Internet Memes

Wikipedia explains that, "The word ‘meme’ is a neologism coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins occurring in The Selfish Gene to describe how one might extend Darwinian principles to explain the spread of and cultural phenomena.” Memes are pictures, videos, images, or even ideas that are spread exponentially among various different groups of people. There tends to never be a clear reason as to why memes spread so rapidly or vastly, however these memes usually share one common element; they are entertaining. Some examples of famous memes are: Leeroy Jenkins and Lolcats.

If memes have been around since 1976, why are we talking about them now? Well- it is true; actually memes have been around since ancient times, when ideas were spread through word-of-mouth or some type of imagery. However, the Internet changed the significance of the word entirely. The instantaneousness of the Internet helps memes easily get posted for public display, as well as facilitating the manner in which people can share these memes. This gives certain populations a chance to experiences memes they may never have been able to without the Internet’s connection.

Memes require a few essential elements before being able to be completely understood. A large part of why memes are immeasurably spread throughout a population is because they are usually taken out of their initial medium and used in another video or image. Consequently, most memes require a certain amount of context to be understood. Memes are frequently compared to inside jokes because they tend to only appeal to specific types of groups. Being able to understand both what the meme is referencing and the original humor attached to it is in a sense mastering the joke. Really, the overall intent of Internet memes is just making people laugh.

Who cares about memes? Advertisers do! With the advent of search engines like Youtube, which produces hundreds of new videos by the hour, visual exposure of the world is spreading just as fast as memes are. Realizing this, advertisers are smartly attaching their brand names to certain Internet memes. When people view a meme and find it entertaining, they may be obliged to see that a certain brand is helping to support that particular production. The best part about all this is that memes themselves do not have to make sense; in turn, advertisers can keep with the spirit of the meme and tag their name to any type of meme they want, whether it relates to their product or not. Memes can also be used to gain exposure for small, individual businesses. If one wants to self-promote and get their name out there, a meme can be strategically used to do so. Sometimes, a meme may also inadvertently make a celebrity out of someone (ex: Star Wars Kid).

Internet memes have found their way into popular culture and will continue to infect computer screens for years to come, whether you’re in on the joke or not.