What is a meme & what does it mean?

The modern-day definition of a meme is a humorous image, video, piece of text, or GIF that is spread across the internet, typically on social media, and often with slight variations. Memes can be created by anyone and can be about anything, from current events, to mundane tasks, to pop culture references. The length of a meme varies.

What is a meme & how does it spread?

While he had no idea of its future internet-related context, he used the word meme to describe an idea, behavior, or style that rapidly spreads from person to person in a culture. In his book, he likened a meme's spread to that of a virus.

When was meme first used?

In fact, author Richard Dawkins first used the word in his 1976 work The Selfish Gene. The book looked at evolution and used meme to describe an idea or behavior that spreads across people in a culture. When someone says meme nowadays, they're probably referring to an internet meme.

Why are memes so popular?

Memes are a worldwide social phenomenon. The more a meme resonates with people, the more they'll share it and the farther it will spread. Memes are usually funny, but often that humor is injected with wry political or social commentary. Sometimes memes exist for shock value or to teach a life lesson.