Cody Lee Miller, now famous for climbing an 80 foot Sequoia tree in downtown Seattle and refusing police requests that he descend, stayed perched at the top for over 24 hours and in that time became an Internet sensation.

As Miller continued his stand-off with police, intermittently throwing branches, pinecones, and an apple at police and bystanders below, concerns arose over the man’s safety, leading the Seattle Police Department to approach the situation with care.

Police efforts to defuse and resolve the situation included closing several blocks around the tree, namely along 4th and Olive. Fire department ladders were climbed by negotiators to coax the man to descend, to no avail. Negotiators also tried to speak to him through the windows of the nearby Macy’s building.

Eventually, the man came down on his own around 11:45am on Wednesday, March 23.

According to Komo News, police brought Miller to Haborview for evaluation and are holding him in jail for investigation of malicious mischief. On Thursday, March 24, he did not attend his scheduled bail hearing, refusing to leave his cell.

The news of this event spread to newspapers including the New York Times, inspired the creation of new memes, and led to an influx of tree-related puns on social media sites, including Twitter and Facebook, under the tag #ManInTree.

Even the Seattle Police Department got in on the action, making a pun of their own.

“@mirahwood Still under investigation. We’ve got negotiators en root,” tweeted the SPD on March 22, according to the Washington Post.

In the past, such an event would pass with little fanfare.

But today, our society’s consumerism culture has led to a proliferation of memes and Internet references, making people like Miller temporarily “internet-famous”.

At a base level, the Internet makes the interconnectedness of society very clear.

Americans have an incredible rate of consumption of knowledge, entertainment, and products. There is a constant desire to see, learn, and experience new things. The Internet has created an environment where people can quickly rally behind new trends, and have an increased awareness of current events and fads.

Our fast-paced, consumerism culture comes with its own set of pros and cons. Whether its effects are ultimately negative or positive, it is certainly something we should be aware of and keep an eye on.

Situations like Miller’s will certainly arise again, and go largely unnoticed. But millions of people have seen or heard about #ManInTree, and the real nagging question is why, and to what benefit.