this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2025
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Science Memes

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Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



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  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
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  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.


If you are here asking: "Is this a science meme?"

Probably, yes. We use the Dawkins definition of meme: a replicating idea, not just an image macro with a fact on it. A good post here doesn't need to teach you something. It needs to make you ask something: who, what, where, when, and especially why or how.

Science isn't a filing cabinet of facts, it's a conversation. For example, a photo of an eel or other localized wildlife counts because most people never see one, and wonder is the first step of inquiry. A car meme counts if it makes you curious about what's under the bonnet. If you want to talk about something you noticed in the world, chances are someone else wants to talk about it too.

We moderate for vibe, not category. Pruning is light, especially where a post creates interesting discussion. Experimenting is encouraged.

See the pinned paper on Shitposting as Public Pedagogy if you want the academic case for why this works.



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[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 11 months ago

It’s not a phobia […]

For the sake of argument, Merriam-Webster defines the "phobia" suffix as:

intolerance or aversion for ^[1]^

as well as

exaggerated fear of ^[1]^

That being said, one can define a words however they wish — imo, all that matters is that those engaged in a conversation together all use the same definitions. If you would like to reserve the "phobia" suffix to represent only "exaggerated fear of", what would you propose in its stead to represent "intolerance or aversion for"?

References

  1. Type: Definition. Title: "-phobia". Publisher: "Merriam-Webster". Accessed: 2025-07-19T23:36Z. URI: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phobia.