What makes a meme a meme?

And these are the key components of what makes a meme a meme. While an outright definition of a meme is hard to nail down, the term is most often associated with an image or video that portrays a particular concept or idea that is then usually spread through online social platforms.

What is a meme on Instagram?

The popular meme creator Saint Hoax, who has three million Instagram followers, defines a meme as a piece of media that is repurposed to deliver a cultural, social or political expression, mainly through humor. “It has the ability to capture insight in a way that is in complete alignment with the zeitgeist,” Saint Hoax said.

When was meme first used?

In fact, author Richard Dawkins first used the word in his 1976 work The Selfish Gene. The book looked at evolution and used meme to describe an idea or behavior that spreads across people in a culture. When someone says meme nowadays, they're probably referring to an internet meme.

Why are memes so popular?

Memes are widely known as conduits for cultural conversations and an opportunity to participate in internet trends (trust us, The Times is on it ). Even if you’re not extremely online, you’ve probably participated in a meme trend, knowingly or not. Where does the word “meme” come from?