memes: as told by the one who knows nothing about them

An internet meme is something transferred from individual to individual within a culture – usually containing a humorous element – that can have an influence on society and that culture. While a meme is humorous, that humor reveals underlying cultural concerns about society. See this tweet from @GeneticJen from 2017: I see hundreds of great […]

What Do You Meme?

To me, a meme is digital content created to entertain online viewers. Although the main purpose is entertainment, I think memes should be taken more seriously because they’re actually a very accurate representation of the larger issues in our society. What makes memes entertaining is that they typically ridicule human behavior, which is what takes […]

When a meme means more

Minutes after TMZ broke the news of Kobe Bryant’s death in a tragic helicopter crash, Twitter erupted into collective mourning. Words of respect, timeless photographs and favorite memories filled the feeds of many across the platform, but one video in particular came up most across the board—a clip of Kobe talking basketball with his young […]

Offensive or Funny? Where Do We Draw The Line?

pic.twitter.com/VsCG4IZYtP — Dark Memes (@DarkDarkMemes) December 12, 2018 pretty much 💁‍♀️#coronavirus #WW3 pic.twitter.com/CWfagx9yh4 — Zagie (@Zagiexo) January 28, 2020 Today, social media acts as the respected informal medium for communication. A popular new way to engage and spread ideology on social media is through memes. An internet meme is usually a simple photo […]

Memes Leave Lasting Impressions

A meme is an idea with spreading power symbolizing an element of culture usually expressed through text and graphics. Gleick states, “memes are complex units, distinct and memorable–-units with staying power (Gleick, 2011).” Memes combine current culture with humor packaged in a visual.

While memes utilize humor, they should be taken seriously. Memes can be seen as a reflection of current society and leave a lasting impression. Roger Sperry says “[i]deas cause ideas and help evolve new ideas (Gleick, 2011).” In this sense, memes are embedding ideas in the mind of the public and helping to evoke new ones.

In this example, an early meme is used to discuss the current political climate. This particular meme is used to represent unfortunate situations that are out of one’s control. World War III may be no joke, but the Twittersphere can relate to Trump’s out of context and questionable tweets.

Trump tweeting “all is well” is basically living out this meme. #WWIII pic.twitter.com/zlPYuXA7oN

— Mike Larsen for Congress (@MikeLarsenOH) January 8, 2020

In another example, a meme is used to create a discussion about climate change. It also integrates popular culture use of “boomer” to direct its audience at Millenials or Gen-Z. While the meme discusses a serious issue and the lack of consistent opinions on the topic, it also brings in humor to capture the audience.

I found climate change boomer memes and I'm wheezing pic.twitter.com/v72Sbc82lN

— Dave Eternal (@DaveOshry) January 25, 2020

In each of these examples, a serious topic is used as a meme in order to create awareness and lasting impressions on the public. Memes are a current way of discussing important topics and fostering community with humor.

Seriously Silly Internet Memes

An internet meme is a type of humor online shared between people of the same culture. Internet memes are not just humorous, they should be taken seriously. As a society, we hold comedians to such a high standard because they make us feel good; basically, we pay money to laugh. Internet memes are free, TikTok, […]

The Modern Meme

In today’s day and age, we see memes everywhere go, especially on social media. Whether it be on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, memes can always be found on our feeds, ready to make us laugh. When you log in to your accounts, maybe you’ll see a meme about how much Mondays suck. Or perhaps you’ll […]

The Meaning Behind the Meme

In the last couple of years, memes have been all over social media and have been trending throughout all platforms. As it can be described in many different ways, what I would say a meme is, is a video or image that is representing a theme, emotion or belief that someone has that can be […]

Some of y’all don’t know your memes and it shows

A meme can be described as “an amusing or interesting item or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media”. Memes are generally taken as a joke or something humorous. Most users on social media, like Twitter or Instagram will caption their posts with a meme, which their audience may find […]

Memes: Proceed with Caution

Memes have become synonymous with social media, as they are weaved throughout our social feeds. But has anyone considered that they may cause more harm than humor? A meme is typically a visual form of communication, in which a picture with a relatable message written on it expresses a certain feeling or emotion towards an […]

Newhouse

SOCIAL MEDIA

NHsmc