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Internet culture & memes: videos Hacker News recommends
Internet culture: early web, memes, viral videos, forums, social media history, Wikipedia, YouTube creators, online communities, nostalgia for Windows 95 and the 90s web. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (44 comedy videos, 32 commentarys, 15 music videos), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- 5 HN recommenders 11 months 2014–2025Commenters repeatedly name it the best explanation of how internet fame, mobs and outrage work, and cite it in threads about harassment and public figures.
- 13 HN recommenders 10 months 2020–2024The default link in copyright and takedown threads, recommended as an excellent, comprehensive explanation of why automated enforcement and the law work as they do.
- 3 HN recommenders 9 months 2014–20182 2veritasium · explainerHN commenters recommend it, with its follow-up, as an exposé of fake likes and bot activity, and as a warning before spending on Facebook ads.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2017–2023HN commenters cite it whenever a thread asks why clones of or alternatives to YouTube, Reddit or Twitter fail or turn toxic.
- 9 HN recommenders 7 months 2023–2026Recommended as a thorough, sober critique of meme-stock culture and a good starting point whenever GameStop news appears.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2015–2022HN recommends the series as a nuanced analysis of online harassment, defensiveness, and gaming culture conflict.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2018–2024Recommended as an empathetic, non-judgmental analysis of incel radicalization and how to counter it.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2024X XOXO Festival · talkHN uses it as the favorite antidote to survivorship-bias success stories, arguing that trying many cheap things raises your odds.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2014–2021S Sara Forsberg · comedy videoHN points to it as a favorite example of astonishing accent mimicry and fake-language gibberish that sounds real.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2025HN links it constantly in threads on social media, polarization and outrage as the canonical explanation of why angry content wins.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2020–2025HN commenters recommend it as a more thoughtful, balanced and personal take on cancel culture than usual discussion.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2024A Alessandro Grespan · music videoCommenters repeatedly call it a favorite and a mind-blowing introduction to jazz.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2025HN cites it whenever YouTube titles and thumbnails come up, both to defend creators and to criticize the drift toward clickbait.
- 7 HN recommenders 5 months 2014–2025Frequently cited as the source for claims about click farms and fake likes in Facebook advertising, though some argue its methodology was flawed.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2019–2024HN commenters recommend it as an entertaining and thoughtful look at flat earthers that frames the belief as a distrust of failing institutions.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2019–2025J Jason Scott · documentaryHN commenters recommend the series as the definitive history of BBS culture and its Fidonet roots, especially for nostalgia and the origins of the demoscene.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2026HN commenters recommend it as a great, hilarious talk about legal threats and cease and desist letters.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2026B boburnham · music videoHN commenters bring it up in threads about the internet, attention economy and smartphones, mostly as a favorite, with a few dissenters.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2016T textfilesdotcom · talkHN points to it whenever a company shuts down a service and wipes user content, as an entertaining case for digital preservation.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2026A Alamo Drafthouse · comedy videoIt is cited as a viral example of Alamo enforcing its no-talking and no-texting rules with humor.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2013D Derek Sivers · talkRecommended in threads about online hostility as a short reminder to treat strangers as human beings.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2020C Coffee Break · commentaryCited in threads on YouTube algorithms and creator complaints as a data-driven look at the trending tab.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2023T Tom Nicholas · commentaryHN cites it in discussions of sponsored science content and Veritasium's credibility, usually as the go-to critique.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2019Recommended as an entertaining story of a joke side project growing out of hand, brought up in threads on emoji and side projects.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2026HN rates it among the best gaming video essays and Ahoy as one of the best creators on the platform.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2026M Moon Channel · commentaryHN commenters recommend it, along with its sequel, as an enlightening explanation of the economic and cultural roots of gender friction in South Korea.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2021Referenced in threads on social media manipulation and junk content as an interesting miniseries, though one commenter criticized its ExpressVPN ad read.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025M Michael Wesch · explainerCited as a classic, compact explanation of the read/write web and open data, invoked in threads on the semantic web and open APIs.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2025HN commenters recommend the series for understanding bad-faith 'just kidding' dynamics and trolling online.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2023Z Ze Frank · comedy videoShared as reassurance and a reality check for people with idea overflow who keep planning instead of doing.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025Recommended as a mini documentary that explains VRChat's culture and contrasts it with Meta's Horizon Worlds.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2017T The Game Theorists · commentaryHN commenters cite it as an analysis of PewDiePie's popularity and of how YouTube's recommendations favored gaming content.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2025HN commenters cite it in threads about X, Bluesky and online manipulation as evidence that bots and propaganda are real.
- 4 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2024HN commenters point people dealing with concussions or brain injuries to it as a hopeful first-hand story of recovery.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2025R Ryuujin131 · videoHN commenters post it as a quick dose of encouragement, or as a joke reply.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2023HN people cite it as an eye-opening summary of Elsagate and the manipulation of YouTube's algorithm in threads about bot-made and kids' content.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2010–2024HN invokes it as a reframing of the information overload problem, often when discussing content filtering, tagging and curation.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2024J John Mcafee · comedy videoHN mostly cites it as a notorious piece of McAfee lore, usually jokingly, whenever John McAfee or antivirus uninstallation comes up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2025S StarveTheSystem2 · documentaryHN brings it up in discussions of originality, invention, copying and attribution, including AI art.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023Cited in threads about recommendation algorithms and clickbait as a creator's inside view of why optimizing for click-through rate shapes content.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2023H Hank Green · commentaryCited in threads on creator economics as a clear explanation of how TikTok payouts shrink per creator as the platform grows.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2026L L33T GUY · documentaryHN recommends it as a definitive, nostalgic history of BBS culture whenever people ask what the pre-internet online world was like.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2009–2025J Ji Lee · videoCited as evidence that ordinary users often don't understand basic technology like browsers, as a reminder for designers and developers.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2023W Web Design Museum · demoHN points to it as the example of the weird, artistic, animation-heavy web UIs of the Flash era.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2024G Gurkengewuerz · videoHN commenters link it as the full record of r/place whenever the experiment, or collaborative canvases in general, comes up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2021S Stephanie Sterling · commentaryHN cites it as the clearest explanation of how broken Content ID is and of the deadlock trick for defeating forced monetization.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2025J Jon Bois · commentaryShared as the definitive retelling of one of the dumbest online arguments ever.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2019V Veso Vey · comedy videoMostly used as a joke reference whenever forklifts, safety or dying on the job come up, with one commenter calling it a funny and bloody case for warehouse safety.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2025HN cites it as concrete data on how a big YouTube channel diversifies revenue and how little comes from AdSense.
- 2 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2026The go-to citation for why free, open APIs get shut down and for the fate of services like Yahoo Pipes.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2023Referenced in clickbait and YouTube-algorithm debates as a candid creator explanation of why good channels use poor thumbnails.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2009–2022D dkellerm · videoUsed as the classic example of a lone first follower turning one person's action into a movement, in threads about bystanders and group behavior.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2021B BestTechChannel · comedy videoHN commenters use it as a joke or shorthand for the developers chant, mostly not as a recommendation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2026D Dumb Ways to Die · music videoHN mentions it mostly as a joke or a pop-culture reference, and as the campaign that titles play on.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2019HN cites it as the first-hand account of video piracy on Facebook whenever the platform's treatment of creators comes up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2026HN points to it to explain that Stack Overflow's strict moderation was deliberate design, not accident.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2009–2021Cited for Joel's account of how Stack Overflow's design and community thinking were figured out from the start.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022J Josh Wardle · talkHN points to it as a pre-Wordle look at Wardle's thinking on designing online spaces, and as a brief postmortem of r/place.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2022C Chrissy Miklacic · news clipUsed as a stock example of mainstream bafflement at new technology, often invoked in crypto debates.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020Cited in discussions of platform manipulation and eroding institutional trust, though mentions are mostly passing references.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2024P Psychopathic Records · music videoMostly posted as a joke in threads on magnets and physics, echoing the song's 'magnets' lyric.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2020M Matt and Tom · commentaryUsed as an example of how effectively internet sleuths can geolocate someone from small details, in privacy and open-source-intelligence discussions.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2024HN commenters cite it in discussions of punctuation, tone and emoji in chat as a short intro to how internet writing norms developed.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2022Y Youtube Pedant · videoPointed to as striking proof of how good 1990s HD video could look, and as a window into early-90s New York.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026HN links it whenever IDs, base64 or random identifier space come up, as a short and pleasant explainer.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2022A Attila Gárdos · explainerBrought up whenever early predictions of the internet and the web's origins are discussed.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2023U UnHerd · interviewHN commenters cite it as an authoritative-sounding critique of Wikipedia's bias, coming from one of its own founders.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2012–2025Linked whenever the 301 view freeze or view-count validation comes up, as the standard short explanation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2023N NonCompete · commentaryPointed to in radicalization threads as a good explanation of how online humor can funnel people toward extremism.
- The nightmare videos of childrens' YouTube — and what's wrong with the internet today | James Bridle1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2025Cited to explain how YouTube's algorithms produce appalling content aimed at children, and as a reason to keep kids off the platform.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2022I Internet Historian · commentaryHN refers to it as a humorous account of how online communities pinpointed the flag's location, used as an example of crowd-sourced geolocation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2008–2026HN refers to it for the moment where Knuth asks a question and addresses the Steve Jobs anecdote, a favorite geek moment.
- cited 3× 0 months 2022–2026E Empire Fan Productions · comedy videoQuoted as a joke when a company or government changes terms unilaterally.
- cited 3× 0 months 2018–2021P ProZD · comedy videoUsed as a joke when HN threads show enthusiasts arguing over niche details.
- cited 7× 0 months 2015–2023C czg123 · comedy videoCited purely as a joke or meme whenever a thread touches on fearlessness, persistence or honey badgers.
- cited 5× 0 months 2018–2020P PaymoneyWubby · commentaryCited as an outsider's critical look at Musical.ly and TikTok and the child-safety problems of video platforms.
- cited 9× 0 months 2012–2023S sonsofmaxwell · music videoUsed as the classic example of terrible airline customer service, and of how a viral video can force a company to respond.
- cited 3× 0 months 2014–2022V vinnymarquetti · videoLinked for nostalgia, as an instant audio time-travel to the early instant messaging era.
- cited 3× 0 months 2020–2024F fconchita · comedy videoHN uses it as a joke about nerds faking normalcy or sports small talk.
- cited 3× 0 months 2016–2020R REACT · comedy videoHN uses it as a light reference for how old software looks to a new generation, often as a half-joke.
- cited 4× 0 months 2019–2023T TODAY · news clipCited as nostalgic comedy and as an example of media hype and misunderstanding around new technology, often in comparisons to Web3.
- cited 9× 0 months 2014–2025O officialpsy · music videoHN mostly references it as a cultural landmark, notably for overflowing YouTube's view counter and as a view-count benchmark.
- cited 4× 0 months 2016–2026W Weebl's Stuff · music videoHN invokes it purely as a joke or nostalgic meme reference.
- cited 5× 0 months 2023–2026J J.T. Sexkik · comedy videoReferenced as a legendary internet joke, usually when misspellings or Yahoo Answers come up.
- cited 3× 0 months 2021–2024K kasidid2 · music videoHN links it as the original video whenever someone renders Bad Apple on unusual hardware or displays.
- cited 9× 0 months 2011–2026B bagheadinc · comedy videoUsed purely as a joke reply when someone misuses a term.
- cited 3× 0 months 2025Used as a data source on how creators earn money, especially the share from YouTube Premium and sponsors in ad-blocking and advertising threads.
- cited 6× 0 months 2017–2025D Dwight Schrute · videoHN commenters post it as a nostalgic joke or pun in Winamp threads, and sometimes for the classic startup audio.
- cited 5× 0 months 2022–2024S SunnyV2 · commentaryHN cites it as an exposé of fake primitive-tech copycat channels, usually when the genuine Primitive Technology videos come up.
- cited 15× 0 months 2010–2025J John Rearick · videoUsed as a recurring gag or jab at Stallman's social eccentricities; not recommended for its content.
- cited 6× 0 months 2020–2023W Web Design Museum · demoHN commenters link it as nostalgic proof of how inventive and formative the Flash-era web was.
- cited 4× 0 months 2008–20241 1doony4u · comedy videoHN uses it purely as a joke, quoting the chant when threads discuss how much a company or platform depends on developers.
- cited 3× 0 months 2015–2020S Slapnuts McGurk · comedy videoHN uses it purely as a joke reply about being out of touch with changing trends.
- cited 6× 0 months 2015–2025I Impulse Renegade · comedy videoIt is posted as a joke whenever threads discuss unit confusion, bad numeracy or customer service failures.
- cited 4× 0 months 2020–2024G gazala · comedy videoHN commenters invoke it as a punchline when someone confidently opines on something they may not have answers for; it is a running joke, not a recommendation.
- cited 7× 0 months 2019–2022T The Original Ace · tutorialHN cites it as an explanation of the self-claim workaround and an example of how broken YouTube's copyright system is.
- cited 3× 0 months 2014–2022R REACT · comedy videoCited in discussions of intuitive design and how younger people relate to old technology.
- cited 3× 0 months 2017–2022C Cady Heron · comedy videoHN uses it purely as a joke reference when something is being forced or a pun on 'fetch' fits.
- cited 6× 0 months 2023–2026K Kazwire · commentaryLinked by commenters as a reaction or meme reference in unrelated threads, with little explanation.
- cited 3× 0 months 2017–2018C Christoffer Neese · comedy videoHN mostly uses it as a joke or punchline in threads about minimalism versus excess.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 148. Use search to find the rest.
Questions
What is the most recommended internet culture & memes video on Hacker News?
This Is Phil Fish by Innuendo Studios: Commenters repeatedly name it the best explanation of how internet fame, mobs and outrage work, and cite it in threads about harassment and public figures.
How is this internet culture & memes list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.