Photo by Danijela Prijovic on Unsplash
Can you tell the difference between intentional copypastas and things that were written seriously?
Copypastas are text-based memes––paragraphs or stories that get copied and shared over and over again on the Internet. Usually appearing on forums and message boards, they tend to be written for humorous effect or with the intent of trolling unsuspecting readers.
Of course, there are plenty of insane stories and quotes that are written and shared genuinely too. See if you can discern between the two.
We’ll give you ten examples of text-based stories. You decide whether the story is a copypasta or a real thing that someone said with the intent of being taken seriously. At the end, tally up your correct answers to find out whether or not you’re capable of hanging out with the big kids online.
Let’s begin. And be sure to scroll slowly – the answers are right below the text.
1.
REAL – Tweeted by YouTube star Shane Dawson after people dredged up videos of a joke he made nearly a decade ago.
2.
COPYPASTA – A classic on bodybuilding and fitness-related threads.
3.
COPYPASTA – Typically used as a response to perceived insults online.
4.
REAL – This is a real quote submitted by a Redditor to r/atheism in an attempt to describe his personal experience not believing in God. Unsurprisingly, he was immediately and mercilessly ridiculed.
5.
REAL – This post sources back to a guy on Facebook (codenamed “Shiverbert on Reddit’s r/thathappened forum) who genuinely claimed this happened to him in real life. It definitely didn’t, but he posted it 100% seriously.
6.
COPYPASTA – While parodying actual Rick & Morty fans, the difference is barely discernible.
7.
COPYPASTA – Bill Nye can be replaced with any other celebrity to crush fans’ dreams.
8.
REAL – An excerpt from a real 2008 conversation on a bodybuilding forum that devolved into many users trying to convince one guy that weeks didn’t work the way he thought they did.
9.
COPYPASTA – A mockery of the kind of people who enjoy “random Internet humor.”
10.
REAL – While it may read like a parody of Trump’s mannerism, this is a real speech he delivered as the President of the United States of America.
Tally up the number of posts you correctly assessed for your final score:
1-2 Correct: You clearly have trouble discerning between truth and fiction. You should consider running for president.
3-4 Correct: Keep us all posted on your continued progress.
5-7 Correct: At this moment, you are euphoric.
8-9 Correct: You’re so perceptive, you must be a writer.
10 Correct: Are you a Rick & Morty fan?
So how do you tell the difference between fake posts and real posts online? Heck if we know, everything is batshit insane.
Dan Kahan is a writer & screenwriter from Brooklyn, usually rocking a man bun. Find more at dankahanwriter.com
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