A 25-Year History of the Animated GIF, Told by GIFs

theatlantic:

WHEN THE GIF WAS INVENTED IT WAS ALL LIKE

AND

AND OF COURSE

THEN BROWSERS CAME ALONG THAT COULD AUTOMATICALLY ANIMATE, SO THINGS START TO LOOK LIKE

THEN WE REACHED PEAK GIF, WITH A PROTO-INTERNET MEME THAT LOOKED LIKE 

THEN INTERNET 2.0 CAME ALONG AND GIFS STOPPED BEING COOL AND THE TREND WAS ALL LIKE 

THEN THE INTERNET DISCOVERED IRONY AND GIFS GOT ALL POST-MODERN LIKE

Read more at The Atlantic Wire.

This is the Mona Lisa of GIF histories.

Bowing down.

Notes

  1. suchavarietyofinterests reblogged this from akumest
  2. emphaticsa reblogged this from blackdependent
  3. whatsbehindthefacade reblogged this from mytruthisinthestars
  4. iamthelaur reblogged this from mytruthisinthestars
  5. mytruthisinthestars reblogged this from attack-attazkaban
  6. attack-attazkaban reblogged this from kylewpppd and added:
    Omfg the Shining though omg
  7. blackdependent reblogged this from theatlantic
  8. adhdad reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Look at The Atlantic being all silly.
  9. lainabgawid reblogged this from nocontxt
  10. catchat105 reblogged this from mt and added:
    Happy Birthday GIFs!
  11. anotherkate reblogged this from theatlantic
  12. nemurika reblogged this from theatlantic
  13. helaijia reblogged this from theatlantic
  14. saguusa reblogged this from rachelevation76
  15. im-cherrytree reblogged this from theatlantic
  16. likemagpiesdo reblogged this from theatlantic
  17. machimach reblogged this from theatlantic
  18. cableknit-knight reblogged this from theatlantic
  19. theextras reblogged this from theatlantic
  20. rachelevation76 reblogged this from theatlantic
  21. humans-are-so-nostalgic reblogged this from runtisgruntle
  22. little-alternative-girl reblogged this from thedustatdawn
  23. sinanyuzakli reblogged this from mattlehrer
  24. apollos-delight reblogged this from kylewpppd
  25. runtisgruntle reblogged this from cnet