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You are an HR Manager. You are looking for the perfect candidate for a position that has opened up at your company. A promising candidate has just arrived for a job interview with you. He approaches and offers you a <<link "handshake">><<replace "#handshake" t8n>> "Hello, I'm Seong." <img src="./files/linkedin.jpg" style="max-width:100%"> That's a pretty good handshake. You make a mental note: this guy can handle physical work. You assess his general demeanor... ---- * [[Tell us a little bit about yourself.|Yourself]] * [[Is that a bird?|Bird]] * [[I like your style. You're hired.|Ending 1]]<</replace>><</link>>. <span id="handshake"></span> <<type 40ms>>\ In a hurry? Skip the game and go straight to the [[portfolio pieces|Pieces]]. \<</type>>

<<back>> <h1>Works in Progress</h1> I'm currently working on an article on the implications of revising the ontology and metaphysics of meme studies to analogise with contemporary biology: as a nascent discipline, at a crossroads between an insular multidiscipline and an expansive transdiscipline, meme studies stands to gain a great deal by updating its metaphysical "dependencies" (many of which remain stuck in the 70s). Will meme studies emerge as an inclusive hub of disciplines encompassing a diverse range of perspectives, from digital anthropology to artificial organisms, or will it opt for the limited but secure "Pyrrhic victory" of a highly specialised subfield, contained mostly within new media studies? //(forthcoming 2024 in an anthology by the <a href="https://www.linktr.ee/memestudies">Meme Studies Research Network</a>)// ---- <h1>Select Writings</h1> ''Her, S.-Y.'' (2023). "Frog After Frog: Prompt Engineering With Alternate Translations." //Artificial Intelligence Art//. https://doi.org/10.21428/f13786d0.a8196ff9 ''Abstract'': In this article, I report the results of a prompt engineering experiment on DALL-E 2, conducted between August and November of 2022. I hypothesised that prompts containing different translations of the same sentence will yield results from DALL-E that vary in some useful way for artists, and tested this hypothesis by generating artworks using different translations of the same sentence. To do this, I engineered a minimal prompt template and combined it with various Japanese-to-English translations of the Frog Haiku by Matsuo Bashō (松尾芭蕉, 1644 – November 28, 1694). ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. "Homesteading the Memeosphere." //The Philosopher's Meme//, 2022. https://thephilosophersmeme.com/2022/04/04/homesteading-the-memeosphere/ ''Abstract'': I think that many memes have great value and significance, historically and culturally, as well as intrinsically, but only when they are healthy and alive. A meme folder is dead without the rest of the memetic ecosystem to express it. The outgroup-first perspectives provided by outsiders to memecultures will prioritise what makes all memecultures the same. It will focus on aspects that affect outsiders the most, namely money and politics, and pick out readily accessible parts of memecultures that can be conveniently archived and cited as exemplar specimen. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. "GamerGate As Metagaming." //The Philosopher's Meme//, 2021. https://thephilosophersmeme.com/2021/05/16/gamergate-as-metagaming/ ''Abstract'': GamerGate was a “swarm” harassment campaign against journalists, academics and content producers, perceived by GamerGaters as being conspirators in a culture war against games. It was a highly novel phenomenon in that it mainstreamed the use of knowledge projects as a channel of decentralised stalking. Following Boluk & Lemieux’s argument that GamerGate was a reactionary metagame, I argue that GamerGaters were correct in their assessment of gaming culture and the games industry precisely because of the conspiracy theoretical nature of their campaign. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. "2010's Decade Review, Part 2: Memetaphysics Through Three Lenses." //The Philosopher's Meme//, 2020. https://thephilosophersmeme.com/2020/10/09/2010-decade-review-part-2/ ''Abstract'': In this article, I explore the new metaphysics of memes that developed throughout the 2010s. I use three distinct perspectives to approach this vast subject matter: time; place; and, process. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. “The Post-Pepe Manifesto.” In //Post Memes: Seizing the Memes of Production//, edited by Alfie Bown and Dan Bristow, 403–6. Punctum Books, 2019. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv11hptdx.21 ''Abstract'': All culture is derivative. The revolution will be reposted. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. "The Memeticist's Challenge Remains Open." //The Philosopher's Meme//, 2018. https://thephilosophersmeme.com/2018/11/15/the-memeticists-challenge-remains-open/ ''Abstract'': The memeticist’s challenge remains open in a modified form. The most plausible case against the utility of memetics is Harms’ argument that no scientifically interesting cases of memes are likely to exist in abundance. The challenge is to find scientifically interesting cases of what may be pragmatically characterised as memes in the sense argued for by Wilkins, and construct a new theory of memes based on the paradigm case as Harms constructs his ontology of evolution using cells as his base case. This challenge must be answered simultaneously with a coherent ontology of memes and with a body of empirical evidence that supports it. A satisfactorily interesting case of memes must be recognisable as memes by those familiar with both memes and memetic contexts, and above all be useful to consider as the paradigm case in the first place. The definition of a meme in this new theory of memes must not emerge from a preconceived set of restrictions such as those presented by Dawkins or Lewontin in their characterisation of the units of selection but from a gradual modification of concepts. This new theory of memes would readily draw upon lessons from up-to-date philosophy of biology and evolutionary theory, and the empirical study of paradigmatic entities, namely Internet memes. The starting point for this new theory of memes must be a commonsense notion of Internet memes, which are incontrovertibly existent entities regardless of their ontological status. They may turn out to be evolutionary individuals or groups, lineages or replicators, or a system of ontologically various entities not independent of one another. The minimum requirement An important case for this purpose is folkmemetics, or the popular understanding of memes outside of academic and research contexts, analogous to folkbiology. For the most part, the colloquial use of the term ‘meme’ to denote online content does not imply any consideration about the broader debate about cultural evolution. Instead, the debates in folkmemetics narrowly concern the cultural artefacts shared online, which are plainly visible to the users who participate in the attendant subcultures. This immediate observability of Internet memes is an extremely important feature as it allows any pragmatically minded researcher to largely bypass the ontological challenges associated with memes per se: Internet memes incontrovertibly exist and can be studied empirically. They provide the fundamental unit, much like cells do in Harms’ ontology of evolution. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young''. "The Revised Quadrant Model." //The Philosopher's Meme//, 2016. https://thephilosophersmeme.com/2016/01/18/the-revised-quadrant-model/ <center><img src = "https://thephilosophersmeme.com/uploads/2x2memetable.png" width="100%" height = auto></center> I created the above model in 2015--2016 to better explain the concept of layers of irony, as well as typologise pre-ironic, ironic, meta-ironic, and post-ironic memes. Thanks to my colleague Greg Guevara (better known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@jREG">Jreg</a>) creating several excellent videos (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsuSveDAlpI">2020</a>; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZNCCttVMg8">2022</a>; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPgUPx_XKDA">2023</a>; see also Olivia Sun's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1LyTThf7V0">2021 video</a> applying the theory to discuss Gen Z humour) building on top of the theory, it has since taken on a life of its own as a popular way of understanding memes and cyberculture. ---- ''Her, Seong-Young'' & Zharova, Mariya."Memes: A Microcosm of Art History." Lecture series, filmed 14 December, 2015. Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbRNdtOn8CjOZYsLI13poGPnDqSeZIdAW ''Abstract'': Critical analysis of memes has long been one of our interests here at The Philosopher's Meme. Last year, we were invited to lecture on Memetics, Art Theory, and Post-Internet Philosophy at Humboldt University in Berlin. This is a recording of that lecture, which happened on December 14th, 2015. It has been quite some time since then and many of the ideas presented have since been revised, changed, and added to, however this lecture provides a good groundwork to our theory and we believe it might be worthwhile to watch for our fans who are interested in the academic analysis of internet memes. We hope you enjoy. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zXEpC5hHTRU?si=sQlEkggt4kmgC7jV" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> ---- <<back>>

<<back>> <h2>About Meme Studies</h2> Meme Studies is a suite of tools for communities of researchers, students, and educators who are researching, learning, and teaching meme studies. Our aim is to provide the numerous research networks with a single hub through which they can interface and pool knowledge, and to promote the grassroots development of new research networks within unfilled niches. We seek to bridge the gap between academic research and community-led research. <h2>The Scoping Review of Meme Studies</h2> ''Her, Seong-Young'', Li, Ashley, Helms, Callan, Thompson, Fraser, Horenberger, Beau. "Scoping Review of Meme Studies." 2022. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AEZHG A global scoping review of scholarly work about memes. We're collecting, reviewing, and sorting every academic work published about memes, in order to review the present range and extent of the discipline. We have finished gathering data and are currently in the process of reviewing them for inclusion, and intend to publish the results as a living scoping review. <h2>Meme Studies Forum</h2> A mailing group and web forum for meme researchers. The aim of the forum is to facilitate connection across independent but isolated research networks. The forum is currently in beta! <h2>Meme Studies Courses</h2> A series of courses and learning materials hosted via Moodle, available to both students and educators. A six-lecture pilot, MEME121 – Introduction to Ironic Memes, is currently being produced. <h2>Meme Studies Library</h2> A comprehensive reference library for meme studies literature, with user submitted entries and reading lists. The library currently holds more than 600 references, and is being expanded with the aim of developing seed materials for new and emerging research clusters within meme studies. It uses Zotero and Omeka S. Check out the introductory <a href="https://library.memestudies.org/s/library/page/readings">reading list</a>. <h2>Meme Studies Archive</h2> A digital exhibition and archival tool for curating, annotating, and displaying memes. The archive uses Mukurtu, a digital heritage CMS. The finished exhibits are citable and customisable, and can stand alone as a collection or supplement other research. <<back>>

<h1>Portfolio Items</h1> <h2>Philosophy</h2> ''I study memes.'' My interest is in applying evolutionary metaphysics to abiological contexts, namely cyberculture. I use a historically and technologically informed perspective to consider the ontology of memes in the contexts of academic research and subcultural production. I do a lot of [[writing|Writing]] on the topic, and have been cited a few times too. I'm also developing research infrastructure for meme scholars at [[Meme Studies]], which includes a forum, a library, courses, an archive, and a review of all meme studies literature. <center><img src = "https://gondola.space/artist-pages/seongs-art-img/2020-09-07.png" width="100%"></center> <h2>Design</h2> I make art, both digital and analogue. I especially love low spec art such as pixel art. You can see some of my art on <a href="https://gondola.space/artist-pages/seongs-art.html">Gondola Space</a>, a memetic art community I founded in 2015 and have been maintaining since. I love to make games with my friends, and I've been serving as an executive at the University of Canterbury's Game Development Society since 2023. <center><img src = "https://gondola.space/artist-pages/seongs-art-img/2020-09-07.png" width="320" height="288"></center>

"Hello, I'm Seong." <img src="./files/linkedin.jpg" style="max-width:100%"></img> That's a pretty good handshake. You make a mental note: this guy can handle physical work. You assess his general demeanor... --- * [[Tell us a little bit about yourself.|Yourself]] * [[Is that a bird?|Bird]] * [[I like your style. You're hired.|Ending 1]]

* [[Game Designer]] * [[Academic Philosopher]] * [[Artist]] * [[Musician]] * [[Psychologist]] * [[Historian]] * [[Marketer]] * [[Community Manager]] * [[]]

<h1>You hired Seong based on his style, perhaps as a fashion model or an actor, or a rock star.</h1> You're gonna make him a star! <figure> <figcaption>Seong plays you the latest song he wrote, called "Tantalus Rising":</figcaption> <audio controls src="./files/2023-12-01_tantalus_rising_AiB.wav"> </audio> </figure> <h2>Lyrics</h2> One day we shall all be free of you Your parasites in my bitter blood boiling Ten billion hungry ghosts, they're all starving for your touch I said I wanted something to want, and now I've got it Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Inner war internecine, the less you hear the more you scream Lost in another's dream, is this the end of history We've both said far too much on what was really nothing at all While the stories we held back turned to poison in our throats Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, and falling Tantalus rising, surmising, falling

<h1>You hire Seong as a philosopher of biology.</h1> <figure> <figcaption>The bird chirps in approval of your wise decision:</figcaption> <audio controls src="https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/sites/all/files/01%20-%20Track%201_22.mp3"> </audio> </figure> He will put to good use his knowledge about the philosophy of biology, as well as his interest in public health, ecology, and bioethics.

''"I design philosophies."'' <img src="./files/art/death-of-socrates.png" style="max-width:100%"> > I am a transdisciplinary researcher and designer based in Christchurch, New Zealand. I [[research|Writing]] memes and cyberculture, [[philosophy|Philosophy]], and technology. I also develop [[tools and platforms for researchers|Meme Studies]], design [[games|Games]], manage [[communities|Communities]], and also make [[art|Art]].

<<back>> "I think that games are the future of art." <img src="./files/art/goblin_idle.gif" style="max-width:100%"> To me, games are the medium that art has always strived towards: with games, the context surrounding the art is embedded into the work (it's what Tim Berners-Lee calls <a href="https://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/PhilosophicalEngineering.html">philosophical engineering</a>). Games may retain the independence and autonomy of art without having to forego what Dewey considers the experiential dimension of art as part of the social, lived experience of the community. I would like to make games that honour this idealistic vision of games as art beyond art. But just as important to me is <a href="https://www.theoryoffun.com/">fun</a>; I believe that fun is a crucial dimension of aesthetics, and I am fascinated by the psychology of it too. Here's some games I made recently: <h2>Pot Friends</h2> <img src="./files/pot-friends.png" style="max-width:100%"> The cult hit, Pot Friends! This was a special project for me, because I got to organise a large group of friends to collaborate (I've always wanted to have a big jam team), and got to experience handling a big team with most members chipping in only a bit of work each. The game was originally intended to be a different genre (a cooking game based on discovering recipes) but we switched genres due to time constraints, and it worked out great. We also worked having four artists with four different art styles into the gameplay, by leaning into the intuitive differences between them, so that the players could tell which food items belong in which pot. Believe it or not, this game is a word-of-mouth hit among AIGD students at UC. <h2>Monkeymatics</h2> <img src="./files/art/monkeymatics.jpg" style="max-width:100%"> An experimental monkey sim, Monkeymatics has you moving one limb at a time to traverse a factory with unsafe working conditions. I worked on the game design and voice acted all of the sounds in the game, including the music and the sound effects. I also helped organise the game jam that it was made in, as part of the UC Game Dev Society. <h2>Downsizing</h2> <img src="./files/arcade.jpg" style="max-width:100%"> Downsizing is a fast-paced smash-em-up in which you make your way back down the corporate ladder, leaving destruction in your wake. I did some of the art, including the title screen and the animation for the enemy characters, and also did the voice acting. <img src="./files/downsizing.gif" style="max-width:100%"> We're working on an updated and expanded version! <h2>Snuckups and Vendo</h2> <img src="./files/snuckups.png" style="max-width:100%"> "Snuckups and Vendo" is a two-phase game in which you steal adventurers' items from their camps by night and sell them back to them through your popup shop during the day. I worked on the design of the item combinations and the art, and drew all of the assets, including the items and the characters. ---- * [[You're hired. Come start making games for us right now.|Ending 4]] * [[You seem to think a lot. Are you trained professionally to do that?|Philosophy]]

<<back>> I manage several communities, both online and offline. <h3>The Philosopher's Meme</h3> <a href="https://thephilosophersmeme.com">The Philosopher's Meme</a> is a community of practice about applied philosophy and memes. With 300,000 followers on Facebook and 4000 participants on Discord, it's quite likely the largest community about the philosophy of memes. <h3>Meme Studies</h3> <a href="https://memestudies.org">MemeStudies.Org</a> is a platform and community that I am developing to help meme researchers with their work. We currently have about 300 members, and hope to provide a broad-minded and disciplinarily inclusive resource for meme scholars. <h3>UC Product Design Society</h3> I am one of the two co-presidents of <a href="https://prodsoc.com">ProdSoc</a>. I help ProdSoc run events and improve the lives of product designers at UC. <h3>UC Game Development Society</h3> I'm a media coordinator for <a href="https://linktr.ee/ucgamedevsoc">GDS</a>. I help to run the socials, create graphics, as well as helping out with events like our games night. <<back>>

<<back>> <div> I love to make art using all sorts of media (my favourite is pixel art). I enjoy creating art as well as learning about art history and aesthetics. Here's some artworks I made: <center><img src="./files/art/god.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> (Made for a [[game|Games]].) <center><img src="./files/art/1.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> (I love pixel art still life images.) <center><img src="./files/art/2.gif" style="max-width:100%"></center> (Textmode art made using only ASCII characters.) <center><img src="./files/art/3.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> (Pseudo-3D vector graphic.) <center><img src="./files/art/4.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> (I designed the <a href="https://seongyher.itch.io/lootweevils">font</a> for this one, which you can actually install and try out!) Here I'm trying out a VR sculpting app: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wXv6lXgIeQQ?si=r11snr5OZOg-zv8x" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> ---- * [[This is exactly what we need more of in the world. You're hired.|Ending 3]] * [[Tell us more about these games you've been making.|Games]]

<<back>> > Philosophy is one of my two favourite things in the world. I like to read it, write it, discuss it, teach it. <img src="./files/art/death-of-socrates.png" style="max-width:100%"> I have a BA and PGDip in Philosophy, from the University of Otago and the University of Canterbury, respectively. My specialisation is in the philosophy of memes, approached from a philosophy of biology and cultural evolution perspective. I take a historically and sociologically informed approach to understand philosophical ideas in their proper context. ---- Here's a lecture I gave earlier this year: <center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x-4zaLgJRiw?si=GXZyl4ImGuzhfIhE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center> It's my interpretation of the history of European phlosophy leading up to the development of existentialism. ---- * [[Read anything good lately?|Reading]] * [[Tell me more about your writing.|Writing]]

<<back>> Lately, I've been reading <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674001879">//The Sociology of Philosophies//</a> by Randall Collins. It's a towering work that analyses the development of philosophical thought over the centuries through the lineages of the thinkers. Collins' methodology is to trace the networks of philosophers, across which intellectual energy travels almost like an electrical current. Competition and collaboration, both within and between networks, drive the movements of philosophical thought. As a Darwinian about culture, I appreciate a view of intellectual change that focuses on the conflict between thinkers and ideas. <<back>>

''"A bird in the hand..."'' <img src="./files/bird.jpg" style="max-width:100%"> > I had to save this bird from certain disfigurement and probable death," says Seong. "It was tangled up in a net. Also I saved these two bees from dying of dehydration and exhaustion on the footpath. Bees are an essential part of ecosystems, and a third of the world's food production depends on them as pollinators. (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17164193/">Klein et al., 2007</a>) --- * [[That's beautiful. You're hired!|Ending 2]] * [[That's good to know. Could you tell us more about yourself?|Yourself]]

<h1>You hire Seong as an artist.</h1> <center><img src="./files/art/teapot.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> He will create lovely things, wonderful things. Precious things that celebrate what makes life worthwhile. Pour yourself a cup of tea: you've helped make the world an ever so slightly more beautiful place.

<h1>You hire Seong as a game designer.</h1> <center><img src="./files/art/game.png" style="max-width:100%"></center> He's going to create games that contribute to the realisation of the potential of games as a medium, enriching the lives of the players.

<<include "Yourself">> <<include "Philosophy">> <<include "Meme Studies">> <<include "Writing">> <<include "Games">> <<include "Art" "div">>