Beggar Memes

First, what is a meme? Many of us have heard the word, but a few of us have not.

Meme: "a pervasive thought or thought pattern that replicates itself via cultural means; a parasitic code, a virus of the mind especially contagious to children and the impressionable"

This type of thought pattern commonly applies to the internet, and is spread like a wildfire through the use of websites like Twitter.com, or online communities. Think of them as culturally propelled running jokes, often amongst strangers.

Now that we know how a meme works – How then, does a (presumably homeless) beggar hear about the antics of other (presumably homeless) beggars in other cities? Through my own Internet use, I've seen a clever sign from a homeless person in Seattle, that may also appear on a Denver street corner held up with some semblance of twisted bum pride.

Without the use of the internet, How does this spread so far and wide?

This clever-bum-sign meme really started with “I won't lie, I just want a beer.” How many of us have seen that sign in how many different cities? Right.

Someone somewhere decided that was hilarious, and gave the “I won't lie, I just want a beer” guy extra change. Suddenly, everyone won't lie, they just need their beer, or they're saving for a hooker (yea, I saw that once.)



So, somehow a homeless person saw that this “being clever” tactic was working, and organized all their homeless buddies into a sewing circle of cardboard signs. Word got out from one major city to the next via tin-can-on-a-string-phone, and poof – meme.

This makes me wonder if some cross-country drivers stop to chat with these corner dwellers/beggers. “Yea, so I saw this guy in San Francisco with a sign that said “I won't lie, I just need a beer” and it did wonders for the people stopping to give him change – much more effective than 'Jesys LoVEs yoU'” Which had that beggar questioning his own tactics, and switching gears to a more contemporary approach.

Or if they had a financial meeting “change is way down this month, we need to get more creative. You guys, find out how other cities are keeping up their revenue streams, we need all the help we can get.” Thus conducting the largest scale beggar migration...Yea, I don't know where I should be going with that. The point is – How is this spreading? Also, why are we still giving the guy that holds the sign that says “Spaceship broke down, need change to fix. Anything helps,” extra money?

It's a scam, I tell you, and too many of us are falling for it! Just say no to witty beggar signs, you're just encouraging madness! Furthermore, This article has tempted me to stand on a street corner with a sign that reads “Keep the Wild in Wildlife, Don't feed the panhandlers.” Properly punctuated, of course.

(Editors note: Ron Workman thought I should point out that the word Meme was created by the author Richard Dawkins (Best known for The God Delusion) in the mid 70's)