Meta-media object

A Meta-media object is a creation in a specific medium which utilizes the conventions of said medium to comment on itself. Meta-media objects usually provide some type of critical commentary concerning the conventions of the medium through which they are constructed. The work of the media theorist Marshall McLuhan may have inspired the creation of Meta-media objects. With the rise of the Web 2.0 and websites like YouTube, Machinima and Podcasts have become two popular forms of Meta-media objects. Examples from our class include the remix video in which pre-existing media is used to create a commentary upon some subject. Meta-media objects exemplify ways in which people can participate in our culture by using the technology constructively and creatively.

Cultural Significance

Meta-media objects are self-referential forms of expression. A meta-media object consists of both a meme as well as its disassociation from normalized consumption. In terms of sociology, the self-referential nature of a meta-media object creates sense of otherness not normally associated with the meme being consumed. This allows an individual to experience a meme from an external point of view. Just as with many artistic genres, an individual is provided with a means for exploring a unit of culture during a period of critical reflection. This period of critical reflection is driven by a meme's disassociation from its normal context. The delivery and consumption of meta-media objects is indicative of the evolution human creativity.