https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=84.75.61.103&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-19T12:18:46ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1212:_Interstellar_Memes&diff=376461212: Interstellar Memes2013-05-16T18:59:11Z<p>84.75.61.103: Arrangement in fhe picture</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1212<br />
| date = May 15, 2013<br />
| title = Interstellar Memes<br />
| image = interstellar memes.png<br />
| titletext = The strongest incentive we have to develop faster-than-light travel is that it would let us apologize in advance.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|1212: Interstellar Memes}}<br />
<br />
In this comic, Randall highlights various memes from popular culture. A {{w|meme}} is a phenomenon, often in this scenario in the form of a movie quote, a musical reference, a catchphrase or other notable saying that spreads quickly by word-of-mouth. Memes become popular because people hear about them and repeat them to others. Randall points out that if they (assumed intelligent life on other star systems) were listening to the things we said, then they would just now be hearing and popularizing memes started years ago on earth. The delay is due to the time that it takes for expressions of the meme to travel (presumably via radio waves) to distant star systems.<br />
<br />
Our solar system, from where the electromagnetic waves are emitted, is located near the center of the picture. The other star systems are arranged roughly according to their distance from the sun, while their size corresponds to the size of the star.<br />
<br />
Radio waves travel at the speed of light. The title text jokes that these memes are so annoying that it would give us further incentive to develop the technology to travel faster than light, just simply to be able to outrun the radio waves, reach a distant start system, and apologize in advance to the "residents" about the memes, before the memes arrive.<br />
<br />
The meme for Sirius is a pun; it refers to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in which Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius Black.<br />
<br />
The table below lists all the memes described, and the star in which those memes would be heard, based on the rough date that the meme in question became popular.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable"<br />
|-<br />
! Meme !! Star !! Origin !! Year !! Distance to star<br />
|-<br />
| Yabba dabba doo! || {{w|Castor (star)|Castor}} || {{w|The Flintstones}} || 1960 || 51 ± 3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” || {{w|Lambda Aurigae}} || {{w|Dirty Harry}} || 1971 || 41.2 ± 0.1 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|Where's the beef|Where’s the beef?}} || {{w|HR 1614}} || Slogan for {{w|Wendy’s}} || 1984 || 28 ly<br />
|-<br />
| And now for something completely different. || {{w|Capella (star)|Capella}}|| {{w|Monty Python’s Flying Circus}} || 1969 || 42 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Here’s lookin’ at you, kid. || {{w|Kappa Reticuli}} || {{w|Casablanca (film)|Casablanca}} || 1942 || 70 ly<br />
|-<br />
| My spoon is too big! || {{w|Kapteyn's Star}} || {{w|Rejected}} || 2000 || 12 ly<br />
|-<br />
| May the force be with you. || {{w|Delta Trianguli}} || {{w|Star Wars}} || 1977 || 35 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Peanut butter jelly time! || {{w|Luyten's Star}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/peanut-butter-jelly-time an Internet meme] || 2002 || 12 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Rosebud. || {{w|Alpha Hydri}} || {{w|Citizen Kane}} || 1941 || 71 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Oh my god, {{w|They killed Kenny|they killed Kenny!}} – You bastards! || {{w|AD Leonis}} || {{w|South Park}} || 1997 || 15.9 ± 0.2 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ...God kills a kitten! – A what? || {{w|Procyon}} || {{w|Every time you masturbate... God kills a kitten|an Internet meme}} || 2002 || 11.5 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I ''still'' can’t believe Bellatrix– – Dude, get over it. || {{w|Sirius}} || {{w|Harry Potter}} || 2003 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>8.6 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Ninjas fight ''all the time!'' || {{w|Epsilon Eridani}} || {{w|The Official Ninja Webpage}} || 2002 || 10 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|D'oh!|D’oh!}} || {{w|HR 753}} || {{w|The Simpsons}} || 1989 || 23 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|''Nobody'' expects the Spanish Inquisition!}} || {{w|Beta Virginis}} || {{w|Monty Python’s Flying Circus}} || 1970 || 35 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|All your base are belong to us}}. || {{w|Tau Ceti}} || {{w|Zero Wing}} || 2001 || 11.9 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Take me to your leader! – No, Steve. || {{w|Beta Cassiopeiae|Caph}} || {{w|Take me to your leader (phrase)}} || 1953 || 54 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Chuck Norris doesn’t sleep. He ''waits.'' || {{w|Wolf 359}} || {{w|Chuck Norris facts}} || 2005 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>7.8 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ♬ Numa numa ♪ || {{w|Lalande 21185}} || {{w|Dragostea Din Tei|Numa Numa song}} || 2004 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>8.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I can haz? || {{w|WISE 1049-5319|Luhman 16}} || {{w|Lolcats}} || 2006 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>6.6 ± 0.5 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ''Internets!'' || {{w|Luyten 726-8|Gliese 65}} || {{w|George W. Bush}} [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets Internet meme] || 2004 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>8.7<br />
|-<br />
| Look at the tiny dancing Earth mammals! || {{w|Gliese 1}} || {{w|Hampsterdance}} and/or {{w|Dancing Baby}} || 1998 || 14 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ''Wasssuup!?!'' || {{w|Van Maanen's star}} || {{w|Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser Beer}} advertising campaign || 1999 || 14 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker. || {{w|Beta Hydri}} || {{w|Die Hard}} || 1988 || 24 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I pity the fool! || {{w|Groombridge 1830}} || {{w|Rocky III}} ({{w|Mr. T}}) || 1982 || 30 ly<br />
|-<br />
| The cake is a lie! || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || {{w|Portal (video game)|Portal}} || 2007 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>4.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ♪ Never gonna give you up ♫ || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || {{w|Rickrolling}} || 2007 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>4.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I’m on a boat! || {{w|Proxima Centauri}} || {{w|The Lonely Island}} || 2009 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>4.243 ± 0.002 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ♫ Chocolate Raaaiiin ♫ || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Tay Zonday}}: {{w|Chocolate Rain}} video || 2007 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>6 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Leave Britney alone! || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Chris Crocker}}: [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leave-britney-alone LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!] || 2007 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>6 ly<br />
|-<br />
| You’re the man now, dog! || {{w|Epsilon Indi}} || {{w|YTMND}} || 2001 || 11.8<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|More cowbell|More cowbell!}} || {{w|Kruger 60}} || {{w|Saturday Night Live}} || 2000 || 13 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Hasta la vista, baby. || {{w|Gliese 892}} || {{w|Terminator 2}} || 1991 || 21 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Let’s get ready to ruuumble! || {{w|Zeta Tucanae}} || {{w|Michael Buffer}} || 1984 || 28 ly<br />
|-<br />
| You talkin’ to ''me?'' || {{w|Arcturus}} || {{w|Taxi Driver}} || 1976 || 36.7 ± 0.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Did ''I'' do that? || {{w|Xi Boötis|Boötis}} || {{w|Family Matters}} ({{w|Steve Urkel}}) || 1989 || 21.89 ± 0.07 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Welcome to Good Burger, home of the good burger. – What’s a burger? – I don’t know. || {{w|70 Ophiuchi}} || {{w|Good Burger}} slogan || 1997 || 16.58 ± 0.07 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Badger badger badger badger || {{w|Ross 154}} || {{w|Badger Badger Badger}} || 2003 || <span style="display:none;">0</span>9.7 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|Vulcan salute|Live long and prosper.}} – OK. || {{w|HD 211415}} || {{w|Star Trek}} || 1967 || 44 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Name’s Bond. James Bond. || {{w|51 Pegasi}} || {{w|Dr. No (film)|Dr. No}} ({{w|James Bond}}) || 1962 || 50.9 ± 0.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. || {{w|Alpha Serpentis}} || {{w|Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind}} || 1939 || 74.0 ± 0.3 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Mr. T ate my balls! || {{w|Altair}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ate-my-balls an Internet meme] || 1996 || 16.7 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I want the truth. – ''You can't handle the truth!'' || {{w|Delta Pavonis}} || {{w|A Few Good Men}} || 1992 || 20 ly<br />
|-<br />
| I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. || {{w|Beta Trianguli Australis}} || {{w|The Godfather}} || 1972 || 40 ly<br />
|-<br />
| {{w|Resistance is futile|Resistance is futile.}} || {{w|Vega}} || {{w|Star Trek}} ({{w|Borg (Star Trek)|Borg}}) || 1988 || 25 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Oh... My... Gaawd || {{w|Sigma Draconis}} || {{w|Friends}} ({{w|Janice Goralnik}}) || 1994 || 18.8 ly<br />
|-<br />
| Ehh, what’s up, Doc? || {{w|Epsilon Cygni|Gienah}} || {{w|Bugs Bunny}} || 1940 || 73 ly<br />
|-<br />
| ''EXTERMINATE!'' || {{w|Alpha Cephei|Alderamin}} || {{w|Doctor Who}} ({{w|Dalek|The Daleks}}) || 1963 || 49 ly<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:If other star systems are listening in on our pop culture, given the speed-of-light delay, these are the jokes and catchphrases they just learned about and are currently repeating way too much:<br />
:''List of stars and catchphrases, see above''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Physics]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Charts]]</div>84.75.61.103https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1212:_Interstellar_Memes&diff=37474Talk:1212: Interstellar Memes2013-05-15T08:06:02Z<p>84.75.61.103: </p>
<hr />
<div>I'm surprised ponies didn't make the list given how massively and completely they took over the Internet in recent years. Then again, xkcd hasn't made any mention of the phenomenon, which is pretty nice, I guess. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 04:35, 15 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Given that the closest one, "I'm on a boat," predates the first episode of MLP:FiM by more than a year (the brony phenomenon by even more), it's safe to say that ponies have not reached the nearest star yet. --[[Special:Contributions/24.145.230.202|24.145.230.202]] 04:42, 15 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It would be great to have the distances (in light years) of the stars as a fourth column. This would also provide a chronological order. --[[Special:Contributions/84.75.61.103|84.75.61.103]] 08:06, 15 May 2013 (UTC)</div>84.75.61.103