Meme-volution

By: Jack Fenner

Memes have quickly become one of the internet’s most well-known creations, but as we all know, they have changed pretty significantly over the years. 

Internet memes started out looking something like this:

A simple, relatable template that everybody at the time loved. Now, when we look at this, it seems like something our grandmas would post on their Facebook, but we used to think these memes were hilarious. Easy to understand? Absolutely.

Still, does the simplicity mean it’s a better meme? 

Today, when we think of a meme, we envision something completely different. Here is an example of a modern meme:

This still has an easy to understand template, but the difference with this meme is that it is no longer a simple relatable picture that everyone will understand. This meme is poking fun at the CDC’s public health advisory warning that washing hands is the best way to stop the spread of the Coronavirus while wearing a mask won’t do much to protect you. 

Modern memes are often looked down upon by older generations because some think that they are meaningless and/or dumb, but they have actually evolved into a form of social commentary about relevant issues such as the Coronavirus. They are more intelligent than what they used to be because of the background understanding that is required to get the joke.

Like this:

Although this one is a little outdated, it still shows that background understanding is necessary for modern memes. At the time this meme was introduced, the “raid Area 51” event from last September was becoming extremely popular. As we all know, most hand soaps and sanitizers only advertise to kill 99.9% of germs, but this meme jokes about one of Area 51’s many secrets being discussed heavily at the time.

Memes have become our generation's way of dealing with these social and political issues in a fun and harmless way. They have also become one of the most universal ways to tell a joke because everyone pays attention to memes these days. Modern memes are constantly adapting to current events and keeping the viewer entertained, so they won’t be going anywhere for a long time. As long as the internet exists and evolves, so will memes.