An extension of Godwinâs Law, Merrittâs Law states that as an online argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that a participant will stop discussing things and just throw up a series of âmemesâ (see below). When such an event occurs, the person guilty of running afoul of Merritt's Law has effectively forfeited the argument.
Properly used, the term âmemeâ refers broadly to âan idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from one person to another in a cultureâ but as used above, the term âmemeâ refers to an image with words typed onto it spread via social media. The words are not searchable and, as it turns out, when the words are intended to be a quote, it very frequently turns out to be a misquote.
You started using memes instead of words so, according to Merritt's Law, you lost!
54👍 4👎