What’s a meme?
Any idea or behavior that spreads virally through our culture is technically a meme by the dictionary definition. Some examples of these could be the ALS ice bucket challenge, the Macarena dance, bell bottoms, or people saying “Winter is coming,” a quote from Game of Thrones. In the current slang though, only internet memes are called memes.An internet meme is an image or video that spread like wildfire. Images are often combined with large text and shared as humorous responses or added context to conversations. A picture is worth a thousand words, right?Memes and emoji can be thought of as a new shorthand visual language. Because of their viral nature, they can quickly become overused and even annoying, so they usually have a short shelf life.
Examples of Internet Memes
Grumpy Cat
A grumpy cat named Tardar Sauce became internet famous after his owner posted an image of him on Reddit.com. Since then, he's made appearances on Good Morning America and American Idol. An image of Grumpy Cat can be used to convey negative or annoying feelings about something. Examples
Awkward Seal
What started out as a simple posting as a nature pic was shared, again, on Reddit.com. Community members gave the seal a backstory and persona. This wide-eyed seal is used to describe awkward and uncomfortable situations. Examples
Tripping Through Time
Sometimes a meme can be a collection of many different images that all have a common bond. 'Tripping Through Time' is a meme where modern funny captions are applied to old works of art. Examples
Creating A Meme
Websites and mobile apps called meme generators have popped up to help simplify the creation of memes. You pick your image based on relatable keywords and add text via an online text editor tool. The meme generators will have features for sharing or downloading the completed meme.
Understanding a Specific Meme
So many memes are created every day, it’s likely you’ll see some you don't understand. There are a few websites that act as meme dictionaries to help people with understanding the history and use a specific meme. Know Your Meme is a popular reference guide.