As of this posting, the account has 579,000 followers. To live up to its name, it features a lot of humor that “bros” will get a kick out of. As you will see, many of these memes are created from a male perspective but are generally relatable.
Memes have existed longer than generally perceived. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins first coined the term in 1976, mentioning it in his bestseller The Selfish Gene.
Dawkins defined a meme as an idea, style, or behavior that spreads within a culture.
But what exactly makes a meme go viral? Why do some easily garner thousands of shares while others fall by the wayside? Dawkins gave three criteria, which sociologist Dr. Nicki Lisa Cole mentioned in her article for ThoughtCo.
“(1) Copy-fidelity: the possibility that the thing in question can be accurately copied; (2) Fecundity, the speed at which the thing is replicated; (3) Longevity, or staying power.”
According to experts, replicability is a key factor in what makes a meme. As mentioned by Dr. Cole, "Many people, beyond the first person to do it, must be able to do it or recreate it, whether it's a real-life behavior or a digital file."
Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor Limor Shifman shares a similar sentiment.
"A text that just spreads well, and a lot of people see it, is not a meme," Shifman told BBC. "It's viral. But if a lot of people create their own versions then it becomes a group of texts and then it's a meme."
Many memes capture the mundaneness of life and can express one’s emotions. Author and sociologist Paolo Gerbaudo explains:
“We can see not just the new ways people do things or the new ways people express themselves in public but also some of the themes, some of the anxieties or desires people have. All of these complex issues are reflected in things like memes.”
Relatability is another factor that makes a successful meme, and this Instagram page is proof of it. According to University of Amsterdam lecturer Idil Gadip, this is what separates viral memes from those that appeal to a niche audience.
“You don’t have to necessarily be embedded in internet subculture to understand what it’s saying. And the final thing I think is, it’s the most basic thing but it’s very hard to replicate, is that it should be fun to look at, and fun to share.”
