Make Some Memes
Last night’s free lecture was pretty sweet, and not just because professor Patrick Gannon had a delivery like Kids in the Hall’s Kevin McDonald. He showed us some gross anatomical brain asymmetries consistent in humans, chimps, and gorillas in the 'œcomprehension' brain regions before propelling into more subtle asymmetries in the distribution of cells and neurotransmitters found further back in our evolutionary past. We talked about Kanzi, a chimp with the English comprehension of a 2 ½ year old (watch here), and bipedalism’s impact on the rapid development of spoken language in the Rift Valley of Africa – it was big.
Tonight you can take a tour of where, exactly, language has gotten us with an event called the MemeFactory ( meme was coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins to describe a unit of culture that is transmitted and passed along, much like a gene). The 3rd Ward’s website sums it up pretty well:
What do you get when you combine a lecture, vaudeville and Double Dare? Memefactory! Three gentlemen with five computers and three projectors take the audience on a fast-paced, whirlwind tour of every major Internet meme, famous piece of Internet media and YouTube footage imaginable. The modus is not depth, but breadth, and constant audience participation is required. Over the course of the evening, the audience will produce an entry for every internet phenomenon possible, including but not limited to: LOLCats, Bouncing GIFs, Me Singing [blank], Reaction Videos, Folk Covers of Hip Hop Classics, FAILs, Redubbed music videos, and more. Some will become famous like Boxxy, most will drink beers and a brave few will be nude.
When: March 24 7:00 '“ 10:00 pm
Where: 3rd Ward (195 Morgan Avenue, Bushwick)
Free with RSVP: events@3rdward.com
