A meme is an idea, action, or style that spreads from person to person within a society, generally with the goal of imparting the meme’s representation of a certain phenomena, subject, or meaning. A meme serves as a unit for transporting cultural ideas, symbols, or practices from one mind to another via writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable occurrences with a replicated theme. Memes, according to proponents, are cultural counterparts to DNA in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective forces.

Richard Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist, created the term meme in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene as a notion for discussing evolutionary principles in describing the spread of ideas & cultural events. The book provided examples of memes such as melodies, ideas, catchphrases, clothing fads, and methods for producing pots or building arches.. Dawkins later argued that the meme was a virulent form of cultural transmission, capable of leaping from brain to brain, and infecting them with the new idea.

Theorist Susan Blackmore proposed that memes are a form of replication that occurs at the level of culture, rather than genes. She argued that memes are subject to natural selection, and can evolve and mutate over time in response to their environment.

The popularity of memes has grown in recent years, with many spreading via the internet. This has been aided by the increase in social media usage, as well as the rise of platforms such as 4chan and Reddit, which have been particularly conducive to the spread of memes.

One of the earliest popular memes was the “Gorilla Suit Meme”, which began in 2003. The meme featured a man wearing a gorilla suit, and was often used to make humorous or political statements.

The “I’m Not a Feminist But…” meme began in 2007, and was used to express support for feminist ideals, while also poking fun at those who were perceived to be against them.

The “Condescending Wonka” meme, which features the character of Willy Wonka from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, became popular in 2012. The meme is often used to express disdain or mockery, particularly towards someone who is perceived to be acting superior.

The “Gangnam Style” meme, which originated in South Korea in 2012, became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views. The popularity of the meme led to it being used in a number of political and social commentary videos.

The “Harlem Shake” meme, which began in 2013, consists of a short clip of people dancing to the song “Harlem Shake” by Baauer. The meme quickly went viral, with many people creating their own versions of the dance.

The “Ice Bucket Challenge” meme, which went viral in 2014, saw people dumping buckets of ice water over their heads to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Over $100 million was raised for ALS research as a result of the challenge.

Over the years memes have become an integral part of the internet and have become very popular and an interesting way of entertainment.