Thousands of years ago, people would gather into tribes; nowadays, they gather into online communities, and there are arguably millions of them. Dedicated to everything from knitting, to humor, and beyond, they provide relevant content to those who seek it, and ‘Meme Life’ is no exception.
Started just last year, it has already amassed close to 630k members, eager to browse random, yet often oh-so-relatable memes, some of which we invite you to enjoy by viewing this list.
Nowadays, all sorts of Facebook groups are reportedly used by more than 1.8 billion people, with some of the biggest ones focusing on marriage and relationships, language learning, and makeup artists. But while some are more popular than others, chances are you can find a community related to basically any interest out there, which can be a great way to form connections or find new relevant content.
“Internet users form communities around common interests, be it concerns about the school their kids attend, a disease they share, politics, a game, or else,” Dr. Andrew Feenberg pointed out in an interview with Bored Panda.
Data suggests that roughly 75% of internet users are part of at least one community; 66% say that making connections with people with similar interests is the reason why.
According to Dr. Feenberg, communities focused on a certain subject matter can benefit internet users by making that subject matter visible to the public. “Of course, not all subject matters are beneficial, so we have to acknowledge that visibility is sometimes bad rather than beneficial,” he added.
Internet sociologist Marc Smith pointed out that collective sensemaking and knowledge generation that communities provide is a remarkable process that can generate valuable resources, like Wikipedia, Linux, or topic-focused message boards. “People find information and social support in these environments,” he said.
“Shared interests and the value of collective sensemaking are big rewards to converging with like-minded people. All questions are easy when 1000 or more people see the inquiry.”
While connecting with like-minded people is possible in real life as well, doing it online allows one to reach individuals from all over the world in just a matter of a few clicks. For many, during the turbulent times of the pandemic, that was the only way to reach those living nearby, too.
It’s no secret that during the pandemic, the internet was a necessity, as it was used for everything, from getting in touch with your friends and family, to working and studying. According to a study by the Pew Research Study, as much as 90% of surveyed people say it was essential at that point in time.
Bearing in mind the significance of the internet during the pandemic and the vast popularity of memes, it’s no surprise that there were millions of them created and spreading like wildfire during said time. Research on memes in relation to COVID-19 found that memes, especially the ones that relate to a highly stressful context, can help support the efforts of coping with stressors.
While the pandemic has likely pushed quite a few individuals of all ages to start using the internet or join a group or two, the interest in online communities was reportedly rising even before the unstable period started. According to GWI, back in 2017, as much as 72% of internet users would engage in online forums, blogs, and forums through their devices. Just a year later, in 2018, the number was already up by 2%, and in 2019, it reached 76%.