What is a meme?
Quick Answer
A meme is an idea, joke or image that spreads from person to person and changes as it goes; the word was coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976.
The Full Story
Richard Dawkins invented the word meme in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, shortening the Greek mimeme, meaning something imitated, so that it rhymed with gene. He used it for any unit of culture, such as a tune, catchphrase or fashion, that copies itself between minds and evolves. The internet turned the idea into an art form, from the dancing baby animation of 1996 to LOLcats, Rickrolling in 2007 and the Distracted Boyfriend stock photo of 2017. Internet memes typically follow a recognisable template that people remix with new captions. Some have real-world impact: Kabosu, the Shiba Inu behind the Doge meme, inspired a cryptocurrency and was mourned worldwide when she died in 2024.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"From Darwin to Doge — The Surprising Science Behind Memes"