In the grand tapestry of internet culture, few threads are as colorful, chaotic, and ubiquitous as the phenomenon known as "copypastas." These pieces of text, endlessly copied and pasted across forums, social media, and chat platforms, have become a lingua franca of online communities, a memetic shorthand that can convey humor, irony, absurdism, and social commentary all at once.
But what exactly are copypastas, where did they come from, and why have they taken on such a significant role in digital culture? In this article, we‘ll dive deep into the history, psychology, and linguistic quirks of copypastas, drawing on expert analysis and data to paint a comprehensive picture of this internet-native form of folkloric expression.
Defining Copypastas
First, let‘s define our terms. As noted by Brehmer et al. (2018) in their paper "Memes as Genre: A Structurational Analysis of the Memescape," a copypasta is "a block of text which is copied and pasted across the Internet by individuals through online forums, social networking websites, and other mediums." The term "copypasta" itself, a portmanteau of "copy" and "paste," originated on the anonymous imageboard 4chan around 2006 (Know Your Meme, 2009).
But while the term may be relatively new, the concept of viral, replicating text has been around much longer. One could argue that chain emails, which proliferated in the 1990s and early 2000s, were a kind of proto-copypasta, as were the ASCII art signatures that were popular in early online forums. However, copypastas as we know them today, with their absurdist humor, memetic mutations, and self-referential irony, are a distinctly Web 2.0 phenomenon.
The Rise of Copypastas
According to data from Google Trends, the term "copypasta" first started gaining traction around 2011, and has continued to rise in popularity ever since. This corresponds with the rise of social media platforms like Reddit, Twitter, and Tumblr, which provided fertile ground for copypastas to spread.
One of the earliest and most iconic copypastas was the "Navy Seal" copypasta, which originated on 4chan‘s /jp/ (Japan) board in 2010. It reads, in part:
"What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I‘ll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I‘ve been involved in numerous secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills…"
This over-the-top, aggressive rant, purportedly coming from a tough-talking Navy Seal, quickly went viral and spawned countless variations and parodies. It set the template for many copypastas to come: hyperbolic, absurdist, and self-referential.
Another early classic was the "Katy t3h PeNgU1N oF d00m" copypasta, which first appeared on 4chan‘s /b/ (random) board in 2006:
"hi every1 im new!!!!!!! holds up spork my name is katy but u can call me t3h PeNgU1N oF d00m!!!!!!!! lol…as u can see im very random!!!! thats why i came here, 2 meet random ppl like me ^_^…"
This "random" copypasta parodied a certain type of "quirky" internet personality that was common in the mid-2000s, and its over-the-top randomness made it prime copypasta material.
The Psychology of Copypastas
So why do copypastas resonate so much with internet users? There are a few psychological factors at play:
Memetics: Copypastas are, in essence, textual memes. As described by Richard Dawkins (1976) who coined the term "meme", memes are units of cultural information that replicate and evolve, much like genes. Copypastas, with their endless variations and mutations, are a prime example of memetic replication in action.
In-group signaling: By deploying a well-known copypasta, an internet user is signaling that they are part of the in-group, that they "get" the reference and the humor. This ties into the concept of "digital folkculture" as described by Bronner (2009), the idea that online communities develop their own folkloric traditions, including shared jokes and references.
Absurdist humor: Many copypastas derive their humor from sheer absurdity and randomness. This type of non sequitur-based comedy has been a staple of internet culture from the early days of "All your base are belong to us" to the more recent rise of surrealist memes. As Taecharungroj and Nueangjamnong (2015) note in their analysis of virality in internet humor, absurdity and randomness are key factors in what makes a piece of content go viral.
Irony and self-referentiality: Copypastas often operate on multiple layers of irony. They‘re frequently used to mock or parody a certain type of online behavior or personality, while also being an example of that very behavior. This self-referential irony is a hallmark of what‘s been called "post-internet" culture (Olson, 2012).
Copypastas by the Numbers
To get a sense of just how prevalent copypastas are in online discourse, let‘s look at some statistics:
The Reddit forum r/copypasta, dedicated to sharing and discussing copypastas, has over 666,000 subscribers as of 2024 (Reddit Metrics, 2023).
On Twitch, the livestreaming platform known for its memetic and copypasta-filled chat culture, the phrase "Kappa" (a popular emote often used in copypasta context) was used over 413 million times in 2020 alone (Nilsen, 2021).
An analysis of 1.2 million Reddit comments found that 3% contained some form of copypasta (Baumgartner, 2023). While this might seem like a small percentage, it represents a significant chunk of online discourse.
The "Navy Seal" copypasta alone has been posted on Reddit over 40,000 times (Reddit Search, 2023), and that‘s not counting its many variations and parodies.
These numbers show that copypastas are far from a niche phenomenon – they‘re a ubiquitous part of how people communicate and express themselves online.
The Language of Copypastas
Copypastas have developed their own unique linguistic patterns and tropes. Some common features include:
Hyperbole and exaggeration: Many copypastas rely on over-the-top, grandiose language for comedic effect. The Navy Seal copypasta‘s "gorilla warfare" and "300 confirmed kills" are prime examples.
Absurdism and non sequiturs: As mentioned earlier, absurdist humor is a key component of many copypastas. The "Penguin of Doom" copypasta‘s "random" interjections and the surreal imagery of copypastas like "Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life" exemplify this.
Irony and parody: Copypastas often serve as ironic commentary on a certain type of online behavior or trope. For example, the "To Be Fair, You Have to Have a Very High IQ to Understand Rick and Morty" copypasta mocks a perceived sense of superiority among fans of the show.
Emojis and "leetspeak": Many copypastas make heavy use of emojis, emoticons, and "leetspeak" (i.e. "1337" substituted for "leet") for added visual flair and internet-culture signaling.
As Grundlingh (2018) notes in her linguistic analysis of memes, these unique features help copypastas stand out and achieve viral spread. They‘re designed to be attention-grabbing, memorable, and above all, replicable.
Copypastas in the Mainstream
While copypastas started as a niche internet phenomenon, some have managed to break through into mainstream culture. Perhaps the most famous example is the "Navy Seal" copypasta, which has been referenced in TV shows like "Tosh.0" and "South Park," and even read out loud in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) during a 2017 debate on repealing Obamacare (C-SPAN, 2017).
Other copypastas that have achieved a degree of mainstream recognition include "What if Zelda was a girl?" (a satirical take on the "damsel in distress" trope in video games), "I sexually identify as an attack helicopter" (a transphobic meme that was widely criticized), and "The intent is to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment" (a much-derided comment by an EA representative about microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront II).
The fact that these copypastas have seeped into the broader cultural consciousness is a testament to the power and reach of internet culture. What starts as an in-joke among a niche online community can quickly spread to become part of the zeitgeist.
Controversy and Criticism
Not all copypastas are benign fun, however. Some, like the aforementioned "attack helicopter" copypasta, are used to spread bigotry and hate. Others, like the "Navy Seal" copypasta, while not inherently hateful, can be used to harass and intimidate people.
This points to a larger issue with the culture around copypastas and internet memes more broadly. As Miltner (2018) argues in her paper "Internet Memes, Race, and Fake News: The Anatomy of a Post-Truth Phenomenon," the irony and absurdity of meme culture can often serve as a smokescreen for spreading misinformation and prejudice. When everything is a joke, it becomes harder to distinguish between satire and sincere belief.
There have also been instances of copypastas being used to game algorithms and spread spam. In 2018, bots on Twitter started mass-posting a copypasta about a fake Bitcoin giveaway, tricking people into clicking on malicious links (Gad, 2018). This highlights the potential for copypastas to be weaponized for scams and manipulation.
The Future of Copypastas
Despite these issues, copypastas show no signs of slowing down. As long as the internet exists, people will continue to copy, paste, and remix these bits of text. In fact, with the rise of AI language models like GPT-3, we may see the emergence of computer-generated copypastas that blur the line between human and machine creativity (Branwen, 2020).
At their best, copypastas represent a unique form of folkloric expression native to the internet. They‘re a way for online communities to bond over shared jokes and references, to comment on and critique internet culture itself, and to play with language in creative and surprising ways.
As Nissenbaum and Shifman (2017) put it in their analysis of internet memes as digital folklore, "In an era marked by the rapid development of digital communication technologies, [copypastas] can be seen as the epitome of a new, digital-age folklore—their content and form negotiated and transmitted through many-to-many communication platforms."
While they may sometimes be controversial, confusing, or just plain silly, copypastas have undeniably become an integral part of how we express ourselves and relate to each other online. As the internet continues to evolve, so too will the art of the copypasta.
References
- Baumgartner, J. (2024). "The Prevalence of Copypastas on Reddit." Journal of Online Behavior, 32(1), 27-41.
- Branwen, G. (2020). "GPT-3 Creative Fiction." Retrieved from https://www.gwern.net/GPT-3
- Brehmer, S., Thelwall, M., & Groniewicz, J. (2018). "Memes as Genre: A Structurational Analysis of the Memescape." New Media & Society, 20(8), 2862-2879.
- Bronner, S. J. (2009). "Digitizing and Virtualizing Folklore." In Folklore and the Internet (pp. 21-66). Routledge.
- C-SPAN. (2017). "House Session, Part 1." Retrieved from https://www.c-span.org/video/?425339-1/house-debates-obamacare-repeal-bill
- Dawkins, R. (1976). The Selfish Gene. Oxford University Press.
- Gad, I. (2018). "Beware this Twitter Bitcoin Scam Using Elon Musk‘s Name." Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-bitcoin-scam-elon-musk/
- Google Trends. (2024). "Copypasta." Retrieved from https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=copypasta
- Grundlingh, L. (2018). "Memes as Speech Acts." Social Semiotics, 28(2), 147-168.
- Know Your Meme. (2009). "Copypasta." Retrieved from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/copypasta
- Miltner, K. M. (2018). "Internet Memes, Race, and Fake News: The Anatomy of a Post-Truth Phenomenon." American Journalism, 35(3), 320-335.
- Nilsen, D. (2021). "The Top Twitch Emotes of 2020." Dot Esports. Retrieved from https://dotesports.com/news/the-top-twitch-emotes-of-2020
- Nissenbaum, A., & Shifman, L. (2017). "Internet Memes as Contested Cultural Capital: The Case of 4chan‘s /b/ Board." New Media & Society, 19(4), 483-501.
- Olson, M. (2012). "PostInternet: Art after the Internet." Foam Magazine, (29), 59-63.
- Reddit Metrics. (2024). "r/copypasta Metrics." Retrieved from https://redditmetrics.com/r/copypasta
- Reddit Search. (2024). "navy seal copypasta." Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/search?q=navy%20seal%20copypasta
- Taecharungroj, V., & Nueangjamnong, P. (2015). "Humour 2.0: Styles and Types of Humour and Virality of Memes on Facebook." Journal of Creative Communications, 10(3), 288-302.
