Memes: a cultural phenomenon sweeping the internet.
Memes have become a humorous means of communication and expression. From “l337speak” and “LOLcat” to “rickrolling” and Trump’s toupee, memes have gathered quite a bit of attention — and infamy.
Memes are a means of cultivating interest in a topic or poking fun.
The natural progression of language indicates that new words will be invented, new expressions created and grammar engineered as time goes on. Memes themselves have come to indicate more than their face value and to collectively present a simple form of humor that has managed to tie much of the world together.
Perhaps it is not the humor of the meme itself that gets people to click reblog or retweet, but the collective identity tied to the humor in that only people “in the know” will grasp its meaning, at the same time alienating some audiences.
“They’re funny, and they’re fun to use,” said Stephanie Foley, freshman in undeclared sciences and mathematics. In contrast, Tasha Williams and Ryan Ramirez, both freshmen in undeclared sciences and mathematics, both stated they don’t commonly use memes. Williams added her restraint is typically time.
For example, memes surrounding the upcoming election have captured people’s interest while simultaneously conveying information about the candidates’ positions.
Memes can also be nonsensical or a comedic parody for real people or events with serious ideas prompting them.
For example, during this presidential election, several memes have circulated regarding the candidates, especially Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, meaning that memes also have the ability to depict political views.
“[Memes are] current and involve current events,” said Sam Leg, freshman in undeclared sciences and mathematics.
Memes will evolve or combine with each other with mass consumption, usually peaking rapidly and going out after a strong 15 minutes of fame.
“Sometimes I don’t really know what [a meme] means because they come and go so fast,” said Spencer Kortum, sophomore in undeclared sciences and mathematics.
Memes, like caricatures, are meant to exaggerate real-life events or inspire laughter, sometimes without real meaning. You can post an image of a computer in a bathtub and say “New Lush bath bomb!” and it become a meme.
Memes are rarely full of intellectual meaning, but they hold value in our society. Why?
Because they’re funny, perhaps, or because they’re an inside joke. Maybe they persist because they’re simple and require minimal background knowledge, meaning they can connect many of the social media users of the world.
Through Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and other social media platforms, memes continue to spread like wildfire before becoming long-lasting embers within memory.
Despite memes’ short lifespans, plenty of millennials certainly use memes.
“They’re a good way to start a conversation,” said Kelly Long, freshman in undeclared sciences and mathematics.
George Mark Plasketes, media studies and popular culture professor, touched on why memes exist and why our society favors them.
“Like cyber cells and organisms of information technology, [memes and other social media phenomena] replicate and mutate while accumulating multiple meanings and evolve for as long as our short attention span allows, until replaced by another in our endless cycle of code, decode and recode — a circle of life and language," Plasketes said.
Plasketes makes an important point about meme culture and its evolution.
Memes are frequently altered, popularized and then replaced within a short period of time. However, even with their brief popularity, memes continue to be a trend in social media that will continue indefinitely.
Krista can be reached at intrigue@ThePlainsman.com.
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