Memebots

by Paulie, 13 May 2008

I like hijacking other people’s words and using them to start hares running. On my own blog, I’ve used this word ‘negativist’ (much loved of Will of this parish, from whom it came). And a while ago, we had ‘bloggertarian.’

That was a laugh that was.

My favourite word at the moment is ‘memebot.’ I saw it a few weeks ago in the comments here …or more precisely, here:

“For examples, see just about every other article by Seumas Milne. The imperviousness to evidence and reason is quite remarkable. He’s not so much a thinker as trafficker in assertion; a memebot, if you will.”

Seumas Milne is, indeed, a memebot. As is Simon Tidsall (dealt with nicely by Norm here).

These are both examples of journalists that offend my Eustonian prejudices, of course - I’m sure that you can find a few membots that exhibit them as well. Be my guest.

Other examples are, of course, our friends the bloggertarians. Raise a question - any question - and the answer is always ’sack public employees’ / ’school vouchers’ / ‘government can’t work’ etc. The thick shitheads.

A one line assertion is always sufficient for memebots. It’s getting so that you can’t write a post anywhere without a few of them popping up to annoy you. It must stop.

The reason that I’m writing about it here is because I think it may be a useful shorthand comments policy for any bloggers who like getting half-decent arguments back in their comment threads.

In future, I may just delete commenters on the grounds that they are memebots. A one word explanation. Take my advice, for once in your life? Delete your memebots too. Life’s too short to do anything else.

Comments

  1. Will

    See Simon Jenkins latest Comment is Fucking Worthless for massive memebottery. What a very strange man he is. Tory filth.

  2. Jura Watchmaker

    Jenkins can’t be all bad as he agrees with me

  3. Paulie

    Popular version:

    “If a tree falls in a forest, and no-one hears it, has it made a noise?”

    My dad’s version:

    “If a man is talking and his missus isn’t there to hear what he says, is he still wrong?”

    My version:

    “If you say something, and then Simon Jenkins says the same thing afterwards, do you have to deny you said it in the first place?”

  4. Will

    Jenkins is all bad despite him agreeing with you (Jura)

  5. Kenkanifff

    A prime example of Thatcherite memebottery
    Sleep easy now guys, I think we’ve just destroyed the Right.