They’re everywhere. And they’re not just what we think they are… they’re much larger. I’m talking about memes. They’re ubiquitous in society now – making or breaking presidential campaigns or creating instant celebrities – memes and meme culture have taken over the Internet and subsequently the world. But when I think about it, they’ve always been there in one way or another.
The democratization of the Internet has freed our inner-selves from our bodies and minds with a third place to play: cyberspace. All of these worlds overlap in a tapestry of reality for each of us. Constantly consuming and publishing content both public and private, all of which an electronic thumbprint – timestamp, geo location, etc… All dictated by things inexplicably uncontrollable (life).
There’s a moment where we left our analog world and fully jumped into the computer. It was 2000 and you either you had an email address or you just were never going to be ‘online.’ For those who grew up ‘online’ a common language was born “chat rooms” “LOL” “FWIW.” And once the computer was in our hand all the time and social media budded ‘memes’ and the way we talked about ‘cultural phenomenon’ was forever altered… toward the people.
All of a sudden we could communicate QUICKLY to each other in real time through various applications from AOL chatrooms to AIM to MySpace to Facebook to Instagram and beyond. Using various digital software and in-app creator applications we quickly birthed a new language – internet art. I’m not really sure how else you can really explain it. But humans making art to connect with other humans using these new platforms.
The internet birthed its ‘Culture’ and that’s with a capital “C” because it is specific, it is detailed, it’s timestamped – everything will exist on these sands of silica until we decide to destroy them. Ultimately, that may be the result, but, we are some what intending these chips to be around forever. And the Internet is our onboard-flight recorded tucked in the black box.
When we’re talking about “Memes” (capital M) I’m going to be talking about the big picture. The idea that humans have passed around big ideas to other humans throughout the past and will be doing so well into the future. But with Internet today we’re able to pass around much larger ideas to much larger audiences very quickly.
And when I’m talking about “memes” (lowercase m) I’m going to be referring to the actual pieces of memematic evidence – ya know, the gifs, the jpegs – the digital artwork containing the larger ideas. The symbols of the signified. Otherwise known as content (Yes, there’ll be a larger blog about content, it’s just, that, that, ya know? It’s such a big topic to discuss).
Memes aren’t just about a quick laugh—they’re a the modern way we pass down ideas and stories. Back in the day, people used to tell stories or create art to share big ideas. Now, we do it with memes. They’re faster, more adaptable, and can go viral worldwide in no time.
But there’s a flip side to this. Memes can unite people, but they can also spread misinformation or reinforce negative stereotypes. The power of a meme is in how it connects with people, but that connection can be both good and bad.
As we keep creating and sharing memes, it’s worth thinking about what they really mean. Are they just funny images, or do they carry something deeper? What are they saying, and what impact do they have? In a world where everything we post can last forever, the memes we share today could be the cultural relics of tomorrow.
So, next time you send out a meme, take a second to think about it. It’s not just a joke—it’s a little piece of culture that’s out there shaping how we see the world. And in a way, memes are like the digital cave paintings of our time, capturing who we are and what we care about. As we keep navigating this online world, let’s remember that memes, while fun, are also powerful tools for expressing what’s on our minds.
