One of the reasons I chose the Care Bear/Hellraiser image is because I have always been intrigued by the putting together of two things that don't usually go together because of seemingly incongruous traits. This image is an extreme version of that phenomenon, but in storytelling, this is nothing new. Frankenstein's Monster is a very genteel creature even though he is repugnant to look at. One questions if he is even evil at all given the fact that he is rejected mainly because of his physiognomy. On the other hand, Stitch from the Lilo and Stitch movies is a cute little critter whose original name is Experiment 626, as in he is an experimental creature designed to kill and maim things, and yet he finds he can be loved and can turn away from violence because he is accepted into a family. In both these examples, we can see that by putting together dichotomous traits in one character, we examine what both traits mean in relation to one another at the micro and macro levels.
I think that this is why ideas are remixed. We want to know more about why things work as they do and what happens when we change something due to our own curiosity. "Generally speaking, remix culture can be defined as the global activity consisting of the creative and efficient exchange of information made possible by digital technologies that is supported by the practice of cut/copy and paste" (Navas). We usually see remixing in music because, up until the late 20th Century, it was relatively easy and efficient to change and distribute music. Dylan's acoustic version of a song he wrote is electrified by Hendrix, and the song is totally different in terms of tone. Dylan's version of "All Along the Watchtower" sounds like a sad lament while Hendrix sounds like he is taking us through a tour of Crazy Town. The lyrics are the same, but Hendrix metaphorically paints an electric landscape with his guitar work. Dylan might have written the song, but Hendrix owns it now in the minds of many people.
Now, technology makes it easier to remix more than just music. A person sees Care Bears and Hellraiser and has a sick idea to put the two together and using picture manipulation tools can do so easily. I actually made the header for this website using MS Paint in a matter of 30 minutes. Most of the time was used just searching for images. If someone sees my header and thinks it's cool, it might even get saved and passed along (doubtful since it's a sloppy copypasta but a boy can dream, right?)
While copyright problems do exist because of remix culture, consider the fact that remix is a global experience made possible by the Internet. For every silly image like the one I'm examining, we get the opportunity to learn what silly means, or what is depth, or pain or darkness? Remix is just a way to create dialogue that is not limited by speech.
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