It’s quite likely that you’ve come across a meme or two (or more!) shared by the ‘Circle of Idiots’ team at some point in your social media ‘career.’ The account has been on Instagram since way back in 2015, and it’s kept up a relentless stream of quality content.
Over the years, it has garnered a truly massive following. At the time of writing, a jaw-dropping 3 million Instagram users follow the page for their daily doses of comedy.
Memes can be considered a type of folklore. In the case of the times we live in, it’s digital folklore. They’re a way to tap into the collective conscience of humanity as a whole. Some memes, just like humor itself, can transcend cultural and even language barriers. Sometimes, a simple image of a relatable situation or a cute or derpy animal is enough to connect people from very different backgrounds.
As BBC Future points out, memes aren’t just about light entertainment—even though that’s what many people think of when they hear the word. Memes are a form of communication and a language in themselves. In short, they’re visual content that can connect people, help folks express themselves, and even promote or undermine social or political causes.
How strongly a meme resonates with us depends on how relatable we find it. Memes about topics that affect many of us (work issues, food, raising pets, parenting, mental health, etc.) are going to have a stronger impact than images about niche interests or opinions. The more relatable we find a meme, the more likely we are to share it with our social circle. And then, the image goes viral.
One study from 2013 found that internet content that sparks a strong emotional response makes it more likely to be shared. The stronger the emotions, the greater the likelihood of the content being shared and reshared. However, the types of emotions do matter. For example, folks have a greater intent to spread humorous content than something that is cute, disgusting, or induces anger.
According to clinical psychologist Dr. Kanan Khatau Chikha, people need love, self-esteem, and security. She told Vice that it’s because of human beings’ need to belong that they relate to memes so much. In short, memes create a sense of identification that makes us feel like we’re part of a bigger social group.
