GIFs' Lost Coolness: Reflecting on Digital Ageing Online

I dismissed the discomfort of my troublesome knee and the encroaching gray hue in my beard. However, in the face of my beloved animated graphics losing their fashionable status, I can't help but ponder if this extends to my own relevancy.

Without indulging in self-aggrandizement, I possess a distinct proficiency in the creation of GIFs. These are not the pre-fabricated variety; my repertoire doesn't include the ubiquitous "man-blinking-in-polite-disbelief," "woman-in-a-turquoise-top-doing-a-spit-take," or the classic Ron Burgundy exclamation: "That escalated quickly." Rather, my specialization lies in crafting tailored and bespoke GIFs, meticulously chosen for each unique context. Occasionally, I even curate my own GIFs, extracting memorable lines or wry facial expressions from television shows and reserving them for specific occasions. For instance, the inclusion of Super Hans from Peep Show uttering, "The secret ingredient is crime," serves as an exemplar. While it may lack the versatility of a generic GIF, akin to Homer Simpson's retreat into a hedge, its selective utilization renders it all the more impactful.

However, a singular quandary emerges in this context, and if you belong to the Generation Y cohort or a younger demographic, you're likely already engaged in producing a TikTok video to elucidate it for me: GIFs have fallen out of favor. The realm of GIF usage has now been embraced by middle-aged individuals. Platforms such as Twitter and WhatsApp have incorporated GIF search functionalities that aid even those with limited technological affinity in locating animations like a young girl energized by sugar at a baseball game or Steve Carell's forceful exclamation of "No!" GIFs, due to their universal appeal, have consequently lost their cachet. As Natasha Lyonne expresses in a GIF from a television series I haven't yet viewed, these dynamics are beyond my control. I harbor the wish that I possessed such authority.

While grappling with a tender knee and the emergence of greying in my beard, this marks the inaugural instance when I've truly sensed the weight of age. I've achieved mastery in a skill that has become wholly outmoded, akin to the roles of a knocker-upper or a leech collector. While my array of professional opportunities far exceeds those of a 19th-century textile laborer, the sentiment is far from uplifting. Is this the trajectory that life has charted henceforth? My journey entails grappling with new technology only to discern its redundancy shortly after?

My decision is now irrevocable. Notably, author and polemicist Nassim Taleb introduces the Lindy Effect into discourse, proposing that the enduring nature of nonperishable elements – encompassing technology and concepts – correlates directly with their extended sustainability. By this reasoning, a book that has sustained its presence for four decades possesses a higher likelihood of persisting for another four, in contrast to a fleeting bestseller that emerged merely a week prior. Henceforth, I am resolved to immerse myself exclusively in skills that remain impervious to technological emulation for centuries, such as the culinary arts over an open fire or the craft of papier-mâché. The era of GIFs may have reached its closure, yet the potential revival of cave painting lies untapped.

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