Meme’s and Meme Culture Explained
What are Meme’s and What Is Meme Culture?
There are many different definitions for the word meme, and many different associations to the word too. The more concrete definition of the word meme is ‘a unit of cultural information spread by imitation’. The term ‘meme’ was introduced in 1976 by the famous British biologist Richard Dawkins.
Here’s how to spot a meme: it’s usually a picture or an image of someone or something, followed by some text. The picture is usually a snippet of something trending in pop culture, a cartoon, or even perhaps a viral video. The text caption in the image is usually a relatable reference to something that the mass population can identify with.
Sometimes that text is even relating to a news, social, political or economic event. Memes find their popularity and fame mostly by being shared over the internet, they gain galactic speed here and some of the best ones go viral literally overnight. The point of a meme is to entertain and gain viral traction.
What is Meme Culture?
Meme culture is the evolution of a specific culture, trend and following all created by memes. Memes used to be a background form of humour or entertainment that one would receive in the odd chain email, or see on a Facebook newsfeed. But now, memes have become so much more. Memes have become their own way of communication and there is an entire sector to the internet dedicated just to memes. Memes are now referenced and quoted outside of the internet, they have also made people famous and given them celebrity status, just because they were in a meme.
How Far Has Meme Fever Reached?
The generations that have grown up with meme culture, social media and online digital communities, the concept of a meme community is normal to them. They have grown up in a world where memes are a form of communication, and are also a way to bring people together. Memes create community, where no matter who you are or where you are in the world, a viral meme is something that can be shared between you.
The older generations pre-meme culture, have been very receptive to the evolution of the internet, social media and meme culture too. The older generations are using memes just as much, if not more than the younger folk. Memes are a novelty to the older generations and can often feel like a way for them to connect to a world that might be leaving them behind. Memes can be understood by just about anyone, providing the text is in your language of course. Meme culture has reached far enough that memes are not segregated to one demographic, race, class, culture or gender.
Overall, much like playing bingo for real money, meme culture takes up a massive portion of the digital age. Memes span across all platforms and can be found anywhere at any time. The content of a meme might not always be suited to everyone, depending on background and humour preferences, but it is safe to say that memes will continue to globally entertain audiences of various ages.
