In a world defined by digital communication, it is no coincidence that memes play a role in spreading information. Since the birth of the internet, creative users have whipped up images with the intent to bring small chuckles and to lighten up a person's day. The term "meme" originated from Richard Dawkins' 1976 book, The Selfish Gene, where he described them as "mimema," Greek for "that which is imitated." According to Dawkins, memes are cultural units that replicate through imitation, evolving like genes. This post will explore the role of memes in digital culture.
How memes have changed the world
“Meme” describes a basic unit of cultural idea or symbol which can be transmitted from one individual to another. In our everyday lives, we use memes as a form of communication. Take the catchphrases and clichés we use to translate non-literal, cultural ideas and the similes and metaphors we verbally use. These all are things that are memes or get turned into memes. For those who are less involved with them perhaps see them as nonsensical creations and a good way to kill time. Many global brands capitalize on using memes to spread awareness about their products and services. Since memes can come in various forms, it makes them a trendy and relevant solution for advertising, promoting or marketing a concept.
The memes that go trending for days
Memes can be anything and everything. They may take the form of words, phrases, quotes, animals and real/fictional characters. As they are of no specific origin, it means that almost anyone can create one and proceed to share it on social sites and feeds in hope to become to go viral. For those who look for their memes to catch on, posting it on sites like Reddit, Tumblr, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook can increase the chances. It is also good to remember that the best memes have short, quippy, and relatable body text. According to wikiHow, there is an assortment of different types including but not limited to traditional types, dank types, edgy types and even wholesome types.
Making the memes matter
As we all know, content is the keystone in bridging the gap between brand and user. Information that is released on the internet can stay forever on the internet. This is very important for those who use memes as part of their content strategy to assess the relevance of the content they put out with their brand. It has to feel authentic in order to evoke action from the consumer. It never ends well brands who wish to jump on the latest trend for publicity. For those looking to use memes for political and social agenda should remember to back up their commentary with references and evidence.
The dark side of memes
In today’s world of instant information gratification, we have easy hands-on opinions, rationalizations, and superficial descriptions. This vast access makes it easier for us to make quick judgement and assumptions but harder for a layman to grasp the factual knowledge of a topic. Some individuals use memes in the disguise of darker messages. This could be in the form of hate speech, fake news and propaganda or even as content evoking harm. According to Chelsea from NBC news, memes can attribute to ‘caustic humor, bigoted hostility and fetishistic flattening’ in people, bringing out the worst in them.
So... Did you make that?
There is much debate around copyright authorship, anonymity and fair use and several creators have now started to or threaten to sue for copyright infringements with memes. Across Europe, particularly in Germany, the current copyright laws permit private copying of copyright work if there is sufficient remuneration provided to the owner. This opens up to discourse on the effectiveness of this rule. What if the meme was not infringing any copyright laws or those who are taking legal action were not the original proprietary owner of the meme? This adds complexity to the matter, a need to investigate things from a case-by-case basis!
Resources(Article) 21 Meme Statistics That Will Blow Your Mind and Your ReadersMemes have become an integral part of internet culture, and their prevalence continues to grow. This article breaks into different statistics, including research from universities too.(Article) Top meme statistics in 2023Whether you are laughing at a relatable meme or using one for marketing, memes continue to shape online interactions and culture. This article dives into top memes statistics for 2023.(Paper) Memes in a Digital World: Reconciling with a Conceptual TroublemakerThis paper re-examines the concept of “meme” in the context of digital culture. Memes, defined as cultural units that spread from person to person, have been debated long before the digital era.
