• What is a meme?
• Origin and evolution of memes
• Characteristics of memes
• function of memes
• Examples of memes

We explain what a meme is, its characteristics, functions and various examples. In addition, we tell you about its origin and evolution.

A meme allows you to express an opinion, a position or a criticism in an easy and fast way.

What is a meme?

In the jargon belongs to Internet, is known as a meme contents widely circulated digital image that combines elements multimedia (images, animations, sometimes audio and video) with a message explicit or implicit, for humorous and/or satirical purposes. It is the most recent digital addition to the genre of graphic humor, in the sense that it allows expressing a opinion, a position or a criticism easily, quickly and using content typical of mass culture, such as cartoons, frames from television series, among others.

Internet memes work like a template: they have an image or an animation that can be edited to insert text and thus give it a specific meaning. Hence, the same image is used for different contexts, but always used in the same satirical sense. For example, the famous thoughtful dinosaur meme:

This meme is often accompanied by leading questions, false doubts, or intentionally absurd thoughts that are meant to be ridiculed.

In this way, the image has its own meaning, which can be combined with the context that the user wishes. The common thing is that the use of these images is ironic and burlesque, but since their use is not subject to any rule or convention beyond popular use, a meme can also be used offensively.

The fundamental thing about memes, however, has to do with their circulation. These images and animations are the day to day of the social networks and messaging, to the point that there are accounts and pages entirely dedicated to producing memes, and millions of users willing to use and customize them. The meme has become one of the main expressive artifacts of the communication online, and there are numerous studies regarding its dynamics and its cultural value.

Origin and evolution of memes

The word meme comes from the Greek mimema, term translatable as "imitated thing". However, its entry into Spanish and mass culture comes from English, specifically from the British scientist Richard Dawkins (1941-) and his book The Selfish Gene 1976, an informative work on the theory of evolution.

In this study, Dawkins reflects on the behaviors that are contrary to the reproductive mandate of the species, that is, those that do not contribute to the spread of the individual's genetic information, but that are still common and frequent in the various cultures. To do this, Dawkins established a minimum unit of information that can be transmitted culturally, in a way that is equivalent to the way in which genes They transmit our genetic information. This unit is the memes.

However, the way in which this word passed from its academic field to the world of the Internet is unknown. But the truth is that he did it with resounding success, and since then memes have changed and evolved, acquiring not only technical complexity, that is, a greater diversity of formats and transmission mechanisms, but also creating a language with which users of social networks can connect. Memes have a lifetime in digital culture and then give way to more popular ones. In this, too, they behave like the genes of DNA.

Characteristics of memes

There is no formal convention regarding the use of memes.

The characteristics of memes are, broadly speaking:

• They consist of simple and brief images or animations, endowed with a new meaning with the incorporation of explanatory text.
• Its format is light and simple, perfect for mass dissemination on the internet and social networks.
• Its content normally comes from mass culture: films, TV series, cartoons or images from the 2.0 world and the Internet.
• They replicate and adapt to new content and contexts, without losing the essence of their message. The thoughtful dinosaur meme, for example, never loses this elemental trait of meaning.
• They are generally used for ironic, humorous or satirical purposes. There is no formal convention regarding its use, but the pure use that people give it.
• Are ephemeral, in the sense that once their content is expressed and virally replicated or reproduced, they go out of style and are replaced by newer, more popular memes.

function of memes

Memes have a clear purpose, which is to express an opinion, a criticism or a mockery, especially on critical or controversial issues within social networks. When their use is widespread, they can become iconic, in the sense that they become symbols or referents of certain groups of users. Even so, the meme is really nothing more than a template, a mold in which the user pours the contents they want and allows them to be disseminated quickly, easily and fun.

Examples of memes

Some examples of popular memes are the following:

• Pikachu surprised. It is used, in general, to express in a funny way the surprise felt at something that is common knowledge, that is, to express a naive, childish surprise at something known by all.

• Strong dog and weak dog.It is used to draw a ridiculous comparison between two conditions, two eras, or two people: one brave, powerful, and confident, and the other weak, spoiled, and capricious.

• Make me, pro! It is used to express opposition, rebellion or infatuation against a mandate, a recommendation or a trend. It is usually accompanied by the phrase “¡force me, pro!”.

• The sad woman who laughs inside. It is used to express one's own or someone else's feeling of relief, happiness either happiness which, however, is not externalized, usually because it would be inappropriate or wrong to do so.

• Drake meme. Canadian rapper Aubrey Drake Graham is the protagonist of this meme that combines two images: one in which he looks smiling and approving, and another in which he violently rejects something. Both are used to express the approval and rejection that third parties feel or feel towards something, generally in an ironic way: what is less convenient or less honest is approved, and what is correct or what is best is rejected.

• The meme of the man who looks at another woman. A classic among memes, this image of a man whistling at a passer-by while his girlfriend watches indignantly is used to express one's own or others' unhealthy tendencies, that is, that which is done despite the fact that it is not necessary or that you have a better alternative. For example, someone who buys books despite already having a huge stack to read.