The animated GIF is a wordless poem.

Without the barrier of language, it expresses emotions, and visualizes in one looping series of frames what it would take the written word, well, at least a sentence, maybe even two! It’s for this reason that some GIFs persist, long past relevance and the internet’s self-destructive short-term memory.

Why does one GIF stick around for years, while another expires faster than a carton of milk? One theory: a long-lasting GIF is often preserved by a rich backstory. In the best GIFs, we sense we’re getting a look at the perfect moment of something bigger. There’s an implication of mystery, or even mythos.

A timeless GIF has an implication of mystery, or even mythos

Which brings us to the math wall….

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