What exactly does it mean when something is described as "very meta"? As a fellow gaming and pop culture enthusiast, I‘m sure you‘ve heard the word "meta" thrown around a lot recently. But this concept goes far beyond just gaming lingo. Meta has become a ubiquitous part of slang and culture across the internet and IRL (in real life).
In this article, I‘m going to unravel the full meaning of meta in modern slang. We‘ll explore its origins, growth in usage, appearances across various media, and why self-referential meta humor resonates so much today. Let‘s level up our understanding of meta!
Demystifying the Meaning of "Meta"
First, a quick etymology lesson. Meta comes from the Greek preposition and prefix “meta” (μετά), meaning “after”, “beyond”, or “on top of”. It suggests something that goes above or higher than another level.
Some key definitions:
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About itself or its own category. For example, "meta-analysis" in research is an analysis of other analyses.
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Self-referential, self-aware, self-examining. Like a book about writing books.
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Abstract or theoretical. Metaphysics studies abstract philosophical topics.
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Transforming, transcending, commenting on its own subject matter from a higher perspective.
So in essence, meta means something that folds back on itself to provide perspective from a higher vantage point. Meta is looking at something while remaining acutely aware that you are looking.
A Brief History of Meta in Philosophy and Rhetoric
The idea of meta has been around since ancient Greece and classical philosophy. Aristotle spoke of metaphysics – the study of existence itself. Meta was also used to describe self-aware, abstract rhetoric.
Some key moments in the philosophical development of meta:
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Plato and Socrates used dialogues and framing devices that were somewhat meta, reflecting back on their own philosophical discussions.
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Medieval philosopher John of Salisbury wrote the Metalogicon, which theorized logic itself in a very meta fashion.
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In the 18th century, philosopher Emmanuel Kant explored "meta-cognition" – thinking about thinking.
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Post-modern 20th century philosophers like Jacques Derrida advanced highly meta theories of meaning and textuality.
So meta has deep roots as a concept referring to abstraction, frames within frames, and self-awareness about philosophical thought itself. Now let‘s look at how it entered pop culture and slang…
The Rise of Meta in Pop Culture
Meta started gaining traction in regular slang and entertainment in the 1960s and 1970s. Examples from this era:
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Post-modern metafiction writers like Kurt Vonnegut, John Fowles, and Italo Calvino played with the conventions of novels.
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In 1973, Woody Allen‘s film Sleeper parodied and satirized sci-fi movies – a very meta comedic move!
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The original TV series MAS*H frequently broke the fourth wall, commenting on its own role as an anti-war social satire.
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Wes Craven‘s meta horror classic Scream (1996) winkingly referenced and twisted the clichés of slasher movies.
But usage of "meta" really took off as we entered the 21st century. Some data points on the meta explosion:
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Use of "meta" in literature grew over 1500% between 1960 and 2008 based on Google Books data.
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Academic papers with meta in the title increased by over 900% between 2000 to 2015.
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Google searches for "meta" quintupled between 2004 and today.
| Year | Google Searches for "Meta" (millions) |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 14/month |
| 2010 | 18/month |
| 2015 | 34/month |
| 2022 | 64/month |
What explains this rapid proliferation of meta in recent decades? Our postmodern, media-saturated world lends itself to meta‘s ironic sensibilities. Meta resonates perfectly with generations raised on the internet and social media oversharing.
Meta themes have flourished across media including…
Meta in Modern TV and Movies
TV shows like Community, Arrested Development, and The Simpsons are chock full of meta gags pointing out their own plot holes or lampooning the conventions of their genres.
Some great examples of meta comedy films:
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Deadpool constantly cracks jokes about typical superhero movies, leaning into absurd tropes.
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21 Jump Street makes fun of reboots, sequels, and viewers‘ nostalgia for old shows and films.
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Cabin in the Woods deconstructs horror in a very meta way, like a magnifying glass turned back onto the entire slasher genre.
Even prestige dramas like Mad Men get meta by foregrounding their own fictionality – reminding us we are watching scripted television.
Meta in Literature and Books
In books and literature, metafiction remains a vibrant genre. Novels like:
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Jennifer Egan‘s A Visit from the Goon Squad feature characters aware they exist in a book.
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House of Leaves incorporates layers of footnotes, commentary, and edits that get incredibly meta.
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Graeme Macrae Burnet‘s His Bloody Project is a novel presented as a true crime case file, complete with "discovered documents".
These techniques draw attention to the artificiality and construction of the texts themselves.
Meta on Social Media
Social media takes meta to new self-referential heights. Users now constantly make posts that are about the act of posting itself or reference the platform‘s features. For example:
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Tweeting screenshots of a silly argument between other Twitter users.
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An Instagram photo making fun of Instagram influencer tropes.
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A Tumblr post pointing out how often identity debates occur on Tumblr.
Even memes have become very meta, evolving into in-jokes about other memes, with layers of irony and absurdity. We live in a social media world where virtually any post could be considered somewhat meta these days.
Meta in Gaming and Esports
Now let‘s look at how meta has proliferated in gaming culture and vocabulary…
Gaming communities frequently use "meta" as shorthand for dominant strategies and team comps. For example, if Rush strategies are strong in an RTS game, going for early Rush may be "meta".
In team-based games like League of Legends, a certain combination of champion roles or abilities might emerge as the prevailing meta. At high tiers of play, pros are expected to know the meta perfectly.
As a long-time Dota 2 player, I‘ve witnessed the meta evolve many times as heroes get rebalanced. Heroes considered "meta" become first pick/ban priorities in tournaments and ranked matches, while others fall out of favor.
In esports like Overwatch and Fortnite, pros like Ninja often complain publicly when excessive healing/shielding metas make matches too slow and defensive. Understanding the meta – and hoping developers shift it – is vital.
So being meta in gaming refers to strategies viewed as optimal at a given time. Metas constantly change with patches and the discovery of new approaches.
Why Has Meta Resonated So Strongly?
Clearly "meta" has gone fully mainstream. But why does this concept resonate so powerfully for audiences and creators today?
I see a few key reasons:
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We live in highly self-aware, media-saturated times. Social media and the internet have made us hyper-conscious of ourselves and culture. Meta fits perfectly.
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Meta humor feels fresh compared to more clichéd comedy. Meta subverts and twists expectations in ways that feel new.
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Meta allows commentary and creativity within constraints. Works can reinvent tired formulas without fully rejecting them.
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Meta fiction feels intellectually engaging. It forces audiences to participate more actively in the narrative experience.
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We enjoy recognition of shared cultural knowledge. Spotting meta pop culture references provides a dopamine rush.
Essentially, meta thrills us by tapping into our endless appetite for novelty and surprise, all while allowing us to feel knowingly in on the joke.
Conclusion: Meta Means Perspective
So in summary, when we describe something today as "very meta", we mean it displays a great degree of self-awareness and exists on a higher conceptual or referential plane from its subject matter. Meta implies an extra layer of perspective.
I hope unraveling the origins and growth of meta as a concept has provided you with a meta-level of insight into this ubiquitous slang term! Let me know if you have any other lingo mysteries you‘d like explained. Language is endlessly fascinating and ever-evolving.
