Difference between revisions of "YTMND:Definition of a fad"

Latest revision as of 14:28, December 3, 2007

We all understand that there are a bunch of fads involving intertextuality resulting in scores if not hundreds of YTMNDs, but what is the exact definition of a fad?

Discuss on the talk page of possible definitions.

Draft

THIS IS A DRAFT -- IT HAS NO APPROVAL OR OFFICIAL BEARING.

Please discuss the text of the definition on the talk page.

A YTMND fad is a trend of user-created pages on YTMND (a "YTMND", pl. "YTMNDs") wherein each YTMND is a permutation of a very popular YTMND ("fad YTMND") adhering to a certain set of shared principles on the YTMND ("fad elements"). Each fad is simply a very popular YTMND idea or style that is used multiple times to create similiar YTMNDs.

When utilizing all the features, a typical YTMND features three elements ("the fundamentals"):

• Picture - Traditionally a superimposed image, this has recently been abandoned by YTMND members in favor of centered slideshows or short films (often termed as "faggy short films").
• Sound - An eternally looping sound file. Either used traditionally (i.e. with a superimposed image) or to complement the aforementioned slideshow or short film.
• Text - Zooming text originally used for Yourethemannowdog.com; often unused on slideshow- and film-style YTMNDs.

In regards to fad YTMNDs, usually two of these fundamentals are required to be similar on each fad YTMND for the entire series of fad YTMNDs to qualify as a fad.

• Picture - A shared image and a common theme must be present. Usually, the presense of a certain image or person alone in the picture element is too vague to qualify as a fad — and often times, a person may be involved in multiple fads.
• Sound - A similar sound must be present in each fad YTMND. Usually, it is a shared song, occasionally permutated depending on the circumstance.
• Text - Occasionally, a fad will have a shared text element.

Usually, a fad YTMND is created by combining two elements of a single fad together. Said YTMND would be considered part of both fads. Sometimes, a YTMND will be created in which several fads are combined together. These are termed as "conglomerates".

In order for a fad to be a fad, a noticable amount of YTMNDs belonging to a fad must appear on the Main Page under "Top 15", "Top 5", or "Up And Coming".

Due to the repetetive status of fads, as well as the view from certain individuals that standards such as the ones above must be applied consistently, fads themselves, as well as the fad YTMNDs they're on, receive comments from the community such as:

• On a very popular fad, people will leave comments that the fad has gotten old
• A YTMND may be disliked due to belonging to a certain fad
• Additionally, a YTMND may be liked exclusively for belonging to a certain fad
• A person may give a lower vote due to not applying one of the fad elements

While specifics may be applied to fads, all fads involve repetition and intertextuality.