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Digital age -

In 2021, it is nearly impossible to avoid memes. Whether you create them, share them, or even just view them, chances are you interact with them in some way.

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Scientific phenomenon -

At first glance, memes may seem trivial, but like all elements of human behavior, there is a scientific reason that we are all so obsessed with these little cultural tidbits.

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Defining the term -

If you’re reading this gallery, you probably have a clear idea of what a meme is. However, there are many possible definitions, so it serves in the first instance to define the term.

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TedEd definition -

A meme can be defined as “a cultural item found in the form of an image, video, or something similar, that is typically altered and spread across the world.”

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Age-old cultural item -

We often talk about memes in the context of the internet, but in fact memes existed long before the dawn of the digital age we are currently living in.

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Kilroy was here -

Examples of pre-internet memes might include the ‘Kilroy was here’ doodle or the infamous ‘Star Wars’ line “I am your father.”

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Luke's father -

The New York Times recently conducted a three-phase study in which researchers looked at why we love to share memes with each other over the internet.

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Results of the study -

The study concluded that there are five main reasons we share memes. The first is to “bring enlightening and entertaining content into the lives of people we care about.”

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Altruistic element -

This suggests that there is an altruistic element to sharing memes; that part of the reason we share them is to help us nurture and care for others.

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Defining our identity -

The second reason is that it helps us to define ourselves. This makes sense when we consider the vast wealth of content there is to choose from.

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Defining our identity -

By choosing certain memes to share with others or even creating our own, we demonstrate to the world what is important to us, and this helps to reinforce our identity.

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Interpersonal relationships -

The third reason is that it helps us build and nurture our relationships. This is similar to the first reason (sharing entertaining content with loved ones).

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Interpersonal relationships -

Sharing meme content with others opens up the possibility of shared experience, which is important for relationships because it brings people closer together.

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Self-fulfilment -

The fourth reason is simple self-fulfilment. Many of us would be the first to admit that the major benefit of memes is their ability to provide us with a good laugh.

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Self-fulfilment -

It can go beyond this, though: some memes are funny for sure, but others are more serious and can even help people find comfort when they most need it.

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Spreading the word -

The final reason for sharing memes that was given by the NY Times was that it helps us spread the word about a cause that is important to us.

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Spreading the word -

This application is undeniable: memes are a great way to reach people quickly and in a way that has the potential to influence or even change their mindset.

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What's the point? -

So there we have a few reasons that everyone loves memes. But what about their impact? Do they actually benefit society in any way?

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Virtual empathy -

Surprisingly, the answer may be yes. Results from a recent psychological study show that the more time a person spends on social media, the more virtual empathy they will likely show.

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Virtual empathy -

According to the same study, the ability of an individual to demonstrate virtual empathy is the best indicator of their ability to show empathy in real-life situations.

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Decreased loneliness -

There is also evidence to suggest that sharing content online can decrease feelings of loneliness. In one study, a group of individuals were asked to update their status more regularly.

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Decreased loneliness -

Overall the participants were found to experience less loneliness, due to the fact that they were connecting more with their friends on a daily basis.

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On the other hand -

On the flip side, there is also evidence to suggest that too much time spent online interacting with memes and other content may be bad for mental health.

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Withdrawal -

An overreliance on virtual interaction with others can cause people to become withdrawn and less willing or able to engage in real-life interactions.

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The risk of misinformation -

There are also concerns that memes, as with all other online content, can be used by malicious individuals and/or parties to spread misinformation.

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Vulnerable groups -

This risk is particularly high when it comes to children and teenagers, who are less experienced and therefore more vulnerable to the spread of misinformation.

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Conclusion -

It is therefore important to realize that, as with anything, social media and meme content should be used in moderation and not abused.

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Conclusion -

Memes clearly serve a purpose in society and there are many reasons we love them, but they come with their risks and these shouldn’t be forgotten.

Sources: (Ted-Ed) (The New York Times)

See also: A brief history of social media

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