While they might still feel like a relatively new invention, the New York Times reports that memes have been around for decades at this point. In fact, the word has appeared in the New York Times Crossword at least 60 times since the puzzle was created in the 1940s.
It’s not easy to pinpoint what exactly the first meme was. But evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is credited with coining the term in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. He explains that a “meme” is similar to a “phenome,” or the smallest unit of sound in speech, or a “morpheme,” the smallest meaningful subunit of a word.
Kirby Conrod, a professor of linguistics at Swarthmore College, told the New York Times, “That chunk of information, the joke or the jingle, self-replicates because we humans like to share and repeat stuff. When we repeat the joke, or sing the jingle, that’s an instance of the meme reproducing itself.”
Much like many other words in the English language, the word meme has transformed over time. Now that we live in a world that’s centered around the internet, when we hear “meme,” it’s implied that we’re talking about one that’s online.
At this point, it’s impossible to say exactly how many memes are out there on the internet. There must be millions or even billions, considering how many are pumped out every time there’s a significant pop culture event, election, or a new viral trend emerges. And according to the BBC, over 121,000 variants of one specific meme can form over time. Once an image and meme format becomes popular, it spreads like wildfire.
As far as why people love internet memes so much, Pennington Creative explains that they are the digital versions of inside jokes. Often, you have to know the context or have some information about the topic to really understand the joke. But that’s why getting a meme can be so satisfying. You’re in on the joke, and you’ll likely feel an urge to send it to a friend, colleague, or family member who will get it too.
At the same time, memes tap into a person’s cultural knowledge. If you’re up to date with the latest election in your country, and you know what’s happening in different countries all over the world, you’ll understand far more memes. Even watching the most popular shows on Netflix can help you enjoy the memes that pop up on your Instagram feed. The more connected and engaged you are with the world around you, the more memes you’ll be able to laugh at.
Another wonderful feature of memes is that they’re excellent at breaking tension. Whether you’re having trouble bringing up your mental health issues with your friends or you want to make a work meeting less stressful, a perfectly worded and well-timed meme can make all the difference. Of course, there’s a time and a place for using humor. But as long as you deploy memes in an appropriate setting, they can go a long way in helping everyone feel more relaxed.
