What is the meta joke?

The meta joke, as discussed in "Infinite Loops 2022," revolves around a scene from "The Wire" where McNulty and other cops are in Stringer Bell's house and are intimidated by his collection of sophisticated books. They mistakenly perceive Stringer as more intellectual than he actually is, epitomized by their reaction to finding a copy of "The Wealth of Nations." This scene humorously highlights the gap between the characters' perception of Stringer's intelligence and the reality of his decisions throughout the show, which are often poorly made. This gap also extends to the show's audience and potentially even its creator, David Simon, blurring the lines between the characters' reality and the viewers' expectations. This twist on perception versus reality becomes a meta joke, escaping the boundaries of the show itself 1.