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What are Memes?

Memes

In the early days of internet, memes were largely centered around images with humorous captions.

As the internet grew and social media platforms emerged, memes evolved and became more complex with some consisting of elaborate videos or animations.  Some memes became political in nature, while others focused on specific subcultures or fandoms. 

Today, memes are an integral part of internet culture and are used to express everything from humor and satire to political commentary and social criticism. Memes often spread quickly and can become viral sensations in a matter of hours, leading to widespread recognition and influence. 

A meme is a cultural idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture. In the context of the internet, a meme is typically an image, video, or text, or combination of all 3 that is shared and spread rapidly through social media platforms and online communities. 

Memes often feature humor, irony, satire, or social commentary, and they can become viral sensations in a short period of time. They are often used to express a wide range of emotions, opinions, and ideas and have become an integral part of internet culture.

In recent years, memes have also become a major part of marketing and advertising, with companies using them to promote their products and services in a humorous and relatable way.

The popularity of memes is constantly changing, and new ones are created all the time. 

Popular memes

These memes have gained widespread popularity in recent years:

"Distracted Boyfriend" - an image of a man turning his head to check out another woman while his girlfriend looks on in disapproval.

"Woman Yelling at a Cat" - an image of a woman yelling while a confused-looking cat sits at a table.

"Pepe the Frog" - a cartoon frog character that has been used in a variety of memes, often with humorous captions.

"Surprised Pikachu" - an image of Pikachu, a popular Pokemon character, looking shocked and surprised.

"This is Fine" - an image of a dog sitting in a room on fire, with the caption "this is fine," often used to express a feeling of acceptance in the face of a difficult situation.

"Mocking SpongeBob" - an image of SpongeBob SquarePants making a mocking gesture, often used to convey sarcasm or ridicule.

"Expanding Brain" - a series of images that show an increasingly complex thought process, often used to express a humorous take on a subject.

"Ight, Imma head out" - a phrase made popular by SpongeBob SquarePants character, often used to express a desire to leave or end a conversation.

"Bernie Sanders Mittens" - an image of Bernie Sanders wearing mittens at President Joe Biden's inauguration, often used to convey a feeling of being cold or unimpressed.

Types of memes

These are the most common memes:

Image macro memes: These are memes that consist of a picture or image with text overlayed on top. The text is usually humorous or satirical, and the image is often a pop culture reference.

Reaction memes: These are memes that use a picture of a person or character making a facial expression or gesture to express a particular emotion or reaction. These types of memes are often used to respond to a specific situation or event.

Exploitable memes: These are memes that use a template image that can be edited or customized by adding new text or images. This allows for a lot of creativity and flexibility in how the meme is used.

Video memes: These are memes that use short video clips, often taken from movies or TV shows, and edited to create a humorous or satirical effect. These types of memes are often shared on social media and video-sharing platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Twitter memes: These are memes that are specifically designed to be shared on Twitter. They often use a specific format, such as a screenshot of a tweet or a series of tweets, and are designed to be shared and retweeted quickly.

Niche memes: These are memes that are targeted towards a specific audience or subculture. They often use language, imagery, or references that are only understood by members of that group, and can be a way for people to connect and share a sense of humor.

Create your own meme with a Meme Maker

Follow the steps outlined in this how to create your meme instructional.

Memes that broke the internet

Viral memes of 2024

Best memes of 2023

 

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