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MemesIn his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene," biologist Richard Dawkins proposed that units of culture could be replicated, passed on, and evolve as they were transmitted, similar to human genes. He called this unit a "meme," to be pronounced like "cream."
Since it was first proposed nearly half a century ago, the idea of the meme itself has already mutated, its changes hurried along by the arrival of the internet in 1983. Shifting from a proposed cultural evolutionary concept, the meme is now largely considered content spread between and intentionally iterated upon by users.
Memes can be validating and cathartic, contributing to the development of social groups and identity formation. They have also developed a unique language, transcending translation troubles and, sometimes, censorship to establish a shared online consciousness. This level of influence naturally means memes can also be used as vehicles of misinformation and propaganda, influencing politics and public opinion.Explore Memes
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Katy Perry's 2015 halftime show generated many memes in the age of social mediaDuring Super Bowl XLIX, Katy Perry's halftime performance—especially the unscripted "Left Shark"—went viral, becoming one of the first Super Bowl shows to fully translate into memes across social media platforms. NFL2025 showed that memes continue to blend politics and pop culture This list from InsideHook ranks the top 25 memes of 2025. A recurring trend is the thin line between politics and popular culture, with users often using memes to comment on the state of the country. Of course, there was also a fair amount of highly specific and highly bizarre content, something the internet has been known to highlight. InsideHookChildhood memes like '67' existed before the internetKids saying "67" and then erupting in laughter may have been popularized by social media, but childhood rhymes, songs, and jokes that confuse adults have always existed. Iona and Peter Opie studied the phenomena, publishing numerous books on the topic from the 1950s through the 1980s. Atlas ObscuraSocial media algorithms are shaping real-life language through memesThe evolution of the internet in the early 2000s supercharged the creation and spread of memetic content. Now, highly tuned algorithms on platforms like TikTok and YouTube influence the language, phrasing, and content of creators, which shapes how we use language in the real world. On with Kara SwisherMemecoins are cryptocurrency created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokesDogecoin is perhaps the most famous “memecoin.” While they tend to be more volatile than other types of crypto (after all, they’re often created due to ephemeral trends), that doesn’t mean they can’t be valuable: Dogecoin is currently one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies in the world. Kraken50 famous memes and what they meanMemes are one of the most immediate ways to communicate. The 50 most popular ones are found everywhere on the internet. Sources for this article came from Tumblr, Twitter, Know Your Meme, and other online pop culture resources and publications. This piece examines memes from the early 2000s through 2019. Triad City BeatMemes emerged in the 1980s and 1990sToday's Internet users might think of memes as references spread online through images, videos, and audio clips. But the merger between memes and the internet didn't happen until the 1980s and 1990s—years after the term meme was first coined to describe a different phenomenon. 1440'Birds Aren't Real' parodies the way memes traffic conspiracy theoriesPeter McIndoe claims the US government killed 12 billion birds only to replace them with drones. These statements have powered protests—and McIndoe's fictional campaign that highlights how conspiracies and their theorists are treated. TEDHow memes create in-groupsMemes can hop offline, inspiring IRL events ranging from planking to shootings. By nature, memes contribute to the formation of in-groups, ones who are privy to meanings that escape content moderators who don't necessarily recognize what's hidden within layers of references. The Digital Void PodcastArticulating weird memesSome memes eschew established formats and references, creating new variants that resonate with scrollers through strange meta-jokes or compositions. This episode of this podcast, geared toward blind netizens, dives into some of the weird memes being shared online, such as one in which a pigeon sitting on a shoddy excuse for a nest, single egg forgotten, is meant to inspire comfort in those whose efforts have fallen short. Be My EyesMost memes now begin on TikTokThe website Know Your Meme looked at the data for 700 to 1,400 memes uploaded to the platform each year from 2010 to 2022. In 2010, a majority of memes began on YouTube (34%) or 4chan (28%), but by 2022 most were starting on TikTok. Know Your MemeMemes can influence politics and cultureAlthough internet memes are typically considered trivial and humorous, they're also powerfully persuasive political tools used to convey mainstream ideas. Uncanny ValleyPolitical sloganeering is often downstream of memesIn 2018, #JobsNotMobs morphed from an internet meme into a conservative slogan. A video clip of angry protesters mixed with news anchors discouraging the use of the word "mob" posted on October 11, birthed the phrase. By October 19, it was adapted into a Republican party slogan. The New York TimesMemes grew alongside the internetEarly memes featured static images with superimposed text, but grew animated with the advent of video-sharing sites like YouTube and GIF-friendly imageboards like 4chan. WIREDLinguistics professors believe memes are a languageIt's generally agreed upon that languages exhibit at least some of the following characteristics: compositionality, social transmission, arbitrariness of form and meaning, and accomplishment of linguistic functions like asking questions and expressing emotions, among other qualities. Memes fulfill these basic requirements, giving them linguistic legitimacy. UC San DiegoMemes are 'ready-made language'Internet memes—groups of texts with shared core content, medium, and stance—are what we, as creators and consumers, make of them. Through their seemingly innocuous and irreverent design, these "bite-sized" transmissions have become vehicles of misinformation, conspiracy, propaganda, activism, and subversive messaging. BBC NewsMemes can turn regular people into unwitting celebritiesWhen Charles Ramsey heard loud banging from his neighbor's house, he peeked outside and saw a woman trying to escape. After helping the abducted woman get free, he gave an interview that became a viral autotuned meme. This podcast explores the unintended consequences of that relationship and its racial overtones. Endless ThreadMemes can be traced back to the chain letterSuch intentional reshaping of communication transmissions dates back at least hundreds of years to the advent of the chain letter, a type of message that asks readers to create their own copy or at least forward it to others. Daniel W. VanArsdaleDawkins believes cultural memes have mutated into internet memesThe world's creations fall into two categories: those that look designed but whose appearance or function came about due to random mutation and natural selection, such as birds, and those whose designs and mutations are knowingly crafted, such as airplanes. Marshmallow Laser FeastHow Chuck Norris 'Facts' gave birth to the modern memeIn the early 2000s, anonymous, absurdly hyperbolic jokes about one B-level action star suddenly appeared everywhere on the internet. "Chuck Norris Facts" were spawned by a high school senior, who'd noticed something funny online and taken it to the next level. As Ryan Hockensmith shows in this detailed history, Spector's joke laid the groundwork for the modern meme. ESPN.comListen to found cassette tapes from around the worldA growing catalog collects tapes discovered in Barcelona, New York, and other locations, featuring digitized audio for easy listening alongside any accompanying visuals or notes. Some audio fragments include voice memos and mixtapes as well. IntertapesBrutalism's definition has shifted over timeThe term originally referred to a modernist style popular in Great Britain following World War II. They were large, optimistic projects that often facilitated community. Later, though, brutalism came to mean buildings primarily made of concrete that appear sinister or authoritarian. Sothebys.comDrew Scanlon is the man behind the Blinking White Guy memeA San Francisco resident, Scanlon now works as a video producer for Twitch and hosts a pair of podcasts about Formula One and iconic movies. He also now using his fame to raise money for an MS charity. SFGATE'Keep Calm and Carry On' was long-forgotten World War II propaganda The British Ministry of Information developed the stoic phrase ahead of German attacks at the start of World War II in 1939. It was never officially released on posters and then lay dormant until 2000, when one of the remaining posters was discovered at a bookstore in the UK. It has since been adapted into countless memes. BBCNorman Rockwell's 'Freedom of Speech' has become an internet memeThe famous painting, which portrays a man in work clothes speaking up in a crowd of men in suits, has become a companion image for internet users posting unpopular or controversial opinions. (Some users may experience a paywall.) The New York TimesThe reinvention of He Jiankui, the scientist who gene-edited babiesDr. He Jiankui sparked global outrage in 2018 for creating the world’s first genetically edited babies. After a three-year jail stint, he has rebranded himself as a controversial internet figure and biotech provocateur. After serving a prison sentence in China, he has carved out a social media persona that appeals to Silicon Valley culture. RebootMeme stocks often have little underlying value but are fueled by crowd funding"Meme stocks" is a phrase originating in the early 2020s, referring to companies with little underlying value who gain recognition through social media and whose stock price experiences rapid gains. The Wall Street JournalThe 'Ratatouille' musical started as a joke on TikTokIt all started as a meme: What if “Ratatouille” were adapted for the stage? Just a few months later, though, it was an actual production, featuring genuine Broadway stars. The RingerWhen Congress took on meme stocks“I am not a cat, I am not an institutional investor, nor am I a hedge fund.” That’s how Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, kicked off his testimony before Congress on the wild trading action in GameStop stock. Lawmakers took notice of the meme stock craze, and the collapse of hedge fund Melvin Capital, opening up an investigation into what exactly moved so much money. Listen to Gill’s iconic testimony here. Yahoo FinanceSee every Coachella lineup from the festival's two-plus decadesThe unveiling of the Coachella poster has become an annual cultural tradition (and an amusing internet meme). Sifting through this official collection of every poster from the festival's lifespan showcases the undercard acts who eventually became headliners, as well as the big names who fell into obscurity. But it's not only a fascinating illustration of the evolution of pop culture; there are also subtle changes in Coachella's design, offering a case study in slowly refining a brand's identity. CoachellaA history of "Memento Mori," from the ancients to todayThe ancient Latin phrase 'memento mori' means 'remember you will die.' The counterintuitive utterance has long provided a moral and spiritual framework for individuals to evaluate their life's decisions and worldview. Though it appears morbid at first glance, the saying is meant to inspire a thirst for life. Review the various ways the idea has inspired different cultures in this article, from the Romans and Egyptians to contemporary tech leaders like Steve Jobs. Daily StoicWhat is a reply all email storm?When 30,000 people receive an email, to which anyone can "reply all," a spontaneous chain reaction of many more messages can be sparked, producing what's known as an "email storm." This has happened at a large scale in several high-profile cases, most notably in Thomson Reuter's email database. Check out Know Your Meme's breakdown of this phenomenon and description of several major examples. Know Your MemeDogecoin, the seminal memecoin that has no specific useDogecoin has ridden a wave of enthusiasm to become one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies. Created in 2013 by software engineers as a joke, the token has become the poster child for the viral and unpredictable nature of the cryptocurrency market, and has inspired tens of thousands of imitator coins. Marques BrownleeStephen Findeisen is the YouTuber taking on crypto scamsWhile many cryptocurrencies are focused on advanced technical projects or real-life uses, the proliferation of easy-to-create memecoins has led to a boom in scams. Stephen Findeisen, aka Coffeezilla, is regarded as one of the best independent investigative journalists exposing high-profile frauds, pump-and-dump schemes, rug-pulls, and more. CoffeezillaAndy Warhol’s 'Exploding Plastic Inevitable' shows were multimedia performance artIf you wandered into one of Andy Warhol’s "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" events in the 1960s, you might have encountered a Velvet Underground performance, go-go dancers, strobe lights, guerrilla filmmakers asking very personal questions, and mimes. Warhol was on the cutting edge of many art forms, and performance art was no exception. The Andy Warhol MuseumMemento MoviHave you ever wanted life to be a little more like a movie? This somewhat absurd website shows you how far along you are in life, if your life was an actual film. Enter your birthday, how long you expect to live (using your best judgment!), and pick a film. The site will show you where you are in life—if your life was, say, "Inception" or "Wicked." A little silly, we know. Wacky NeighborSome Gen Z men are obsessed with ‘American Psycho’If you’ve ever spent any time on finance-themed meme pages, you’re likely already aware that today’s young men have a fascination with the serial killer main character of the movie "American Psycho." Find out what it is about the satirical representation of the late-1980s Wall Street investment banker-type that resonates with Gen Z men. El PaísTikTok's algorithm has changed the way hits are madeSongs aimed at TikTok's algorithm—designed for viral dances or soundtracking common experiences—often find success on the Billboard charts. An early example was Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," which used his memes and a country-trap beat from the Netherlands to rise to the top of the Billboard charts. The New York TimesThe story behind one iconic memeThe 2012 post titled "Just a book owners smile" shows 11-year-old Maggie Goldenberger—resplendent in her braces, pigtails, and treasure map-like vest—holding a trio of Goosebumps books and grinning wildly at the camera. Another user quickly captioned it, "GERSBERMS. MAH FRAVRIT BERKS." Vanity FairPepe the Frog went from internet meme to symbol of hateThe character first appeared in 2005, in an online comic called "Boy's Club," inspiring countless memes in which his likeliness was used as a supportive shorthand. Then, people started pairing Pepe with hateful messages, morphing him into something his author never intended. Feels Good ManSlenderman is the most infamous example of creepypastaIn 2014, two teens playing in the woods at the edge of a suburban park turned on their third friend, stabbing her 19 times in an attack they claimed was compelled by Slenderman, a meme-turned-urban legend. The GuardianA 2019 meme about Area 51 led to arrests and a music festivalA 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," spawning countless memes. Millions marked themselves as "going," and seven were arrested at a gate into the area. It also inspired a music festival attended by more than 7,000 people. Diggit Magazine'Creepypasta' is a meme that has its roots in folkloreThe genre of crowdsourced, horror folklore comes from copypasta, a term that refers to snippets of content copy-and-pasted online ad nauseam. These memes' allure stems at least partly from how they seemingly rise from nowhere, with tales crafted by many hands over many iterations. AeonBefore Dawkins, other biologists proposed the power of mutating ideasNobel Prize winner Jacques Monod proposed, “Ideas have retained some of the properties of organisms. Like them, they tend to perpetuate their structure and to breed; they too can fuse, recombine, segregate their content; indeed they too can evolve, and in this evolution selection must surely play an important role.” Smithsonian MagazineBiologist Richard Dawkins coined the term 'meme'His 1976 book "The Selfish Gene" proposed that units of culture could be replicated, passed on, and evolve as they were transmitted, similar to human genes. He called this unit a "meme," to be pronounced like "cream." Oxford UnionAncient Egypt began as a collection of independent city-states along the NileThose cities were gradually organized into Upper and Lower Egypt, names derived from the northern flow of the river. The region was unified for the first time in 3,100 BCE under King Menes (also known as Narmer). National GeographicExplore the roughly 190 Egyptian pharaohs across 31 dynasties The meticulous records kept by scribes in ancient Egypt allow contemporary historians the unusual ability to list the civilization's hundreds of monarchs, from the quasi-legendary Egyptian unifier Narmer (also known as Menes) all the way to the Roman emperors 3,000 years later. PharaohSEGo inside Queen Meresankh III's tombExamine art, explore the structure, and let yourself be transported back 3,000 years to when the granddaughter of the Pharaoh Khufu was buried. The site, first discovered in 1927, is known as a unique underground chapel with preserved depictions of the daily life of ancient Egyptian royals, and features one of the earliest known canopic jars, vessels used to store the organs of mummified individuals. MatterportPhotographer finds 120-year-old time capsule, develops the photosPhotographer Mathieu Stern found a century-old time capsule in his family home containing a little girl’s mementos and two glass plate negatives. He used Cyanotype to develop the photographs, unveiling images of the child’s pets. Stern documented the process in a video on YouTube and Instagram, showcasing the final prints of the animals. ColossalAn up-to-date, complete ranking of coins by market cap and their current valueAs of this writing, the top three cryptocurrencies ranked by market cap are Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, in that order. Dogecoin, the first-ever “memecoin,” was created as a joke in 2013, and it’s now the ninth-most valuable form of cryptocurrency in the world. CoinMarketCap
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