Could Be…
• Super Simple Spiritual Sunday
• The Name Meme
• 5 Strengths / 4 People Meme
• Book Meme
• Inside the Actor’s Studio Meme
• Why Do You Blog?
• The Ultimate Power Meme
• The Birthday Meme
• 101 Things About Me
• The Soundtrack of Your Life
• The Top 5 Reasons The Best Bloggers Come From The Planet Earth
• Link Love Meme
• [your name] Needs
• Johari Window Meme
• Booky Meme
• Blogging Tips Meme
• The Cook Next Door Meme
• Wikipedia Blog Meme Game
• 5 Rules For Really Great Blogging

…and the list goes on.

Despite my apparent distaste for meme-ing, the truth is I don’t mind them. I actually enjoy reading about both of you and I am flattered that you are interested in me. The only problem is the “tag, your it” part. I HATE THAT PART!

So for now until the remainder of 2007, I am declaring a Meme-atorium. This means that I will happily allow myself to be tagged by you with a promise that I will “get to it” sometime in 2008 (just around the time that blogging becomes un-cool and Time magazine has a cover article entitled: The Death of the Blog. I am always on the wrong side of the cool curve!).

But I have only one request. In order to tag me for a meme, I asking that both of you include a meme, started by me, called: A Blog Better Than Mine Meme. All you need to do is review someone else’s blog that you think is at least as good as yours. Many of you already do something like this with your weekly reviews of blogs or Blog of the Week segments.

This isn’t about self-promotion or massive propagation. This is about genuinely acknowledging the talent and creativity of others. No reason to link back to me or anyone else. Simply include a post entitled “A Blog Better Than Mine” and review it.

I am only thinking this through as I type and I know I am getting incoherent, so to make a short story long, here are the key points of my “meme.”

1. Tag me for any meme you want. In fact, I welcome them.
2. Be patient and wait until 2008 (only 2 months away!)
3. In the same week, write a post called “A Blog Better Than Mine” and review it.

One day, I will come up with a logo to make it pretty and some “rules” that actually make sense.

Thanks for listening.