You got here because you want to know what is a meme, and we are here to answer that!
A buzzword that has continually grown over the last 6 years, so much so it is part of our everyday vocabulary is the word MEME. While we share a ton of funny memes here at Digital Mom Blog, we are here to give you the dirt on the meaning of the word.
The Meme Explained
What is a Meme, You Ask?
Let’s give you the down low and dirty on what a meme is, definition, how it’s used, the pronunciation and some history of this cultural trend. We are getting into the nitty gritty and backstory of my favorite thing on the internet, MEMES!
Definition of Meme
First, we will give you our meme definition and then from some official sources.
A meme is an infectious idea that is shared from person to person. The meme is typically an image or video created to represent thoughts and feelings about a particular subject. The more a meme spreads. the greater the cultural influence is has.
Here is how meme is defined by Merriam-Webster:
- an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media
- an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture
My favorite meme definitions come from Urban Dictionary. Here are a few of my favorite definitions and answers as to the question, what is a meme?
- It’s not a word, it’s a lifestyle.
- The cure of depression.
- A meme is something funny. An example is the gif.
- DNA of my soul.
- Memes are jokes that need to be a way of life for anyone who owns technology. It gives laughter and joy to the viewers.
- A repeatable and contagious exercise of wit, expressed in context through an adaptable template, to convey a humorous or quirky message within a specific cultural reference.
- An unfortunate individual who, despite their best efforts, become the object of one or many memes. These memes can target the meme’s personality, actions, or physical appearance.
The key basis as to what is a meme is that a meme’s content in a shareable format that people are sharing.
Who Are Memes For
Sometimes memes are made for a select group of people, other times they can be appreciated and shared by the masses. It all depends on the meme. That said, it can be for whatever audience gets it – whether it be one person or one billion.
Is it Meme to Meem
Meme is pronounced with long e’s – so it sounds like mee-m.
History of Memes
Long ago, there was a man named Robert E. Meme who proclaimed that we will share all the things that we find funny and when it is shared over and over, it shall be called a meme. Just kidding, totally crap – but here is the history of memes that we do know!
The Selfish Gene
What is a meme theorized by Richard Dawkins: The word meme deprives from the Greek mimema, meaning “imitated.” In 1976, a British biologist named Richard Dawkins in his book, The Selfish Game the concept of a meme.
Richard Dawkins characterized an Internet meme as one deliberately altered by human creativity, distinguished from his original idea involving mutation “by random change and a form of Darwinian selection.”
Wikipedia
Internet Meme
The Richard Dawkins’ characterization was long before the internet and world wide web, so to say it’s 100% applicable to what an internet meme is would be false. In theory, sure – but the internet is what made the meme what it is today. Particularly the web 2.0 internet that we are currently apart of.
In web 1.0, we were AOL messenger and the meme of that genre of internet was ascii art. Web 2.0 gave us the platform to create and share video instantaneously, spurring the viral popularity of internet memes that we know (and love) today.
What’s a Meme in 2023
Here we are in 2023, we are on the cusp of web 3.0 but still enjoying the humor and laughs that web 2.0 is bringing us in the form of memes. Life itself in 2023 is what makes the internet memes. We have found humor, laughs and viralability thru the simplicities of life.
You can take a silly cat photo and make it into a hilarious cat meme that will speak straight to so many that come across its existence.
In that same vain, it can be done with nearly any topic and the more popular the image or video – the more likely for the meme to go viral.
From our Yellowstone memes, that feature the cast – yes, including RIP – you can find truths that speak humor thru various images from the show.
With Baby memes – parents of newborns and babies will find relatable laughs about the pros and cons of early parenting.
Every day, hundreds of people use our happy birthday memes to wish their loved ones a special day of birth.
Long live the era of memes. We are here for it.
Sharing is Caring
As we state on ALL of our meme posts, when it comes to sharing memes – sharing is caring. In 2024, sharing a meme can be the equivalent of a virtual hug, giving someone a flower or telling someone a joke.
Memes evoke emotion and when thoughtful shared with care, can make someone’s day.
Each day here at Digital Mom Blog, we share and add more to our ever growing meme collection. From parenting memes to work memes, rat memes, and all the things in-between – we’ve got you.
Make sure to sign up for the Daily Meme that will drop some happy rather than work or bills into your inbox for free.
What is a Meme is part of the Digital Mom Blog Memes Collection