The (Thursday) Mixer: Justin Bieber and Meme Ascendancy
He's a dad. He's a husband. And he can tell us a lot about the ingredients of virality.
🍸 What’s the one thing you should always bring to a cocktail party? The answer's simple: something interesting to talk about. So here’s The Friday Thursday Mixer, a quick weekly snippet from the world around us to make you a little more prepared to spur conversation over the long weekend.
It's been three weeks to the day since we were served Justin Bieber's latest viral moment — and, for those of us who've watched (and re-watched) it, we can't stop hearing that emphatic climactic refrain: "It's not clocking to you that I'm standing on business!" (which he tells the paparazzi who are nipping at his heels).
A big part of why the phrase has stuck in our collective ears is because we can't escape it: TikTokers and meme-makers galore have had a field day creating their own renditions of the moment. And...of course they have! Not only is the video excruciatingly entertaining to watch, but it also contains ingredients that are key for meme ascendancy: a recognizable personality, an unexpected display of emotion, and a turn of phrase that you didn't see coming. And even better when it's two awkwardly used and utterly disconnected turns of phrase — "not clocking to you" and "standing on business" — that are mashed together to become one messy earworm.
So, what was Bieber trying to say, anyway? Basically: You're not getting that I'm not playing around here. Which may not be the best way to start a conversation at this weekend's cocktail parties (or 4th of July bbqs), but it could be handy if you, like Justin, need to create a little space for yourself.
🫒 The Garnish
"Everyone wants to be timeless. But in order to be timeless, you have to be willing to be timely."
– David Rockwell, architect and designer
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