It is the dream of every writer to compose a listicle that will stand the test of time as a seminal work of literature. Not every person to pick up a pen has the intuition, skill, and perseverance to master this subtle literary form. Mere inspiration and a familiarity with poetics is not sufficient for the task. What precise philological alchemy results in a masterpiece remains a mystery.
But, occasionally, a listicle of true genius appears. Today, that accomplishment comes from BuzzFeed author David Rattigan. His 20 Things Only Heirs to the Martian Throne Will Understand masterfully parodies the genre by perfectly matching pithy summations of the human experience and reaction .gifs.
Observe that the Pulitzer Prize does not have a category for listicles. This is a serious oversight.