You might have thought that this was clickbait, but I am seriously going to speak about memes, starting from the etymology all the way to the latest memes. It has been brought to my attention that I am not the only one who loves memes, but many millennials are meme-enthusiasts. However, you can also think of this article as a crash course for all the confused moms and dads and ill-informed people out there who don’t understand memes and don’t know where to begin to do the research. Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about memes.
- The definition of memes
British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976) coined the term meme when he was talking about evolution, but I guess you can say that the term has evolved for its original definition. (yes, the pun was intended) According to wikipedia, it is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture, others say that it’s internet culture. However, my favorite definition for memes is something that my friends told me, memes are just Neo-dadaism. If you don’t know what dadaism is, it is an artistic and literary movement that started in Switzerland (1916-1923) that disregarded traditional aesthetic and cultural values by producing artworks that are seen as nonsensical, absurd, and incongruous.
2. The birth of a star
In 1996, a 3-D diapered baby started doing the cha-cha on the internet and it was the birth of memes, viral internet sensations. Memes made a comeback in the mid-2000s, some refer to this period as Meme Renaissance, however, it is arguable that we live in the Golden Age of meme in the 2010s due to the common use of internet and the millennial generation.
3. A look at some of the most iconic memes
Much like its original use of the term in a biological sense, successful memes survive and spread, and the ones that fail will be forgotten. Let’s take a look at some of the most successful memes that we grew up with, and shall never be forgotten.
" Star Wars" by Ghyslain Raza, 2002
"Pepe" Matt Furie for his comic series Boy's Club, 2005
"Troll Face" by Carlos Ramirez, 2008
"Grumpy Cat" Bryan Bundesen (brother of Grumpy Cat owner), 2012
"Doge" Atsuko Sato (photo posted in 2010), popularized in 2013
4. Why? Why? Why?
You may find yourself asking why o’ why are memes so popular. It is mainly used by the younger generation or the millennials, including yours truly, and we are constantly looking for humor to fill the empty void inside of us cause by the realization that we are not as special as those “you tried” trophies we received as children told us we were, and that we will not be able to find a job that can pay for food, rent, and student loans right after we spend at least four years believing that we would be instantly successful after the completion of a bachelor degree at the price of 40 grand a year (at least). Too sad? So are the millennials!
5. Where to find memes
It all started on sites like 4chain, Reddit, and Tumblr, where users create and share memes on online platforms. Nowadays, you simply cannot escape memes even if you tried. They are everywhere! Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Even my parents have seen them. You know something or someone is popular when your elder immigrant parents know about them. Yeah, I’m talking to you, Kanye West and Candy Crush!
P.S. if you have any questions about any memes, go to www.knowyourmeme.com.
Here is everything that you need to know about memes in order to fully appreciate this modern-day art culture. I hope you found this article hopeful and may you find the rarest Pepe.
